The wellness center isn’t just one place; it has tiers. Any student having problems or going through depression should go there. The wellness center’s goal, or what they help with, is normalizing emotions, and they are always available and here to listen.
They have three tiers: the counselor is tier one, the wellness center is tier two, and therapy is tier three. Normalizing emotions is their goal, and if the wellness center isn’t enough or doesn’t help, they give therapy, and Mental Health Clinician Pedro Heredia is the one who offers that.
Heredia is the one who offers therapy, but that wasn’t his original career plan. He used to be a campus supervisor, but one day a student told him, “Mr. Heredia, you always listen to us without judging us,” and that made him want to be what he is.
Heredia helps with mental health and also makes class presentations. He also always has an open door for everyone and anyone who just needs to go in and have a seat or talk to him.
There are other things around campus that offer help, like peer mentors by PLUS, counselors, the zen room, and improve your tomorrow. The wellness center also plans different events with PLUS.