Wellness Wave Wisdom

Craft & Chill with the peer Educators for Health Services Take a moment to relax and create origami with us! April 21, 2022  at the Clock Tower 11am-1pm  

By Liz Myatt, RN – College Health Nurse, San Elijo Campus Mark, age 19, a first year college student, went to the student health center for a painless enlarged right testicle that was present for one month. He delayed seeing a healthcare provider initially because he was embarrassed. However, he eventually sought help because the testicle remained enlarged. The physical exam revealed a testicular mass that wound up being cancerous. Thankfully it hadn’t spread to lymph nodes or other vital organs. He was able to get treatment to resolve the cancer and went on to achieve his goals and dreams. Testicular Cancer (TC) occurs most commonly between the ages of 20 and 34 , but it can occur at any age. TC is rare as only 1 in 250 people with testicles are at risk of getting it. The estimated number of new cases in the U.S. is 8,850 annually. In 2022 so far, California has 1,240 cases (that’s more than Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut and Florida combined!). The good news is cancer of the testicle...

By Agne Bolsakova, Mental Health Counselor Does procrastination sound familiar?  If it does, you probably know that it can be a big obstacle to timely completion of assignments. Procrastination is an act of avoidance. It results in more stress, more overwhelm, and missed opportunities. To address it, it might be helpful to ask yourself: “What am I avoiding?”  Does the task in front of you seem too big and overwhelming?  Are you afraid to fail?  Are you a perfectionist hesitant to approach the project because you may not meet your own expectations?  Tips to confront procrastination: Start by reframing negative perceptions about the task and/or yourself.  Break down larger assignments into smaller chunks and focus on starting the first step.  Create a reward system for yourself for completed tasks.  When you take a break, set a timer so a 10-minute break does not turn into a 30-minute one.  Refrain from surfing the internet or social media duri...

By Pricilla Carrizosa. Pricilla Carrizosa is a Mental Health Peer Educator, and currently majoring in Social Work, she will be transferring to California State University of San Marcos in the fall as a Graduate Student pursuing her Master’s in Social Work. Holistic therapies, such as green care, are starting to become more well known and suggested by doctors and therapists. Green care is a type of therapy where you are exposing yourself to gardening and plants. I’ve always liked to garden since I was a child, but as an adult I’ve made so many excuses as to why I didn’t have time to do it. That changed a few months ago when I had an appointment with my doctor to discuss my anxiety and mental health. I had recently begun to experience more severe anxiety due to personal life events and my doctor suggested a few holistic treatments to try that included new vitamins, guided meditation, and gardening. She explained how spending more time outside increases your serotonin levels which can hel...

  Hi! My name is Parmis Sanaei and I am a third year student here at MiraCosta as well as a Mental Health Peer Educator. I am majoring in Social Work and Human Services. I have found a love and passion for cooking not just for tasty food, but as a means to sustain my mental health and create a healthy relationship with food. Not everyone enjoys the activity of cooking - the amount of dishes you have to clean up after, the food preparation, all the dedicated time, and not to mention, the risk of creating something that doesn’t taste so good. As students, it can be even harder having access to different ingredients and cooking at home on top of balancing a full-time schedule can be difficult. But, researchers have learned that cooking has so many benefits for not just our physical health, but for our mental health as well. No matter if you’re making Kraft Macaroni and Cheese all the time or testing out a new recipe from scratch, cooking allows you to practice mindfulness, self-care, ...

by Michelle Lara-Canlas, LPCC Meet Michelle Lara-Canlas, our new licensed mental health counselor at Health Services who works especially with students who are undocumented or from mixed status families. Below Michelle is sharing her expertise on substance use. Substance use has become integrated into the fabric of our lives for many cultures and people of various ages. Whether it’s alcohol, caffeine, or illicit drugs, many have been exposed or have partaken in its use. When coming to college, there is an added stress of academic pressure while also balancing other responsibilities like work or home life, which can then increase your exposure to using substances. Folx are turning to substances especially now, after the ongoing stress and uncertainty that the pandemic has brought about, to help deal with all the challenges these last two years. Substance Use in a Cultural Context We learn in our households and neighborhoods expectations of what is and is not acceptable when using subst...

  Laura Palumbo Like sexual violence, all forms of disordered eating (such as  anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder ) can affect anyone at any age. Also like sexual harassment, assault, and abuse, it is critical to combat the stigma, silence, and shame around eating disorders by bringing these issues into the light, acknowledging they are widespread, and uplifting that no one should have to struggle alone.  In honor of   National Eating Disorder Awareness Week , we’re talking about the intersection of these two critical issues to help illuminate the reality that survivors of trauma including sexual harassment, assault, and abuse are more likely to struggle with eating disorders and other forms of disordered eating.  Why Is It Important? Understanding  the connection  between sexual trauma and eating disorders is vital for those working with survivors of sexual assault and individuals recovering from an eating disorder. Offering mea...