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UHCL Counseling and Mental Health Center

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UHCL Counseling and Mental Health Center

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For more information on our services, please go to http://www.uhcl.edu/cmhc. We encourage open discussion on the topics we post. To ensure we engage a diverse community, interactions should be civil and respectful. Please review our user guidelines at
http://www.uhcl.edu/FBUserGuidelines. Questions about this specific page may be addressed to the page administrator by sending an email to boothe@uhcl.edu. Content posted here does not necessarily reflect the views/opinions of the university.

11/20/2025

Topic of the Month: Home for the Holidays
The holidays and spending time with family can be stressful. It can be easy to be overcome with the chaos of schedules, budgeting, navigating relationships, and balancing work and life. One skill that can assist and help manage the stress is the skill of cultivating joy. Some of you may have heard of this as romanticizing your life. The idea is that joy in itself is an emotion that we can cultivate through the appreciation of simple pleasures, such as wearing a favorite pair of socks or having a seriously good cup of hot cocoa, or even the feeling of the breeze on your face.
If you want to learn more about the process of cultivating joy and more about why stress can be so easy to notice but joys much harder, please visit https://www.mindful.org/3-simple-ways-to-cultivate-joy-every-day/
Barron, K. (2024, December 16). 3 simple ways to cultivate joy every day. Mindful. https://www.mindful.org/3-simple-ways-to-cultivate-joy-every-day/

11/19/2025

Topic of the Month: Home for the Holidays
Identifying and being prepared for coping through stressful times is important so what when the time comes, you have a plan for what to do. Without this, it can be easy to fall back to maladaptive and harmful ways of coping that may have served you at one point, but are not things that do anymore.
One way of doing this is by creating a Coping Toolbox. This can be physical box, a list on paper, or even something virtual, but it is a collection of things that you can go to that reminds you of what makes you feel better and helps you process your emotions. In a physical box, you can put tea, soft items, puzzles, games, a journal, anything you identify as something that regulates your nervous system and is associated with feelings of ease and comfort. You can also develop a list of activities or coping strategies, like breathing exercises and meditations.
For more ideas and information, visithttps://e-wellbeing.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Coping-Skills-Toolkit-5.pdf

11/18/2025

Topic of the Month: Home for the Holidays
Setting and maintaining personal boundaries can be a primary way of practicing self-care and a primary way of protecting your relationships with friends and family. Boundaries function as the self-identified limits you have to protect sense of self, energy levels, beliefs, values, and safety while in connection.
Some things to consider when navigating and evaluating what boundaries you have:
- What are your priorities? What do you need to feel safe? What feels uncomfortable for you and why? What helps you feel more connected and what tends to make you want to distance or pull away? What are ways you can stand up for yourself that align with your beliefs and values? What are your needs when in connection with others?
- Learn how to say no. This is an important skill and protects not only you, but your relationships as well. Saying no can keep from resentment building in the relationship or inequal dynamics of power.
- Prioritize your own well-being. Trust that others will look out for and take care of themselves. Remember that when your own cup is full, you are better able to be there for those you love.
For more information, visit https://www.crisistextline.org/blog/2023/12/06/how-to-set-healthy-boundaries-for-the-holidays/
Crisis Text Line. (2024, August 22). How to set healthy boundaries for the holidays. https://www.crisistextline.org/blog/2023/12/06/how-to-set-healthy-boundaries-for-the-holidays/

11/14/2025

UHCL’s Topic of the Month: Home for the Holidays
This particular season can bring up a lot of different feelings. It is not uncommon to experience different kinds of grief: thinking about a loved one who has passed, relationships that have ended, sadness for what could have been, grief at not being able to be home or be with the people you want, amongst other reasons.
It is important to give space for your grief and acknowledge its presence. There is no one right way to feel grief and no one right way to respond. Internalizing your pain and sadness though, does not help it go away. Grief can be considered as love that has nowhere to go, nowhere to put it.
An important strategy to use is externalizing your grief; turn it into an actionable feeling. Light a candle for a person who has passed, write a letter, speak to a friend, create art around your feeling.
For more strategies, visit https://grief.com/grief-the-holidays/
– grief & the holidays. Grief.com. (n.d.). https://grief.com/grief-the-holidays/

11/12/2025

UHCL’s Topic of the Month: Home for the Holidays

Gratitude practices have been found to increase feelings of happiness and emotional wellbeing. Integrating ways of showing gratitude into your daily routine can be an easy way to practice consistent self-care and increase your capacity to hold stress and difficult emotions.
Some ways of practicing gratitude include:
1. A gratitude journal
2. Writing a letter to a loved one
3. Small acts of kindness
4. Radical self-acceptance
For more information, see https://positivepsychology.com/gratitude-exercises/
20 gratitude exercises & activities to boost wellbeing. (n.d.-a). https://positivepsychology.com/gratitude-exercises/

11/10/2025

UHCL’s Topic of the Month: Home for the Holidays
“Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive” (mindful.org).
Particularly during this season, with finals coming around the corner and holiday celebrations, it can be difficult to connect with the present moment, the stress of the next day heavy in our minds.
Mindfulness is the practice of connecting with the present, engaging fully in an activity so that what is outside of our control (the past and the future) are not taking up more space than our ability to enjoy and experience what is right in front of us.
For the fall season, some ways to engage in mindfulness are:
Take a walk outside, paying attention to the feeling of the breeze, the sounds around you, the feel of the sun, the feel of the ground beneath your feet.
Watch a holiday movie. Fully immerse yourself in the feelings of the moment, get lost in a film that helps you engage and experience the season you are currently existing in.
Drink hot cocoa or tea and engage in a hobby that you haven’t felt you have time for or always wanted to try but haven’t yet.
Staff, M. (2025, May 15). What is mindfulness? https://www.mindful.org/what-is-mindfulness/

11/06/2025

UHCL’s Topic of the Month: Home for the Holidays

Something that comes up frequently around the holidays are family members making comments about appearance, whether that be comparing you to others, or outright statements about how you look and/or what you’re eating. Recognize that these are comments you may here and they may cause distress.
If someone speaks about your body, compliment or otherwise, and you notice feelings arise, first, take a deep breath. Give yourself a second to gather your thoughts, ground yourself, and choose how you want to respond that feels best to you.
Consider your boundaries for what you are okay and not okay with for how people speak to you. Identify some phrases that you can say ahead of time so that you feel more able to speak up for yourself.
Some examples of phrases are:
“You know what, lets talk about something else.”
“Actually, I need to use the bathroom. I’ll be back.”
“Honestly, I really don’t appreciate comments about my body, and I’d like you to stop.”
“It probably doesn’t seem like a big deal to you, but hearing these comments really hurts my self-esteem and how I feel about myself.”

11/04/2025

UHCL’s Topic of the Month: Home for the Holidays

The theme for this month is home for the holidays. This self check-in is a place to begin when taking time to acknowledge and explore the feelings that arise that can come with all the responsibilities and pressures associated with more time with family, buying gifts, making meals, changing priorities, and big conversations.
Use this as a tool to name your feelings, name your expectations, and identify what will be best for you when you are feeling stressed and overwhelmed.

10/28/2025

CMHC Topic of the Month: Understanding Substance Abuse

For many of us, asking for help can feel daunting, vulnerable, or scary. If you’ve been concerned about your substance use, asking for help is a very brave thing to do. Fortunately, you do not have to journey through sobriety or moderation alone, and there are various communities who would love to support you along the way!
Here are some resources you or your loved ones can utilize in this sobriety journey.
Alcoholics Anonymous | Houston, TX
www.aahouston.org to find a meeting in your area
713-686-6300
Al-Anon Family Groups | Houston, TX
Help for friends and families of alcoholics
www.houstonalanon.org to find a meeting in your area
713-683-7227
SMART Recovery
Science-based, self-empowered addiction recovery
www.smartrecovery.org to find a meeting in your area

10/23/2025

CMHC Topic of the Month: Understanding Substance Abuse

Are you thinking about cutting down on or cutting out a substance including but not limited to alcohol, caffeine, or ni****ne? It’s important to recognize that, for many people, using these and other substances can play a role as a coping strategy, even though there may also be negative consequences. This means that if you simply try to remove its usage, you may notice impacts on your mental health, such as increases in anxiety or depression. Don’t be discouraged! It doesn’t mean it can’t be done. It just means we have to be extra intentional about how we are taking care of ourselves instead.

10/22/2025

CMHC Topic of the Month: Understanding Substance Abuse

We can play several roles in supporting a friend in recovery. In a culture where we so often gather around food and often drinks of some sort, one way we can support our loved ones is by selecting restaurants with a selection of mocktails or making them if we’re having people over for a meal. With minor changes, many traditionally alcoholic drinks can become refreshing mocktails.
If you’re looking for ideas, the website below may be a helpful place to begin!
www.mindfulmocktail.com

10/21/2025

CMHC Topic of the Month: Understanding Substance Abuse

If you’re thinking about reducing substance use of any kind, you should also be mindful of what you’re replacing that substance with. Quitting your usage altogether without intentionally including other supports may lead to undesired physical or mental health outcomes. Some alternative strategies to consider are:
- Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule.
- Introducing cardio into your exercise routine.
- Starting a new book or TV series.
- Joining a small group, either about substance use or another interest.
- Trying new recipes at home.
This is not an exhaustive list of suggestions, but are meant to spark your thought process about what might be meaningful to you to incorporate into your life!

Address

SSCB 3103; 2700 Bay Area Boulevard
Houston, TX
77058

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 5pm
Wednesday	8am - 5pm
Thursday	8am - 5pm
Friday	8am - 5pm

Telephone

(281) 283-2580

Website

http://www.uhcl.edu/cmhc

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Clinica Hispana Shotwell
723 Shotwell Street Suite B

UHCL Counseling Services

UHCL Counseling Services Disclaimer: The sole purpose of this outreach page is to keep followers informed of our events, as well as to provide useful information relevant to mental health issues. This page is not monitored daily and is used for information sharing only. If you are experiencing an emergency dial 911, or go to your nearest emergency room.

If you are a UHCL student in crisis, you can come to UHCL Counseling Services at any time during office hours, or call 281-283-2580. If you are not a UHCL student and are in crisis, you have several resources available to you. National Su***de Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-TALK (8255); The Trevor Project & Life: 866-4-U-TREVOR (866-488-7386); Trans Lifeline: 877-565-8860; Crisis Text Line: Text “HOME” to 741741; Veterans Crisis Line: 800-273-8255, or text 838255.

The mission of Counseling Services is to help students fulfill their goals by fostering connections with and among members of the university community, facilitating the discovery and realization of power in their strengths and developing the ability to address emotional and psychological challenges.