Touro College, one of many largest non-public Jewish universities within the U.S., not too long ago opened a free, walk-in psychological well being clinic on its Occasions Sq. campus in New York Metropolis.
One of many clinic’s objectives is to help college students who might have nervousness about growing antisemitism within the metropolis, in response to the college.
Dr. Jeffrey Lichtman, the clinic’s head, in addition to a present scholar, informed Fox Information Digital in regards to the significance of defending college students’ mental health — significantly throughout occasions of battle and persecution.
FAR-LEFT HATRED OF JEWS TODAY ECHOES THE SOCIALISM AND ANTISEMITISM OF HITLER IN THE 1930S
With over 20,000 college students throughout many various campuses, Touro has at all times prioritized psychological well being providers, Lichtman stated throughout a Zoom interview.
“Research has shown that since the pandemic, the levels of reported anxiety and depression have not gone down — they have either remained the same or even increased,” stated Lichtman, the director of scholar psychological well being providers on the college.
Touro College college students are pictured at a pro-Israel protest on campus. “There is lots of anxiety, general feelings of unease and a sort of pervasive sadness,” stated the top of the psychological well being clinic. (Touro College)
In lots of instances, college students will search assist for nervousness associated to lecturers, relationships, sickness or profession uncertainty. But in current months, there have been heightened considerations surrounding the waves of antisemitism which were reported all through the town.
Whereas the college hasn’t skilled blatant acts of antisemitism, Lichtman stated there have been “minor, low-level incidents.”
“There is lots of anxiety, general feelings of unease and a sort of pervasive sadness,” he stated.
“You put on the news and there’s very little other than who was killed today, or what violence is going on in different parts of the world or in your own city,” he went on.
Touro College, one of many largest non-public Jewish universities within the U.S., not too long ago opened a free, walk-in psychological well being clinic on its Occasions Sq. campus in New York Metropolis. “There is lots of anxiety, general feelings of unease and a sort of pervasive sadness,” stated a college official. (Touro College)
“But people’s individual lives go on, with a kind of heaviness. And so we try to provide some perspective and balance to help them.”
The majority of the college’s psychological well being service choices have been individualized counseling, however some college students want the “relative anonymity” of a gaggle session or might crave the sensation of belonging.
“You know, it’s a lonely world out there, in the age of social media,” Lichtman identified. “You’ll be able to have 1,000 associates and nonetheless don’t have any meaningful friendships or relationships. And so being a part of a gaggle can start to deal with that in some small means.”
“With all the challenges that may exist in the U.S., it is still an amazing, wonderful country.”
The clinic additionally presents workshops on managing nervousness and practicing mindfulness.
The purpose of the brand new drop-in middle is to supply yet another possibility for college students who want impromptu help with out having to make an appointment.
“Maybe they’re on campus and they had a tough day, and they just want to peek in and see who’s there,” stated Lichtman. “We’re trying to support students in ways that will speak to them.”
Dr. Jeffrey Lichtman is the top of the brand new psychological well being drop-in clinic. “We’re trying to support students in ways that will speak to them,” he stated. (Touro College)
For some college students, the drop-in middle has served as a stepping stone to getting longer-term care.
“It’s a first step — we get them in the door and then many want to continue with individual counseling,” stated Lichtman. “The primary goal is to get them to engage in a more ongoing and committed sort of way.”
WOMAN VANDALIZES ISRAELI HOSTAGE POSTERS RIGHT IN FRONT OF CAPTIVES’ FAMILY MEMBERS IN NEW YORK CITY
Yakira Colish, a political science honors scholar at Touro’s Lander School for Ladies, informed Fox Information Digital that she appreciates the additional psychological well being providers the college presents — particularly within the wake of the Oct. 7 assaults on Israel.
“It’s been harder in our school, particularly the one which I am in, which is entirely Jewish and orthodox, with actually robust ties to Israel,” she stated.
Two college students at Touro College are proven in a classroom. “It’s been more difficult in our college, especially the one that I’m in, which is entirely Jewish and orthodox, with really strong ties to Israel,” a scholar informed Fox Information Digital. (Touro College)
“We’ve all been following the news, and that has contributed to heightened levels of anxiety, checking in to make sure your relatives are alive, which is a real concern.”
She added, “There is a general feeling among a lot of Jewish students — not just in Touro — that America may be just as dangerous as Israel.”
The psychological well being sources are particularly important in New York Metropolis, Colish famous, which she described as having “a bit of antisemitic undertones.”
DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY RATES HIGHER AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS THAN THEIR PEERS, NEW STUDY SUGGESTS
“There have been threats to Jewish schools and synagogues,” she stated. “And when I walk around my dorm, there are posters of kidnapped children ripped down. I feel like anything can happen at any moment.”
Whereas the scholars at Touro have been comparatively “sheltered” from antisemitism, in response to Colish, she is worried about what is going to occur after they transfer on to graduate colleges or legislation colleges.
The majority of the college’s psychological well being providers has been individualized counseling, however some college students want group classes. (Touro College)
“I think a lot of us are keeping up with the news of what’s been going on at top universities — and we can’t escape the fact that there’s antisemitism,” she stated.
Colish, who’s pursuing a profession in diplomacy, not too long ago utilized to Harvard Divinity for a master’s in theology.
“In my circles, there’s a lot more hesitancy now when people hear I’m going,” she stated. “There’s a real fear for my safety.”
“There is a general feeling among a lot of Jewish students … that America may be just as dangerous as Israel.”
Alternatively, Colish stated she doesn’t consider avoiding these locations is the reply.
“I don’t believe the solution is to like vacate spaces of pro-Israel voices,” she informed Fox Information Digital. “I think that could be more dangerous. But I think there’s a very weird irony to the world right now.”
Yakira Colish, a political science honors scholar at Touro’s Lander School for Ladies in New York Metropolis, informed Fox Information Digital that she appreciates the additional psychological well being providers the college presents — particularly after the Oct. 7 assaults on Israel. (Yakira Colish)
A number of the college students have additionally skilled emotions of guilt, Lichtman and Colish agreed.
“These are 20-year-olds who are applying to grad school, trying to move on with their lives or just having a good time with their friends, while they have family in Israel,” stated Lichtman.
“Some of them have disclosed to us feelings of guilt, saying, ‘How can I hang out with my friends when my cousin or my brother is in the Israeli army?’”
Suggestions for combating nervousness
Not all nervousness is essentially dangerous, Lichtman identified.
“A low amount of anxiety is actually very normal and even healthy — but when it becomes so intense and pervasive that it gets in the way of day-to-day functioning, that’s when it becomes problematic,” he stated.
AMERICAN COLLEGES ROCKED BY NUMEROUS ANTISEMITIC INCIDENTS IN 2023: ‘THE FACE OF VIOLENCE AND HATE’
It’s essential for college students to acknowledge after they need assistance, the physician stated.
“We live in a culture of rugged individualism, where the message is that we should be able to handle it ourselves, but that’s not true — everybody needs help,” he stated.
Speaking in regards to the nervousness is an easy but extremely efficient technique, stated Lichtman — one thing he calls “naming the monster.”
Yakira Colish, a scholar at Touro, informed Fox Information Digital that she has seen posters of kidnapped Israelis ripped down close to her dorm. (Yakira Colish)
“Talking about the source of anxiety literally helps to bring it down,” he stated. “For one, it is likely to be meals, for an additional it might be religion. Naming the monster helps to tame the monster.”
Acknowledging and expressing gratitude is a crucial device for combating anxiety, Lichtman stated.
“For all the challenges that we may have, we also have blessings,” he stated. “Sometimes it’s family, sometimes it’s friends, sometimes other things.”
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
For a lot of of Touro’s college students, they could be the first of their households to go to school, for instance, or the primary to dwell in america.
“With the entire challenges which will exist within the U.S., it’s nonetheless an amazing, wonderful country,” Lichtman identified.
“I think it’s important to reflect on those blessings, as they give us perspective and balance that helps us better manage the anxiety.”
College students are pictured working in a lab at Touro College. Greater than 20,000 college students are enrolled throughout the college’s campuses. (Touro College)
From a scholar’s standpoint, Colish beneficial that younger folks sustain with the information, however carefully.
By way of managing nervousness, train is certainly one of her handiest instruments.
“Every time I am having quite a lot of massive emotions, I prefer to go on a run or go rock-climbing,” she stated. “Movement is incredibly helpful.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“I also find it oddly comforting that this is sort of a wave of history that has happened before,” Colish added. “Jewish history is like this, with ups and downs.”
“As a nation, we’ve been through it before and we’ll go through it again.”
