The Wellness Center
Contact Us
Room: C-Building, C-249
Phone: (718) 482-5471
WellnessCenter@lagcc.cuny.edu
Monday- Wednesday 9 a.m.- 6 p.m.
Thursday 9 a.m.- 7 p.m.
Friday 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.
Accredited by the International Association of Counseling Services, the Wellness Center provides counseling and wellness services that support and assist you in your intellectual, emotional, psychological, and social development while coping with the challenges of college and life stressors. The Wellness Center offers free and confidential counseling in a safe environment where individual and cultural differences are valued and respected. Our services include: short-term individual counseling, crisis intervention, workshops, outreach and referrals to college community resources.
Services
- Short-term Individual Tele-Counseling: Discuss personal concerns with a licensed mental health professional in a safe, confidential setting. Gain emotional support and learn coping skills and strategies to overcome specific challenges.
- Phone and Video Consultation: Counselors are available to provide mental health information and resources as well as guide students with finding referrals. Contact wellnesscenter@lagcc.cuny.edu or 718-482-5471 to schedule a consultation.
- Group Counseling: Share experiences, learn perspectives and practice new behaviors in a safe and supportive environment. Counseling groups are facilitated by one or more licensed mental health counselors in a small group setting. Contact wellnesscenter@lagcc.cuny.edu or 718-482-5471 to inquire about virtual groups.
- Alternative Wellness Classes: Participate in these free classes to improve your mental, physical and spiritual health. Check the campus calendar for more details.
- Workshops: Attend our free wellness workshops to learn about a variety of topics, from guided mindfulness and meditation to Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) certification to suicide prevention training.
Reasons to Visit
We are here to help you address the following concerns:
- Coping with COVID-19 anxiety/stress
- Adjusting to college life
- Depression
- Diversity and cultural differences
- Family difficulties
- Grief and loss
- Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBTQIA) concerns
- Recovering from trauma
- Relationship problems
- Stress and anxiety
How to Reach us
718-482-5471
WellnessCenter@lagcc.cuny.edu
C-Building, C-249
Office Hours:
Please refer to the Campus Services page for current hours.
If you need to speak with someone outside of office hours, call 1-888-NYC-WELL (1-888-692-9355), text WELL to 65173 or visit NYC Well to chat with a counselor.
If you are in danger, in need of immediate medical attention or having thoughts of harming yourself, please call 911.
Resources
Contact Health Services at 718-482-5280 or Health-Center@lagcc.cuny.edu for COVID-19 or other health questions.
Complete the intake form in English or Spanish to access Wellness Center counseling services, and contact us at 718-482-5471 (option 2) or WellnessCenter@lagcc.cuny.edu.
Please refer to the Campus Services page for current hours.
Text “CUNY” to 741741 for 24/7, confidential, free crisis counseling.
Visit NYCWell or the NYS Office of Mental Health to receive help with stress and anxiety about COVID-19.
Call/text/chat services:
- Crisis Text Line® – Text “CUNY” to 741741 for 24/7, confidential, free crisis counseling.
- NYC Well – call 1-888-NYC-WELL (1-888-692-9355), text WELL to 65173 or visit NYC Well to chat with a counselor
- Safe Horizon Domestic ViolenceCrisis Hotline – 800-621-HOPE (4673)
- Administration for Children’sServices (ACS) Child Abuse Hotline – 800-342-3720 or dial 311
- RAINN – Rape, Abuse and Incest NationalNetwork Sexual Assault Hotline – 800-656-HOPE (4673) or chat online
- AdultProtective Services (APS) Referral Hotline– 212-630-1853
Additional resources:
Being well means balancing the emotional, academic, physical, financial, professional, social, environmental and spiritual aspects of your life. Find support through a variety of student services on campus.
- View our Off-campus Resources Guide.
- Togetherall – A safe, anonymous, online peer community to support your mental health, free to all CUNY students. Sign up with your LaGuardia student email.
- eCHECKUP TO GO – A virtual program provides confidential, personalized information and feedback on your alcohol, cannabis and nicotine use, including its effects on your health, relationships and life goals.
Unsure if you or someone you know should see a mental health professional? These online questionnaires can give you a better understanding.
Depression
Depression is a condition that can affect anyone. Here are the signs:
- Feeling sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, helpless, worthless or generally pessimistic
- Focusing on death or suicide
- Withdrawing from friends and hobbies/activities
- Experiencing anxiety, stress and/or irritability
- Feeling fatigued or lacking energy
- Giving away possessions and/or making out a will
- Experiencing changes in sleep and/or appetite
- Having difficulty concentrating, making decisions or remembering things
- Saying things like “I don’t deserve to be here” or “I want to die”
- Increased use of alcohol and/or other drugs
- Engaging in reckless behavior
Suicide Prevention Tips
If someone you know is thinking about suicide, there are a few ways you can help.
- If they are in immediate danger, call 911.
- Reach out if you think someone is suffering in silence and could be reluctant to seek assistance.
- Listen to the person and accept their feelings. Try not to judge or argue.
- Remind them that support is available on campus and in the community.
- Offer to go with the person to seek help from their parents, a wellness counselor or another source of support.
Stress Relief
Everyone experiences stress while in college, but there are ways to manage it. The following apps are available to help you reduce stress and improve your mood.Wellness Apps
- Breath2Relax is an app that teaches a deep type of breathing, called diaphragmatic breathing or belly breathing. This type of breathing has been shown to help reduce stress and improve mood stabilization.
- Happify embraces “the science of happiness to offer exercises, games and activities for reducing negative thoughts and improving relationships.
- Headspace features guided meditation, using a daily training format that you can try for free.
- MindShift is an app specifically designed for teens and young adults. It addresses such things as social and performance anxiety, perfectionism, worry, panic and conflict. Rather than avoid anxiety, it helps users change how they think about it.
- Sanvello offers daily tools to reduce stress, anxiety and depression. Record and track moods, set goals, and connect with a supportive community.
- Dare: Anxiety & Panic Attacks is made specifically for managing panic attacks, helping users understand causes and overcome fears.
- Insight Timer is a free meditation app featuring content from meditation teachers, including guided meditations, meditation music, talks and podcasts.
- SAM Self-help App for the mind helps with self-monitoring of anxiety through a graphic display, a closed social network for social support, anxiety education and guidance on how to use the app in daily life.
- The Now- Mindfulness Triggers is a free mindfulness app that sends inspirational quotes throughout the day to help you pause, reflect and refocus on the present moment.
- Smiling Mind is a free, customizable mediation app that offers guided mediation exercises based on age. It’s ideal for everyone, from children to adults.
Programs
We offer various health and wellness programs to help students succeed in college and beyond. Neurodiversity Program The mission of LaGuardia’s Neurodiversity Program is to provide students with access to services that will lead to successful academic outcomes while providing educational opportunities that will increase self-knowledge. Our program is part of CUNY’s Project REACH, whose purpose is to provide affordable and accessible higher education options to all students, particularly those who have not accessed college programs in the past, such as those on the autistic spectrum. Our staff, who specialize in academics, social connections and self-esteem, work with the students in this program and refer to the Office of Accessibility reasonable academic accommodations as needed. We serve students that identify with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Neurological Disabilities and Social Anxiety as well as isolated and stigmatized individuals. We offer virtual coaching sessions to help students adjust to learning in an online environment. For more information, please contact us at 718-349-4023 or LaGuardiaAssist@lagcc.cuny.edu and Neurodiversity@lagcc.cuny.edu.Meet Our Staff
| Name | Phone | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Frank LaTerra-Bellino | 718-482-5078 | |
| Jean Buckley-Lockhart | 718-482-5258 | |
| Stacey Chen | 718-482-5471 | |
| Shanté Bassett | 718-730-7593 | |
| Matthew S. Joffe | 718-482-5278 | Outreach and Education |
| Ana Mora | 718-482-5263 | |
| Regina Varin-Mignano | 718-482-5286 | Health & Wellness Education and Grant Development Manager Principal investigator of the LaGuardia A.S.S.I.S.T. Program |
| Jennifer MitchellMayer | 718-482-5471 | Counselor |
| Saida Gordon | 718-482-5471 | Counselor |
| Syria Brown | 718-482-5471 | Counselor |
| Jane Kim | 718-482-5471 | Counselor |
| Desiree Rodriguez | 718-482-5471 | Counselor |
| Andrea Bellissimo | 718-482-5471 | Counselor |