A new initiative, Lunch with the Counselors, launched its first session on Tuesday, January 10. The program will hold weekly sessions from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout January and February in the Student Activities Center (SAC).
Open to all, these sessions seek to normalize and strengthen the counseling team’s presence on campus. It is a safe space for students to bring up topics about health and well-being, propose ideas and suggestions to the counseling team, or just get to know the counselors better.
“The goal is for the student body that has not walked through counseling doors to come to get to know us,” explained Director of Counseling Services Ms. Raynetta Gibbs, the new Director of Counseling. “If you don’t want to come alone, come with a friend, two, or a group!”
Choate counselors help students navigate a wide range of social, emotional, and academic pressures on a daily basis, and this initiative aims to increase accessibility, emphasize destigmatization, and extend support in a more informal setting. “This is a way to make it less like a big deal,” said Counselor Ms. Judith Bender.
“A primary way of experiencing happiness is making connections,” said Ms. Bender; thus, the counseling team’s future endeavors will focus on supporting community members by potentially creating support groups or sponsoring fun campus activities in the coming months.
While the student turnout was lower than expected on the first few days, the counseling team noted that the vast majority of attendees were faculty. “The first day, a lot of adults came in. It got me thinking we maybe need a separate session for adults on campus because winter is a hard time for everyone,” said Ms. Gibbs. The counselors hope student attendance will increase in the upcoming weeks.
“We want to hear from you all on how we can support the student body,” says Ms. Gibbs. So, please: stop by the SAC, bring friends and your lunch, and help prevent the Choate counselors from having another lonely lunch.
