The Counseling Outreach Peer Educators, COPE, at SUNY Oswego are seeking to engage and empower students by promoting the mental health outlets on campus.
COPE, formerly known as Peer-2-Peer, is a branch of students working with SUNY Oswego’s Counseling Service Center, CSC, that are dedicated to teaching and promoting skills that help students reduce potential stress and resolve stress more quickly if it arises.
The team, made up of six undergraduate students and COPE supervisor, Kyle Dzintars, assists the CSC in spreading information about mental health services and resources on campus. Senior English and public relations major, Carolyn Gerstle, works with COPE on the social media team, creating informational flyers for the social media platforms. Outreach is one of the biggest aspects of COPE, Gerstle said, the weekly “Tea Talk” is just one of the ways the team works to spread information.
“Each week we do a different self-care activity, whether that’s making bracelets or coloring or painting or even just writing letters to ourselves,” Gerstle said. “It’s just to destress and to have people from the Oswego community come in and relax and hear about what we are and what the counseling services are on campus.”
Gerstle and other COPE team members take a class weekly to develop knowledge in healthy habits, communication skills, presentation skills, healthy relationships, mental health challenges, self-care, teamwork and resources in the community. Junior Psychology major and COPE team member, Adriana Militello, said that the classes provide the team with valuable information to help their peers and people in need.
“We have had classes in suicide prevention and recovery ally training,” Militello said. “Jane [LeBlanc] the counselor even came in to talk to us about counseling resources and stress.”
COPE offers students another outlet on campus as opposed to the traditional counseling setting. The counseling center on campus is currently running on a waitlist with 2-3 weeks before being able to book an appointment.
“COPE is kind of the bridge to get people,” Gerstle said. “A lot of people are intimidated to go to counseling and have a lot of misconceptions about counseling. We are here to educate people and let them know that this is a safe place, there are people here to support you and even if you can’t get a counselor right away, you can come to us and talk. We’re not counselors but we are here to help.”
The CSC offers a variety of services for those in need of advice or assistance. Aside from traditional counseling services, “Let’s Talk” is a Counseling Center Outreach Program for walk-in consultations and for students looking for more immediate help. The CSC offers a variety of activities and events throughout the week. For those looking for more information on the services provided, visit https://www.oswego.edu/counseling-services/ or call the center at 315.312.4416.
Abigail Connolly | The Oswegonian
