The Well offers solace to stressed students, an on-campus refuge
Originally posted on The Channels blog here.
Jun Starkey, News Editor
February 22, 2019
The Well is a one-of-a-kind safe haven that has officially opened its doors for City College students.
The Well is a place to relax, eat, and take a break from the hustle and bustle of college life.
Rebecca Bean, a City College counselor, is the official student program advisor and oversees all the events and activities that take place. She has been a counselor at City College for many months and has expressed her excitement for The Well’s much-anticipated opening.
“It’s been a labor of love,” Bean said.
The Well has a calming atmosphere, with varying shades of blue and white covering the walls and furniture added with locally created art.
“I would love [students] to feel inspired to put their mental health at the forefront of their lives.”
“I always say lifelong health and wellness is our priority,” Bean said. “I would love [students] to feel inspired to put their mental health at the forefront of their lives.”
Bean said that she is hoping to partner with many other programs on campus, such as the Food Pantry, the Equity Center, and various transfer success programs to help create a more fluid community between the programs.
Along with substance abuse counseling program Anchor, The Well will hold lectures and workshops to engage students, like meditation, Tai Chi lessons and visits from emotional support dogs.
All of these events are free for students, paid by the Health and Wellness Center.
Laura Farris, the director of the Health and Wellness Center, said The Well has been two years in the making.
“The space opened up and they said Student Health and Wellness could have it,” Farris said. “Things got renovated quickly because of the kids staying during the mudslide,” she continued, referring to when children from Montecito Elementary stayed in the portables on East campus during the mudslides of January 2018.
Farris said that she wants The Well to be a place for “communication, education, and support” for all students.
The Well is located in East Campus Classrooms 21 and encourages students to sign up for workshops through its website.