Marksmen pass by it every day. It has everything one needs to succeed in their school experience. It has notebooks, planners and a private study room. And most importantly, it provides counseling.
The Marksmen Wellness Center has counselors that specialize in a variety of topics, ranging from counselors for academic support to counselors for mental wellbeing. Its faculty, Mary Bonsu, Gabby Reed and Eliza Rosenbloom, work together to ensure a student’s well-being.
“We see that a student’s academic, emotional and social well-being are all intertwined,” Bonsu said. “Our aim is to make sure that we are proactive and responsive.”
Students can talk to them about anything.
“When students drop by, those conversations are totally confidential,” Reed said. “The only time that we ever have to share anything is if there’s some kind of safety concern, obviously.”
Besides providing one-on-one counseling, they also offer much more — teaching Health & Wellness classes, hosting after school assemblies to further educate students on mental health and, with the club Mindful4Life, setting up activities during Mental Health Week.
“We try to educate (students) about what mental-health issues are,” Bonsu said. “So that if (they) see signs, or someone is exhibiting signs of difficulty, they can come get support.”
Spreading awareness about mental health is one of their main goals but they can’t do that on their own.
People who are suffering from mental-health-related conditions often shut themselves off from everyone, even from those who care about them the most.
“You (students) are the first eyes and ears,” Reed said. “I cannot remember how many times I’ve had people come in here and say, ‘Hey, I’m worried about my friend, can you talk to them?’ And when they do, it’s usually in the nick of time.”
But awareness alone isn’t enough. One must be willing to show vulnerability, even when it feels uncomfortable.
“Opening the door is hard. But if you do it with the right person, they’ll keep you safe,” Reed said. “Every time people talk about how they feel, they feel better. There are some brave people out there who do that. I wish it didn’t require bravery.”
