February 12, 2016 Vol. 91, No. 13
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NEWS
@HUStudentPubs April 25, The 2014Link Facebook: Vol. 89, No. 18
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NEWS
Searcy, Ark., 72149
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Psychologist holds stress, depression workshop on campus @HUStudentPubs Facebook: The Link
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By Anna Winchester Student Writer Searcy,
Dr. Margaret Wehrenberg, a licensed clinical psychologist in Naperville, Illinois, spoke on campus Thursday, Feb. 4, as a part of the Relational Health Initiative. Wehrenberg spoke in chapel, conducted a workshop in Cone Chapel and held an open forum in the Administration Auditorium. Several students attended the workshop to learn techniques they will use in their future careers. The Professional Counseling Center and its Relational Health Initiative hosted Dr. Wehrenberg to speak on stress, anxiety and depression. Wehrenberg provided a packet to those who attended her workshop that included “The 10 Best-Ever Anxiety Treatment Techniques.” Professor of psychology Kathy Howard attended the workshop along with some of her undergraduate and graduate students, other professors and community mental health counselors. According to Howard, Wehrenberg’s presentation provided understanding for BRITTNEY GARRINGER | THE BISON causation and intervention of On Feb. 4, Dr. Margaret Wehrenberg, a psychologist from Naperville, Illinois, anxiety, stress and depression. spoke on campus about stress, anxiety and depression. Wehrenberg aimed to “Stress, especially, is a inform both the student body and trained professionals. universal experience and very
relevant to the life of most
Ark., 72149 college students,”Howard said. “This seminar was relevant to professionals and students in training, but also those that are not majoring in the helping profession could benefit from the practical suggestions. Dr. Wehrenberg did an excellent job speaking to not only students but also professionals in the field.” Arielle Saunders, a graduate student in the Marriage and Family Therapy program, said Wehrenberg informed but also engaged the audience by teaching them techniques and exercises to assist those with anxiety. “Anxiety and stress are increasingly prevalent topics in our society, so we all need to be aware of how to prevent them and effectively cope with them,” Saunders said. “Dr. Wehrenberg’s seminar did a wonderful job of increasing knowledge of those areas in an enjoyable way.” As a double major in psychology and Spanish, junior Katie Finch found Wehrenberg’s workshop coincided with what she has learned in the classroom. Finch said she learned tips to keep herself free of stress in her future career, as well as ways to help future clients.
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“( Wehrenberg) spoke about panic attacks, but also how that relates to anxiety and stress in general and as counselors what we can do to help our clients,” Finch said. “She also talked about what we can do as counselors to help our own stress and anxiety in between sessions and how to keep ourselves healthy, because if you’re not healthy you can’t help those who aren’t healthy. It will help me manage stress and anxiety better in my future career and be the best helper I can be for everyone else as well.” Junior Melita Sutherland attended the workshop with her Christian Counseling class. Sutherland, an early childhood education major, said the workshop gave her tips she can use in her future career, such as the different breathing techniques Wehrenberg explained. “She is a great speaker,” said Sutherland. “She talked a lot about personal experiences and told stories. She talked about an anxiety attack, the way your brain talks to you in short sentences with lots of negative thoughts. She said anxiety is common and a lot of people go through it, so we shouldn’t be embarrassed to talk about it.”
McLarty addresses LGBT policies, views at Harding
By Hannah Moore Beat Reporter
In Dec. 2015, the Human Rights Campaign released a study that revealed more than 30 colleges nation-wide had obtained a religious waiver for Title IX, the anti-discrimination law, since 2013. Part of the Education Amendments of 1972, Title IX states “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, arl Camden -- Henry be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.” Critics of these religious waivers claim that they are an attempt to discriminate against LGBT individuals based on gender identity and sexual orientation. University President Dr. Bruce McLarty said that through societal changes, Harding’s convictions about gender identity and sexual orientation have remained the same. “The social and political context has significantly changed in recent years regarding LGBT issues,” McLarty said. “Harding has not changed. We believe that human sexuality is a holy matter and that sex outside the covenant of marriage is contrary to the will of God. We also believe that the Bible teaches that marriage is a covenant between a man and a woman. Our hiring and housing policies are founded on these principles.”
Sophomore Cameron Ross, a political science major, said that colleges should be able to choose ideal candidates for faculty positions based on their religious convictions. “I feel that religious organizations should be able to restrict who they hire if a certain applicant’s lifestyle conflicts with the organization’s basic beliefs,” Ross said. “Professors and staff members at colleges have much more influence over students than even they realize. Christian universities should not be forced to hire someone if their lifestyle choice is in disagreement with Biblical teachings. As representatives of the university, employees should display the same character that the university wishes to display.” Joseph Chavarria, December 2015 graduate and co-founder of Searcy Outsiders, said that religion and sexual orientation do not have to be at odds. According to Chavarria, Searcy Outsiders is a group that thrives on human diversity and authenticity and fosters friendship, mentorship and discussion. “Faith and sexuality can reconcile when we realize that one does not have to be entirely their sexuality and one does not have to be entirely their faith,” Chavarria said. Chavarria said that LGBT discrimination is even to the teachings of Jesus. “If you were a sinner – if you were someone that was imperfect – Jesus wanted you in his company,” Chavarria said. “His
fellowship was not contingent on their behavior. The conservative Christian fellowship system is very much based on behavior. If you do not act correctly, you’re not invited in. It also comes from an elitist perspective of Christianity, that somehow because you have it right, you have the right to badger someone about it, the right to insult them and the right to discriminate against them. None of these are consistent with the tenets of Christ.” According to Chavarria, religious colleges such as Harding will have to confront the issue of LGBT discrimination sooner or later. “It’s something that’s avoided usually,” Chavarria said. “There’s a growing amount of stress that I can sense on the populous of Harding as society begins to delve deeper into civil rights with LGBT people. It’s inevitable and they’ll feel that stress eventually.” According to McLarty, Harding has not obtained a Title IX waiver but may choose to get one at some point in the future. “In this country, a private religious school has the liberty to stand on its own convictions,” McLarty said. “While some will disagree with us on these matters, we seek to treat everyone with dignity and Courtesy of Senator Boozman’s Office respect. We want all people, however they might feel about our convictions, Dr. Bruce McLarty meets with Senator John Boozman to experience love in their dealings with about religious liberties on Jan. 27. According to McHarding University.” Larty, Harding has not obtained a waiver to Title IX.
Pepperdine University to join Harding on Ensenada mission trip By Alex Wingrove Student Writer
Harding’s City of Children spring break mission team is joining with a team from Pepperdine University for this year’s trip. The two teams will be traveling together to Ensenada, Mexico from Feb. 27 through March 4. According to junior Jenna Harris, one of the leaders for the year’s trip, the City of Children is a safe haven in Mexico for homeless children from birth to 18 years old. Some children are orphans, while others have families who cannot financially support them
or who are not allowed to have custody of them. Harris said that different groups arrive to work with the City of Children each week of the year to serve in the compound, provide the children with a Vacation Bible School and take advantage of various other mission opportunities. Harris said the teams choose where they want to serve, but are there, for the most part, to interact with the kids. “The purpose of the groups is just to come in and teach and expose the kids to different love and affirmation, and also to give the groups that are
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coming in an opportunity to see a different culture,” Harris said. Harris said the two schools will try to blend as much as they can. Once they arrive in Mexico, they will go over the curriculum, collaborate, teach it to each other and then have unified teaching groups between the two teams. Harding’s group will also divide up into eight small “family groups” each night. “At the end of the day before a group devotional, we’ll come together and kind of decompress from the day and say where we saw God, where we struggled with anything we were frustrated with, but mostly focus on
how God is moving in us and through the kids,” Harris said. “That’s a very beautiful time for the group, and we are hoping to incorporate Pepperdine (University) into that too.” Senior Dylan Prato, another leader for Harding’s team, said that he is excited because teaming up with Pepperdine University gives him and the rest of the group an opportunity to meet more people. “I’m not saying that people from the West Coast are extremely different than Southern people, but it is going to be different and nice,” Prato said. “We don’t completely know everybody in the group anyway, so it’s just
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Check out an opportunity to try authentic Italian food this weekend
Senior Vice President receives the 2016 Community Service Award
a chance to intimately get to know people in a setting besides Harding.” Dusty Breeding, who is assisting with Pepperdine’s campus ministry retreat, said that they are excited to combine with Harding. He also mentioned that trips outside the U.S. provide growing experiences for faith and cultural awareness. “Being someone who is constantly seeking to grow and improve, I always enjoy service trips like this and think they play an important role in the development of our students,” Breeding said. “I’m confident this trip will be a great opportunity for us to serve and grow.”
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