Introducing Pick Me Up Kits
Do you have a question about depression? Would you like to learn more about anxiety? Or perhaps you are considering seeking a therapist but want to be better informed before you do. Then you need a Pick Me Up Kit from the library!
The kits cover resources related to the mental health topics of anxiety, depression, self-care, substance misuse, and trauma. Each kit contains books, relevant resources available on campus and online, and sometimes a small support item such as a fidget toy, all in a canvas tote bag for easy carrying.
Halina Santos, an aerospace engineering student, was excited by the kits and said, “It is so nice that the school is acknowledging mental health. And I really like the fidget!”
Health Sciences Librarian Cat Ellis has collaborated with Mark Teles, a clinic therapist at Counseling and Psychological Services, and Libby Skiles, Executive Director of Student Health Services, to create this new resource.
“My colleagues and I at Counseling & Psychological Services (C&PS) are grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with the University Library and Student Health Services in supporting the well-being of our community," Teles said. "We hope students find these kits to be one of the many accessible and supportive resources available to them through SDSU. All of us here at C&PS remain committed to supporting the well-being of our community as well as the success of our students.”
“We're so pleased with this collaboration with the University Library to develop this new resource for our students," said Libby Skiles, Executive Director of Student Health Services. "Mental health plays such an important role in our well-being, and finding resources can sometimes be overwhelming or intimidating. These kits are a great way for our community members to access resources and information about mental health and well-being.”
Ellis was inspired to find resources about mental health issues by her mother, who is a school psychologist. She says, “I grew up surrounded by psychologists discussing mental health issues, and I am very aware of the need for easily accessible information. I am really excited to be able to do this project.” She has carefully selected books that are evidence-based and reflect the diversity of the SDSU student population. There are multiple books in each kit, including non-fiction, memoirs, and graphic novels. Ellis says, “We don’t expect anyone to read all the books, but there is a variety so each person can choose what works best for them.
Aerospace Engineering student Alan Figueroa said, “I think it’s great to give people a place to begin and easy access to information.”
Ellis emphasizes that these kits are not a substitute for professional care. Still, she hopes they will help students who are unsure if they are ready to approach a health professional, who want more information about a topic, or used as an add-on to professional care. She especially wants those who might be experiencing mental health challenges to know that “they aren’t the only ones” and hopes that these easily accessible kits will help reinforce that idea.
If these prove popular, she hopes to expand into more topics, such as LGBTQ health issues and cold and flu care.
“The University Library has collaborated with campus partners, including Student Health Services and Associated Students, for years on issues related to health and wellness,” said Scott Walter, Dean of the University Library, “and this makes sense given the nature of the library as a campus space where thousands of students come every day to conduct research, complete assignments, and prepare for upcoming deadlines in the classroom, at work, or at home. We know that our students regularly come to the library with the need to juggle deadlines, manage stress, and gain access to the resources they need to thrive at SDSU, and we believe these new kits, like our single-use study rooms, will become an important part of the library contribution to the SDSU commitments to health, wellness, and student success.”
These new kits are kept at the Circulation Desk and are available to check out for up to four weeks.
