Emily Smolka was enjoying a night out with her friends at Kilroy’s Sports Bar when she received a mysterious call from an unknown number. The IU junior was notified by the IU campus police that her friend unsuccessfully attempted to commit suicide. Smolka had no idea that her friend was suffering from depression.

At least 42 percent of college students feel “down, depressed, or helpless,” according to a survey conducted by the Associated Press and mtvU. Counselors at CAPS, the Counseling and Psychological Services at Indiana University, are providing three important ways to help students cope with emotional and mental health issues: group counseling, tele-counseling and workshops.

“Many IU students are helped by CAPS programs – don’t be afraid to try one. Student paid over 30,000 visits to CAPS last year,” said Director Nancy Stockton.

Each student is given two free counseling sessions per semester, and each session after that is $30 dollars. The sessions run an hour long and require to be scheduled a week in advance. Other than individual counseling, students also prefer group counseling.

“Group counseling showed me that I am never alone; other students are also going through similar situations,” Jordan Bilfeld, a sophomore at Indiana University stated.

Some students with severe depression resist socializing or even leaving their own room, so CAPS introduced tele-counseling. This offers students a chance to meet with therapists via video chat or Skype in their own home. “Some students prefer tele-counseling due to their busy schedules,” said Stockton. In fact, 58 percent of clients who had experienced both in-person and phone counseling preferred phone counseling, according to a study conducted by Texas A&M University psychology professors in 2006.“A plus about tele-counseling is that when summer begins, you can still talk to your IU therapist, even if your hundreds of miles away,” stated Smolka.

CAPS also offers workshops and support groups. These free workshops are conducted from 3:00pm to 4:00pm on every Monday and Wednesday. “The most common workshop that we encourage for students that suffer from depression and anxiety is the Mindfulness Workshop,” said Stockton. It focuses on mindful-based techniques like meditation and controlled breathing.

No one should ever feel helpless and alone. If you suffer from depression or any other mental disorder, use these three outlets to find help. For more information about CAPS visit www.healthcenter.indiana.edu/counseling/.