The “Looking Inward” mental health retreat was hosted in the mountain range north of Madrid by the counseling center on Oct. 5.
In their ongoing efforts to confront mental health struggles in the student body, the counseling center offered 35 students the opportunity to get out of the city and participate in yoga, meditation and self-reflection exercises. Students could also earn credit for Cura Personalis 2: Self in Contemplation.
“The retreat was initially to be a workshop,” said Carla Aparicio, coordinator of the university’s mental health outreach & prevention program. “But it became quickly evident we needed more time.” Activities at the retreat are influenced by both research-based psychological intervention (clinical therapy methods) as well as holistic self-care approaches. Students will reflect on their values, relationships, spirituality, hobbies and other pieces of their identity as it relates to their mental well-being.
The retreat takes place from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., where, for 45 euros, students receive meals and transportation to Albergue Fray Luis de León in the Sierra de Guadarrama. Participants spend the majority of the retreat outdoors in a vast grassy area with large trees providing shade. On top of intervention, students are also offered an opportunity to slow down, “something that is not taken for granted by college students,” said psychology major Hannah Horwitz.
This is the third time the counseling center is hosting the retreat. The event has quickly grown in demand, from not having enough participation to run the event in its first round in 2021, to requiring a wait-list for weeks preceding the retreat. Students on the wait-list frequently reach out to the counseling center in hopes of participation, says Aparicio. While a second retreat is not currently offered, Aparicio noted it is possible for the future.
The date of the event was intentional. Early October marks the time when the “honeymoon phase” starts to wear off for the study-abroad population, homesickness may begin to set in, and exam season kicks into gear.
“We see students seek out mental health services around this time,” Aparicio says. A study abroad student who decided to sign up, Joe Dajani, mentions his difficulty navigating both old and new relationships in this novel environment.
“The stress of school on top of that makes the transition a little difficult, and the opportunity to have a day away from it all to reflect seemed important to me.” Said Dajani. “I also think the added bonus of the Cura Personalis 2 credits solidified my decision to go.”
The SLU-Madrid counseling center wants to foster an environment where students feel encouraged to confront their mental health and participate in psychoeducation, according to Aparicio, and Dajani feels this is a productive way to do so.
“Going to the counseling center can be intimidating or embarrassing for some people and this provides an excellent alternative,” Dajani said. “It is also something different in case some traditional methods don’t help some people.”
While registration is now closed, the counseling center continues to offer more traditional services for students in search of mental health support.
