By AMEARA DITSCHE
Staff Writer
Saint Rose offers an abundance of different services and events focusing on students health, both mental and physical. From meditation in the sanctuary to special finals week gym hours, there is something for everyone’s comfort zone. Anthony Barker of the Athletics Center/Student Affairs, runs a program every other thursday night called “Profiles in Adversity.”
They meet at 7:30 p.m. in Albertus room 208. The event is a circle where people can talk and discuss in a safe space what is troubling them now, or could be people telling stories for their past adversity and how they overcame it, in hopes of helping or inspiring others.
The event uses a storytelling template in order to promote a comfortable, friendly vibe. Different people will speak and offer or ask for help. A goal of the event is for people to meet others going through something similar and feel apart of a group. The event strives to build a community.
Anthony Barker likes to use the phrase “recalibrating normal” when describing the event. “We wanted to break stigma and give people the opportunity to meet others in a way that makes them feel comfortable and accepted.”
The event seems to fill up the whole room with a variety of different studies. Some are more so observers, whether that means they are student observing this kind of space in order to further their coursework, or a troubled student trying to understand that what they are going through is normal and there is resources available to help them.
The event is primarily composed of current saint rose students connecting with each other, but on Jan. 31 2019 an alumni spoke. Joseph Jacobs from the class of 2003, spoke on his trauma and triumphs in hopes of acting as an inspiration the current students who were listening. Jacobs is now a music teacher at Albany academy and wants to share his story as a reminder that it gets better.
The event utilizes a “what is said here stays here” policy so no specific content could be printed, but the general theme was overcoming the shame that comes along with mental illness as well as having hope for the future.
After Jacobs spoke another Saint Rose student shared their story and called upon others to relate. He spoke on how his friends, who were present at the meeting, helped him through it and one of them offered their perspective on the situation in order to shed another light.
There was then a Q&A portion where students were free to ask either speaker or Mr. Barker any questions. These questions could range to ones about the event itself or more personal ones geared at the speakers. The Q&A is to allow everyone to feel at home in the safe space created at the event.
When speaking to a student in attendance she allowed me to share a bit of her story, Ashley Freels is a student here at Saint Rose who spoke about finding out mental illness runs in her family. “Mental illness is a serious topic and can be hard to talk about in your family, so it’s really good there is somewhere people can be open and not feel so formal.”
The event was attended by two graduate students who were there to become familiar with the event in order to hone their skills in counseling, their program in grad school. “This event is great because we are learning exactly what role we can provide” says Britney Wager.
Jacqueline Bove, another grad student added “This is our first time here, but is great to see the school provides something like this. It is a really good learning experience for future counselors and any student.”
The event is open for all every other Thursday in Albertus 208, at 7:30 p.m. Everyone is encouraged to attend and bring a friend! Contact Anthony Barker for any questions at barkera@strose.edu.
