Through partnerships and sponsors, the University of Indianapolis Student Counseling Center will provide students with new mental health resources, including TimelyCare and a new Meditation and Biofeedback Center, which will open Sept. 25.
The Director of the Student Counseling Center, Kelly Miller, said the new mental health resources are a dream she has had for years, and she is excited about how these new resources are going to be received and helpful for UIndy students. Miller added she has recognized that the mental health needs and demands for services have been increasing for quite a while now.
TimelyCare is an online counseling service available 24/7 that students can use anywhere, whether at home, on campus or in a different state, according to Miller. The platform provides unlimited 30-minute sessions with experienced professionals.
“We have registered over 600 students so far for TimelyCare,” Miller said. “Our goal is to make sure that every student is registered, whether they decide they want to use it or not.”
Another new service coming to UIndy is a Meditation and Biofeedback Center. The center will offer a variety of resources, such as warmed lava beds, a zero-gravity massage chair, and a calming environment, according to Miller.
“I believe there is research that suggests when you combine mindful thinking and mindfulness into your everyday practice, it actually helps you get centered,” UIndy President Tanuja Singh said. “It helps reduce stress and anxiety, and that has a very direct impact on how our students perform. That part, to me, is very critical.”
The center envisions offering group meditations and workshops on topics like anxiety and depression for small groups of five to 10 students, according to Miller. The space was inspired by Urban Meditation, one of the Counseling Center’s partners.
The addition features custom-made lava beds. The center has two lava beds, which can be used individually or with a friend, but never with a stranger. Wireless headphones will also be available for meditation or personal music while using the beds, which provide nourishing heat and therapeutic comfort, according to Miller.
“There’s no university that we’re aware of that has the combination that we do,” Miller said. “It is a unique opportunity for our campus.”
The chair has multiple settings, such as sleep, relax or sit upright, and it massages the whole body, including the arms, back, legs, feet and neck. Miller said sessions last 20-25 minutes, giving students time to meditate, nap or listen to music.
Biofeedback is a method that helps people control breathing, body temperature and other functions to reduce stress and anxiety, Miller explained. The center uses biofeedback equipment and often incorporates the Wild Divine app for training.
Miller said the Counseling Center is also exploring new resources, such as virtual reality biofeedback, where students use VR headsets to practice stress-reducing skills through games and exercises. Other ideas include new group workshops, such as a Grounded Gardening Workshop that combines mindfulness with being outdoors.
“There’s a lot of anxiety, and that is simply just the nature of our complex world,” Singh said. “So we want to be able to solve the problem, not ignore it, and to us, if that element helps our students succeed, that’s a very important part of our promise to our students.”
All of these resources are free to UIndy students. They can schedule appointments by booking online, emailing the Counseling Center or registering for Timely Care.
