Stop. Take a breath. Observe. Proceed. These are the steps the U’s Mindfulness Clinic tells people to take when dealing with stressful situations.
Jonathan Ravarino is the coordinator of the Mindfulness Clinic, as well as a psychologist and clinical social worker on campus. The clinic, part of the U’s counseling services, aims to teach members of the community methods for being aware and present to lead “meaningful” lives.
“Mindfulness offers a lot to students in terms of helping them pay attention to their life, manage racing thoughts and tolerate strong emotions,” Ravarino said.
Ravarino has spent years researching mindfulness. The clinic was started in fall 2013 in coordination with the Center for Student Wellness and the Counseling Center in the Student Services Building, where the clinic is now located. The center works to help students, faculty and staff dealing with their stress, anxiety and emotions.
He said many students have not heard of the Mindfulness Clinic and will deal with stress in other ways, such as sports, art or mental breakdowns.
Brigette Dunbeck, a senior in political science, said while she had not heard of the Mindfulness Clinic, she would love to learn more about it. She said she deals with stress fairly well through “preventive measures.”
“I will start projects early and schedule things out to prevent being stressed about them,” she said.
Ravarino said the clinic teaches meditation that can help people be kinder and more compassionate to themselves and others. Meditation sitting groups hosted by the clinic are free and open to all. Ravarino said they also offer free relaxation audio files to download through their website.
Chandler Sisson, a freshman in biology, heard about the Mindfulness Clinic at orientation. She said she deals with stress through “creative expression” by focusing on something nice she can produce.
Ravarino recommends students also try focusing on the present situation when dealing with stress or anxiety.
“Too many students oscillate between ruminating about things from the past or futurizing situations that have not yet happened and perhaps will never happen,” Ravarino said. “This yo-yoing of thinking about the past and scanning the future can lead to anxiety and a sense of not knowing how to manage.”
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