Meet this weeks CAPS Student Hero, Anna Hansen! It’s Anna’s first year with our peer education program but she quickly became a valuable part of our team. She is kind, adaptable, and has some serious skills creating flyers and handouts. Also, a star at tabling and outreach!
1. What do you regularly do to relieve stress?
Usually when I’m stressed it’s because I’m focusing too much on my responsibilities and deadlines, and not doing enough self-care.To relieve stress, I like to do something for myself. Whether that’s going to yoga classes, reading a good book, listening to my favorite songs, or taking a walk in the forest, I make sure that I’m setting aside time for relaxation and reflection every week!
2. Tell us something you're passionate about outside of school (clubs, hobbies, interests, volunteering, activities, etc.)
Something I’m really passionate about is wellness--whether that’s learning how to improve our physical, mental, or spiritual wellbeing--and applying what I learn into my own life. Some activities I’ve recently enjoyed doing is meditation, reading Thich Nhat Hanh’s book You Are Here, and trying out new food recipes. A goal of mine is to help other people discover more of what makes them happy and fulfilled.
3. If you could share one thing you would like your peers to know about CAPS or yourself in general, what would it be?
In the past, I’ve viewed psychologists and therapy as really scary things. I think a lot of the time, people don’t reach out to psychological services because they don’t think that they would benefit from therapy or they are afraid of being judged. But what I’ve learned is that psychologists (and CAPS specifically) #1 goal is to help people feel better. Their job is to literally teach people tools to overcome problems in their lives. Reaching out to these resources is not a sign of weakness--it’s powerful and courageous (and I wish I learned that sooner).