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Health and Wellness

We know that for students to succeed academically, they must first feel their very best, which means they must be healthy—mentally, emotionally, and physically. We have several resources available for students who need extra support.

The Wellness Center

Located in the Fort Awesome residence hall, The Wellness Center is a resource to help students live well at Purchase College. Our programs and services stem from the eight areas of wellness: Intellectual, Environmental, Vocational, Social and Emotional, Physical, Financial and Spiritual.

We collaborate with the campus community to provide an engaging roster of activities that mindfully promote health and well-being while reducing student stress:

The Wellness Center offers campus-wide prevention programming to help students make informed choices and avoid the negative outcomes of substance use. The Wellness staff works with the Office of Community Standards to provide educational sanctions for students found in violation of campus substance use policies. Students seeking help with substance use concerns may also elect to work with licensed counselors to obtain short term interventions, assessments, treatment referrals and support.

The Wellness Center is proud to offer the Lighthouse Program for students living a sober lifestyle or in recovery. A supportive environment embedded in campus culture, the Lighthouse participants, allies, and events reinforce the decision to be sober. Lighthouse programs are often located in the designated substance-free lounge in Fort Awesome known as “The Harbor.” The Harbor offers a secure space and cozy setting where all students are welcome to gather and socialize.

The Wellness Center hosts the “Yoga for a Natural High” program at no cost for students. This program offers several classes per week taught by certified yoga instructors and/or students. A variety of Yoga, Meditation and Mindfulness classes are offered for all skill levels – all students are welcome.

Many students use the word “stress” to express all kinds of transitional and adjustment pressures but may not know how to manage new levels of stress associated with college. Our natural stress response activates the body to take action in response to demands. A continuous stress response, without relief or management, can cause fatigue, physical and emotional difficulties.

Wellness programs help students learn about self-care and habits that manage and reduce stress:

  1. Healthy Lifestyle Choices: sleep habits, nutrition, exercise; positive relationships, seeking help
  2. Practice Attention-Centering Techniques: Mindfulness, breathing techniques, yoga, Meditation, Self-Compassion and gratitude practices
  3. Reflection Exploration, Expressive and Creative Strategies: Journaling, Art/Music/Dance/Physical Movement, environmental experiences, service learning projects
  4. Learning New Ways to Think: learn skills to work with thoughts and change a perspective

The Wellness Center promotes Mindfulness as a life skill and an important tool to combat stress. Mindfulness is “the awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, nonjudgmentally to the unfolding of the experience moment by moment”(J.Kabatt-Zinn).

  • Purposefully and intentionally focusing attention
  • Present moment experience: observing thoughts, feelings and sensations in the body; avoiding focusing on the past or future.
  • Non-judgmentally, allowing the observance of thoughts, feeling, or sensations; gaining awareness of judgment and learning to suspend this

How to Prepare Your Student Against High-Risk Substance Use

This may be your first time sending your student off to college or they may be coming back to Purchase as seniors. In addition to the on-campus programs and resources Purchase offers, parents can do a lot to help students manage college stressors and social life. Here are some tips on how to support your student against the consequences of high-risk substance use:

Some students find it easy to communicate via text message on a daily basis and some prefer to have a lengthy weekly call with their families. Whichever method of communication works between you and your student, establish that routine early on. Keeping good communication can help you identify when something isn’t right or when your student needs a little extra support.

Students whose parents have a “no-use” expectation clearly communicated to their student are less likely to use alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. The less likely a student is to use, the less likely they are to experience the consequences of use. Be careful about messages that support expectations for substance use in college like “I know you are going to use, so when you do, make sure…” The majority of our Purchase students are not using substances and your student may choose not to use as well.

There are some fantastic online resources to help parents get informed about substance misuse. Some of these include Campus Drug Prevention, Power to the Parent and Talk 2 Prevent. You can click the Wellness Center’s webpage or Instagram account to see educational blurbs and learn about the substance free programming we offer for students.

Many students who do report using drugs and alcohol report that they do so because they have not been maintaining some aspect of their total wellness. Whether neglecting their mental/emotional, physical, or spiritual health, it’s important for students to recognize the importance of balance to remain well and productive.

Ask your students directly about their substance use and be prepared to communicate your expectations in a non-shaming and non-judgmental way. Remember compassionate inquiry is better than an inquisition.

If you are concerned about your student, encourage them to seek help. The Wellness Center is a confidential place where your student can come and talk about their substance use, whether they are ready to make a change or not. The Wellness Center is located on the ground floor of Ft. Awesome, (914) 251-6665. Parents are welcome to call the Wellness Center if they are concerned about their student’s substance use. We cannot disclose personal information about your student but we can help you walk through challenges you may be facing with your student and conduct outreach to the student if you desire. For mental health concerns or a more urgent need, please contact the Counseling Center on campus. The Counseling Center maintains a counselor on call 24/7 that can be accessed by calling the University Police Department at (914) 251-6911.

The Counseling Center

The Counseling Center offers a range of mental health and supportive services to matriculated students. Quality care is provided by a multidisciplinary team of licensed professionals committed to a student centered and culturally informed approach to therapy. Students have access to short-term individual counseling, weekly support and therapy groups, advocacy services, and after-hours crisis response as well as campus programming and self-help tools. All services are provided at no extra cost. Students whose needs fall outside our Scope of Practice will be assisted with referrals into the local community.

Frequently Asked Questions

No. Both resident and commuter matriculated students can access services. Non-matriculated students are welcome to consult with our staff to obtain referrals, or use the referral locator resources on our website. The Counseling Center staff will meet with any student on an emergency basis. How to make an appointment? Students may call (914) 251-6390 or stop by to schedule an appointment at HUM LL. The center is in the basement of Humanities Building (on Lincoln Ave. across from the Central 3 parking lot).

The Counseling Center is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Emergency services are offered via a Counselor On Call after hours and on weekends. If a student is experiencing a mental health emergency or personal crisis please contact the New York State University Police (NYSUP) at (914) 251-6911. If appropriate, NYSUP will connect the student to the Counselor On-Call.

During business hours, students may walk in when experiencing immediate distress. Students in crisis will meet with a counselor within a few minutes. Campus Advocacy Services (CAS) are also provided by the campus Victim Advocate and professional counseling staff. Campus Advocacy Services (CAS) are a critical first step in receiving completely confidential help and full information covering all care and reporting options for incidents of sexual assault, sexual harassment, partner violence and/or stalking.

Students are encouraged to speak to one of our Counselors when they are experiencing emotional distress, mental health symptoms, and other concerns. Some of the concerns commonly addressed at the Counseling Center include:

  • Personal: Stress, anxiety and panic, depression, loneliness, grief; mental health symptoms
  • Relationship: Romantic relationship, roommate problems, family problems, social life; conflicts
  • Developmental: Identity (e.g., personal, cultural, sexual orientation, gender identity), adjustment to college, healthy lifestyle choices, decisions, life transitions
  • Substance Use: Concerns related to alcohol or other drug use/abuse Academic: Performance anxiety, perfectionism, academic difficulties and many others.

The Counseling Center’s scope of care offers a short-term model for individual counseling. At the initial meeting, students work with the counselor to determine an appropriate course of action based on needs. Students seeking long term or routine individual care, specialized services, or more intensive treatment modalities will be referred. All students are able to utilize our emergency and Advocacy services. Students are also encouraged to join one of the weekly support groups offered by the Counseling Center. Before you come to campus: check out the local referrals available through our website menu.

Some of the groups offered are: Anxiety & Self-Compassion: Cognitive Skills with Mindful Practice to Reduce Negative Self-Talk Bipolar Support Group Complexities: Conversations among People of Color: A support group for students of color Finding Your Voice: Drop-in Expressive Therapy Using Music and Poetry Take Back Your Life: Healing from Sexual Abuse Trans & Gender Non-Conforming Students Support, Drop-in: A safe space for Trans and Gender NonConforming students to give and receive support.

Referrals are listed on our website. Local agencies can be found under the Referrals tab on the Counseling Center page. Visit the center’s database, ThrivingCampus, to access local private therapists.

Therapy Assistance On-Line (TAO): The Counseling Center now offers self-help for mental and emotional well-being via Therapy Assistance Online, or TAO Connect. Any campus member with a Purchase College email account may log in and use a slate of resiliency-strengthening and wellness enhancement tools. TAO Connect may be accessed online or via app. TAO can be used to help in changing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in a positive direction – anywhere, any time.