New this semester, the Murray State Counseling Center offers mental health awareness and training through the Green Bandana Project.
Sponsored by Murray State’s Quality Enhancement Plan titled “MSU Matter: Racers Care,” the Green Bandana Project consists of a 90-minute training session where participants learn about campus resources, how to identify someone who may be struggling with mental health issues and how to appropriately assist them.
Students who complete the training session are then given a green bandana, buttons and stickers to indicate their participation in the project and their ability to aid others.
“The mission of the Green Bandana Project is to raise mental health awareness, reduce stigma and provide information about mental health resources available on campus,” said Angie Trzepacz, licensed psychologist at the University Counseling Center.
According to Trzepacz, the program was originally created at the University of Wisconsin in 2014, and it has since spread to high schools and universities across the country. Murray State conducted their first training sessions early this April and will continue the program next year.
Students interested in the program can do more than just complete the training session. They can also become a trainer themselves, like Kyle Nelson, senior psychology major who organized a training session for members of the Psychology Club and Psi Chi.
Nelson first heard about the project from a fellow student who had recently been officially certified as a trainer/facilitator. Nelson, as part of the Psychology Club’s executive team, then “pitched” the idea of facilitating a training session for the club. Members of Psi Chi joined the session as well.
“Organizing this session was an incredibly simple process,” Nelson said. “It may have been underwhelmingly simple, but that is a great benefit of the program – accessibility!”
Nelson said the training sessions are “very informative and interactive” and are useful in learning to become more connected to other people and understanding how to be a “safe person for people who might be having a hard time.”
“I am grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of coordinating and organizing this experience,” Nelson said. “What one learns through training to become a (Green Bandana) Ambassador is something that you can take beyond campus – to your friends, family or a stranger having a bad day. This translates to many aspects of life and while the resources may change depending on the context where you’re talking to someone, being someone who cares can have a real and meaningful impact no matter where you are!”
Students who are interested in learning more about the program or scheduling a training session can email the University Counseling Center at msu.counselingcenter@murraystate.edu.
“Any student who is interested in mental health and wants to be a resource to support and encourage other students could benefit from participating in this program,” Trzepacz said. “All students are welcome.”
