NIU Today

NIU will host mental health providers from the DeKalb community and Chicago suburbs Friday, Aug. 30, for a conference focused on the needs of the transgender population. The conference is a collaborative effort between the Counseling & Student Development Center and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Resource Center. Over the past few years, transgender identity...

With the economic downturns and the advent of new technologies, people can no longer make a decision about their career in early adulthood and plan to stick with it over multiple decades until retirement forces them to leave the working world. Indeed, with economic changes that lead to cut-backs, technological advances that change the needs...

NIU student “Bob” recently had broken up with his girlfriend, “Maggie,” after two years of dating. Feeling depressed and noticing his grades dropping since the break-up, Bob didn’t know what to do, who he could talk to or where to turn. He did remember, however, learning about the Counseling and Student Development Center during his...

As scientists learn more and more about the intersection of mental health and physical health, the numbers become more and more alarming. Studies estimate that anywhere from 50 to 80 percent of encounters with the medical industry have some sort of mental health component. Yet many doctors, nurses and other health care workers admit their...

The NIU College of Education is partnering with Alexian Brothers Parish Services and the NIU Counseling Association to bring an eye-opening new documentary to campus. “Race to Nowhere” examines the over-scheduled, go-go world in which many of today’s school children dwell – a world where cheating, stress-related illness, depression and burnout are rampant, and ironically,...

People who work in careers that require emotional investment, such as nurses, counselors and educators, often cite compassion fatigue and subsequent burnout for leaving their jobs. Those who succeed are those who set proper boundaries around work, taking time to relax and paying careful attention to their personal lives and outside interests. These practices, known...

From Buddha to Thoreau to Krakauer, histories from all corners of the world have told stories of men and women who have found emotional catharsis from experiences with nature. It seems that, even with the advent of cell phones, iPods and PDAs, evolution has not caught up. Humans are still hardwired to crave nature, exercise...

How do educators help students identify and develop their passion for their professional careers? Professionals in the field of counseling, counselor education and teaching must nurture this desire to obtain the necessary knowledge and skills to be competent educators. So says Toni Tollerud, a Presidential Teaching Professor in the NIU College of Education’s Department of...

With the upcoming publishing of the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V), the book which guides mental health professionals in diagnosing mental illness, the universal emotional process known as grief has been put in the spotlight. Controversy abounds on whether this experience is grounds for mental health diagnosis, or...

Do you feel tired, irritable or unable to concentrate? These might be signs of depression, a serious and disabling medical condition with symptoms characterized by mood, physical and cognitive changes. More than 19 million Americans suffer from depression and anxiety, regardless of age, race or gender. Less than half of those suffering from depression seek...

After a week of free events designed to inspire the NIU community to SAY IT OUT LOUD, the campaign team is inviting all community members to a night where they can do just that. As the final event of the week, a Mental Health Open Mic Night is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, Sept 21,...

Following through on promises made in the spring, the NIU Say It Out Loud campaign has announced fall programming that will promote mental health literacy in the NIU community and create safe space for dialogues about mental health issues. Among the offerings are a prepared Power Point presentation that can be used to facilitate discussions...