College Student’s Journey to Healed Wounds Therapeutic Journal

UTM Students are being offered the chance to help themselves while helping others through therapeutic journals.

The staff of Student Health and Counseling Services is creating a”College Student’s Journey to Healed Wounds” Therapeutic Journal to be used for the Fall semester.

“We want to provide a tool that students can use to help develop their coping skills,” said Shannon Deal, SHCS director.

John’Na Webster, the Suicide Prevention Coordinator is taking the lead on this project.

“I know students don’t always come in with coping skills. People are taught to man up and to cover up their feelings. People aren’t able to just be honest about their feelings,” Webster said. “This journal would be a way for them to tell their story, have others read it and maybe it can help someone.”

The journal will be a collection of personal stories, poems and drawings that have been written and submitted by various UTM students to benefit other students.

“A lot of times when students come to the Health Center, they are encouraged to write down some things they’ve been going through, so they can kind of track their progress. I know that a lot of times it’s hard for students to know where to start, what to write or how much is too much,” Webster said.

Each individual story in the journal will act as a guide giving students an idea of how to write about their experience. After each story in the journal blank pages will be included so others can write about or draw a picture about their own life story. This will allow them to keep track of their personal progress in healing.

“I’m hoping there’s a sense of growth: a growth from the individual who is writing their story or drawing their picture. Any amount of growth is beneficial and if a student can see that through their writing, then they can see how they’ve progressed,” Webster said.

Anyone that wants to share any problems they have experienced can simply write about it and submit it either by email to Webster at jcosby4@utm.edu or drop it off at the SHCS building by July 1. The forms are included below. Entries do have the option of being anonymous.

“Let’s talk. Let’s be open. Let’s be honest. If we have a story that made us strong, that story can help someone else be stronger,” Webster said.

The College Students Journey to Healed Wounds (1)

Featured Graphic: eckerdhelpsgirls.org