By Lily Ligeska, JRN 111 Student
Anxiety may be the new norm in 2022, but that doesn’t mean we can’t learn to manage it better.
That’s the focus of Moraine Valley psychology department’s 15th annual mental health program. The event will take place Thursday via WebEx and will feature therapists Courtney DeCarlo and Kelly Olenski.
Why anxiety for 2022? Organizers point to the pandemic as well as “our political and economic climate” as stressors that have affected many people.
“A lot of students are reporting an increase in anxiety,” said psychology professor Nickolas Shizas, one of the event coordinators. “Not even just students, actually–just the general population. Across the United States, we are seeing thousands of students reporting an increase in anxiety.”
The presentation, “Anxiety 101: Understanding and Managing It,” will cover the symptoms, risk factors and prevalence of anxiety, and will discuss coping skills and treatment options.
DeCarlo, a licensed clinical professional counselor, co-founded Oswego Wellness and leads workshops on anxiety in community and school settings. She has been working in the field of psychology since 1998 in a variety of settings, including community mental health, emergency rooms and private practice.
Olenski, a licensed clinical social worker, has experience treating individuals struggling with life transitions, grief/loss, anxiety, mood disorders, trauma, personality disorders, self-injury, eating disorders, and substance use.
The event takes place from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with the last half hour to be used for a Q&A session. The event is open to all members of the Moraine community as well as the general public. No reservation is needed; simply join using this link.
