Hello Bentley Students and Staff,
In light of today’s sad news, the Bentley Counseling Center would like to remind everyone of our available support services and encourage everyone to please take care of yourselves. Counseling Staff is presently standing by and ready to assist anyone who might be looking for additional support.
The Counseling Center (Located 2nd floor Callahan Building, Central Campus) is available for both virtual (telehealth) and in-person appointments, which you can arrange by walking-in, calling us at (781) 891-2274, or using our online scheduler at:
https://www.bentley.edu/university-life/student-health/counseling-center
We are available for traditional therapy appointments, and also, we are available throughout this week for nonclinical support conversations with students who may be outside of Massachusetts and/or outside the United States.
This week, the Counseling Center has timeslots available from 9am through 4pm, Monday through Friday. As always, we are available for short notice and emergency sessions if needed, simply reach out to us by the methods above.
Bentley’s Telehealth Partner, BetterMynd, is also available for ongoing telehealth support for all registered Bentley Students. BetterMynd providers represent a diverse range of clinical expertise areas, identities, languages, and styles to best fit the needs and preferences of all our students. Students can directly access this service through the link above and can search for a licensed provider in all 50 U.S. states.
Additionally, our 24/7 Crisis Hotline (Protocall) is available to students and staff both in, and out of the United States, and can be reached by calling our phone number (781) 891-2274 and following the prompts (Press ‘3’ when prompted).
Additionally, below you can find some helpful handouts on coping with grief and helping others struggling with grief. We hope these are useful.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to us for whatever reason – we are here and waiting to be of support to you however we can be.
Remember that grief takes a lot of energy. Treat yourself with the same care and affection that you would offer a good friend in the same situation. Not all suggestions will be helpful to everyone. Choose those that work for you.
BE PATIENT WITH YOURSELF
• Go gently. Don’t rush too much. Your body, mind, and heart need time and energy to mend.
• Don’t take on new responsibilities. Keep decision making to a minimum.
• Don’t compare yourself with other bereaved. Heal at your own pace.
• Throw away notions of a fixed period of time for mourning. Grief takes time, whatever time it takes.
ASK FOR HELP AND ACCEPT HELP:
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help. So much hurt and pain go unheeded because people don’t want to “bother” anyone else with their problems.
• Accept help when offered. It’s okay to need comforting. Often people wait to be told when you are ready to talk or if you need anything. Tell them.
• Don’t build a wall around yourself. It’s important to love and enjoy the people in your life instead of distancing yourself from them.
• Plan for difficult times like weekends and holidays.
• If grief is intense or prolonged, seek professional help.
ACCEPT YOUR FEELINGS
• Feel whatever you feel. You don’t choose your emotions; they choose you.
• It’s okay to cry. Crying makes us feel better.
• It’s okay to be angry. Just work to let it out (by hitting a pillow, screaming, exercising, etc.)
• Thinking you are going crazy is a normal feeling.
• It is important to let out your feelings, whatever they are. You won’t suffer nearly as much from “getting too upset” as you will from keeping your emotions locked inside.
• Be determined to work through your grief.
• Expect relapses. There will be things that trigger your sadness.
• Remember you are not alone. Everyone experiences losses.
• Make time to grieve. Don’t throw yourself into your work or other activities that leave no time to grieve.
