Mental Health Resources Available to Students and Employees
BYU-Idaho offers a variety of remote mental health resources for students and employees. Resources and information available are outlined below.
Emergencies
- If you are in immediate crisis or at risk for physical harm, call 911.
- To contact the Counseling Center in an emergency, see the contact information below.
BYU-Idaho Counseling Center
- Individual, group, and couples counseling is available remotely to students.
- You can contact the BYU-Idaho Counseling Center through any of the following ways
- Call (208) 496-9370 during office hours (Monday - Friday: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.)
- Call (208) 496-4357 for emergencies during evenings or weekends
- Visit the Counseling Center page for more information.
Therapy Assistance Online (TAO)
- Students and employees have full access to Therapy Assistance Online (TAO). TAO is an online self-help program that aids in improving mental health. This online program offers 8 models of dealing with mental wellness topics. For more information on what TAO offers, please refer to the Therapy Assistance Online page.
Wellness Center
- The Wellness Center is in 174 of the Hart Building and provides fitness, nutrition, and wellness consultations. Walk into the center or call (208) 496-7491 to schedule an appointment. It is open Monday and Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday from 8 a.m. – 7 p.m., and Saturday 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. Additional information about services, programs, and workshops is available on the Wellness Center page.
- THRIVE is a program focusing on fun, positive interventions to help with depression and anxiety. Participants will learn content and apply it using experiential learning. Some of the topics include nature, physical fitness, nutrition, relationships, technology, and meaning.
- Visit THRIVE to register.
Peer Mentors
- Your fellow students can also be an important resource and support. To connect with a Peer Mentor, visit the Peer Mentoring page for additional information or to request assistance.
Social Activities and Events
- Getting outside, being physically active, and interacting with others can benefit your mental and emotional wellness. For additional information, visit the Activities and Involvement Center in MC 101, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., or visit the Activities and Involvement Center page.
Student Honor Office
- Following the CES Honor Code will bring you great blessings while attending BYU-I. For more information, please visit the BYU-Idaho Student Honor Office page.
Title lX and Sexual Misconduct
- If you need to report sexual misconduct, sexual harassment, stalking, or domestic violence, or you want information on dating safety, please see the Title lX page.
Dean of Students
Academic Success and Tutoring
- Signing up for tutoring appointments can be a great aid in your experience at BYU-I and help you better manage your classes.
Academic Advising
Tips for Coping Emotionally
Practicing these strategies may be helpful in building your emotional resilience. These strategies are a collection of ideas shared by therapists across the country:
- Stay informed and obtain information (in small doses) from reliable sources.
- Information can help you make educated decisions and has been shown to reduce anxiety. We do not recommend watching the news or reading articles for extended periods of time as this may increase anxiety.
- Create a routine
- Predictability creates a sense of calm. This is especially important if working from home when children are out of school or when self-isolating to avoid exposure.
- Practice daily movement and activity
- Regular physical activity promotes health, provides a healthy coping strategy and can boost immunity.
- Maintain connection with friends and family
- Find safe ways to connect with others – phone, FaceTime, email, text, letter, social media, and outdoor activities can all be good options.
- Build simple pleasures into your day
- The media is full of bad news and our lives have been disrupted. Create balance by adding small moments of pleasure into your day. Things like sitting in the sun, fresh-cut flowers, listening to music, funny videos or a favorite treat can go a long way in adding bursts of joy to your day.
- Practice daily relaxation and self-soothing activities
- Deep breathing, music, yoga, prayer, meditation, hot bath/shower, aromatherapy, a blanket and a good book or time with pets are all examples.
- Practice good self-care
- Choose healthy foods, limit alcohol and caffeine, maintain a sleep routine, and do regular activity.
- Avoid obsessive or ruminating thoughts
- Try to maintain a positive perspective. Thinking over and over about what could happen or other “what ifs” has been shown to drive up anxiety.
- Practice good stress management strategies
- Stress has a negative impact on immune function. Identify healthy coping skills, problem solve, focus on things you can control instead of what you can’t.
- Talk about your concerns and practice active listening with others
- Just being heard can be very calming. Practice compassion for yourself and others.
- Connect with your values
- Choose to behave in ways that are consistent with your core values like compassion, generosity, patience, connection, productivity, respect, creativity, gratitude, and others.
- Practice psychological flexibility
- Being able to adapt to changing information and conditions, espeically in challenging times, is an important quality for resilience and psychological health.
- Engage in creative expression
- Art is a great way to relieve stress and express emotions.
- Be mindful
- Periodically stop. Listen to your breath. Calm your thoughts. Pay attention to the birds, wind, and leaves. Connecting with your breath and with nature can help reduce your heart rate and your stress.
- Let go of perfection
- During challenging times, things will not always go as planned. Setting expectations that are too high sets you up for frustration and stress.
- Have conversations with roommates about expectations
- Sometimes increased togetherness can be challenging, especially if you're living with someone new. Being clear about expectations with roommates can help prevent conflicts. When conflicts do occur, practice assertive communication using the Fact, Feeling, and Fair request format.
- Look for ways to build hope and optimism
- Remember, humans are very resilient creatures, and this too shall pass. Throughout history people have faced adversity (wars, famine, disasters, loss) and survived - we will too.
- When alone, take the opportunity to do things you seldom have time to do
- Read, practice creative arts, play games, learn a language or instrument, write letters, watch movies, review old pictures, clean closets, try new recipes or explore new pass times.