This material was written by a Dallas College licensed counselor. All views expressed in this piece are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Dallas College.
Heard the news? Dallas College campuses will have a limited reopening in August. Students will be allowed to go back to campus — for limited appointments and with strict safety rules.
Yay! Or is it more like, yay? Are you excited or scared? There are plenty of students in each camp.
Some are excited. To have a solid excuse to leave the house — one my parents will support, one my partner can’t argue about? To be able to ask questions face to face and follow-up questions right away? To get through a problem in one day, the same day? Yay!
Some are worried. What if someone on campus is asymptomatic? How do I know how safe the other students have been? I have a parent or partner who is older or has a weak immune system or an upper respiratory problem. How am I going to feel if I pick up the virus and bring it home and they get sick? Not so yay.
At each Dallas College campus, there will be strict protocols for staff and students. Your safety is our top priority!
Staff will work one week on campus, two weeks off campus, so there will be limited exposure and plenty of room for social distancing. Staff members will also be watching a video training on safety procedures that they will follow. Our facilities team will thoroughly clean and disinfect each night and as much as possible during the day. And of course, masks will be required for all.
Staff and students will download an app to answer questions about risk factors before coming on campus; and, yes, students will have to have an appointment. You cannot come to campus until it’s time for your appointment, and you must leave right after. Again, it’s all for your safety.
So, if you’re excited about coming back, you know how to prepare. If you’re worried, you now have information to hopefully help you feel safer. You will be getting more information about this over the next few weeks.
There are no easy answers for whether to come on campus or not. It’s a very individual and personal decision. If you have anxiety about deciding if you should step out or stay home, there are plenty of resources available to help you relieve stress and feel less overwhelmed. It’s okay to say you’re not okay.
Please remember you can talk to your friendly, professional, certified campus counselors either online, or dare we say it, on campus! Keep reading to find out how we can help you — for free!
Written by Dr. Jesse Gonzalez, personal counselor at Dallas College
Dallas College Online Counseling for Students
Our professional counselors are here for you! As a Dallas College student, did you know you can meet with a counselor for a virtual one-on-one session — for free?
Currently enrolled students can set up a virtual meeting through a safe and secure Webex link. To get started, all you need to do is contact your campus Counseling Center at the email address listed below. From there, a member of your campus Counseling Center team will walk you through the necessary pre-appointment procedure.
Contact your certified campus counselor
Cedar Valley counselors have started weekly virtual counseling sessions every Wednesday through the Summer term for students. Wednesday’s Word on WebEx is at 1 p.m. every Wednesday. We highly encourage you to take part. This is an opportunity to discuss any topic or concern during this period of anxiety for many.
Please note: If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, please call 911 or visit the nearest hospital emergency room rather than requesting an online counseling session.
Community Mental Health Resources Available in Our Area
- North Texas Behavioral Health Authority can help pay for community psychiatric, mental health and substance abuse services — please call 214-366-9407.
- Suicide and Crisis Center of North Texas — please call 214-828-1000.
- National Veterans Crisis Line — please call 800-273-8255 and press 1.
- National Domestic Violence Hotline —please call 800-799-7233.
- National Sexual Assault Hotline — please call 800-656-4673.
- Message 741741 from anywhere in the United States to text with a trained crisis counselor. Heads up — standard messaging rates may apply.
It’s okay to say. If you see something that could be helpful to someone else, spread the word and share this information. Even if you’re not dealing with a specific mental health issue, chances are someone you know is.