The Hiking Journey

jennifer@mtntowncounseling.com (Jennifer Kephart) — Mon, 21 Sep 2020 13:42:35 GMT

Here marks the beginning of a pretty long trek. The result was not what I expected, but one of the most rewarding adventures yet!

Our crew got off to a later start then anticipated. We had a 14,000 ft. mountain to climb ahead of us, and not one of us seemed a bit worried about that. We mapped our trek, shared a smoke and headed out. (Yes you read that right).

The first quarter of the trail seemed fairly easy, we took in the wildlife, breezily talked with some of the fellow hikers on the trail, and even caught up with each other. I hadn’t seen one of my brothers in over a year, and I had trouble staying focused.

Some of us argued over our pace and mentioned we were pushing daylight. So we began moving faster. Further along the trek, we came up on the rugged jagged edges of Quandary Peak, they were harder to navigate. It required a bit more technical footwork than I anticipated. And also, I was HUNGRY. We stopped to snack and catch our breath, but waiting too long meant we might not be able to summit.

Snow had come to the Rockies early in 2018, This was late October; we were shocked to find so much snow and ice toward the peak. We hadn’t brought any ice cleats for our boots and were fearing injury if we moved on. Feeling a bit defeated, we made the very tough decision not to summit the mountain that day.

We were super bummed, but the pivot in plans allowed us to spend a bit more time taking in the magnificent sites on the loop back down the mountain, and focus more on each other. (The purpose of the hiking trip was for us to catch up and bond with our buddy who lives in the great state of CO, and had recently lost his long time partner.) This trip was so special to me, I had my husband and two old best friends doing what we love most. Exploring in the Wild.

No we didn’t summit, but I wouldn’t trade the journey we did have. I learned some valuable lessons about preparation and better timing, and hope to use those mistakes to become more successful on our next adventure!

Remembering our humble story about just four kids who wanted to accomplish a days worth of grueling tasks, reminds me of the real heroes I see everyday, my clients. The clients I work with weekly are trying to overcome a whole season or even a lifetime of grueling things. Is that you? Please don’t give up. You might not see the light at the end of the tunnel now, but it doesn’t mean it’s not there. Stay positive and make the next right move.

Hope improves our relationships, our parenting, our careers, our financial security and even our health. No one has it all together, everyone will struggle. Relationships have unexpected turns, plans will get derailed, dreams get dashed along the way, and visions may fade out, but if you keep trekking, fight the fear about moving forward and make progress, YOU WILL eventually get somewhere, and you will have the healing, the joy, and the success along with it.

Thank you for reading about our hiking journey. On our next blog post, Ill take you through this same crew’s journey, a year before, rafting Gore Canyon, a world class whitewater experience. Wait until you hear our blunders ��.

Peace to you always,

Jen

Anxiety is the new epidemic for College Students

jennifer@mtntowncounseling.com (Jennifer Kephart) — Thu, 05 Sep 2019 14:46:52 GMT

More than half of the students visiting campus health clinics listed anxiety as a concern.

My family and I live in a robust, busy, fun college town. And by far….fall is the best time of year here! All the college kids return from spending summer with their families and this town comes to life. Sure the traffic gets worse, but the excitement of tail-gaiting and fight songs, cooler weather, and seeing kids cramming in every coffee shop in town is fun.

College can be very exciting, but students often experience stress, anxiety and sadness as well. My husband and I went on a popular hiking trail this weekend, and came upon tons of college kids, who were either new friends who had just met, or old friends who were catching up and becoming reacquainted. We had our friendly German Shepard, Lincoln, along. Lincoln got more hugs and pets from college kids, than smaller kids. These heavy petters talked about being away from their family dog for the first time, some saying they had just had to say goodbye until their first trip home for Thanksgiving. That struck me, I would really struggle with leaving Lincoln for that amount of time.

When you start as a freshmen, not only are you away from family for the first time, you're also leaving your dog, your friends, and all that is stable in your life. You’re probably also concerned about finances. You can’t work a ton because of your busy schedule yet the expenses associated with college add up. You don’t want to continually rely on your parents, or maybe that's not even an option. Credit card companies are beating down your door, tempting you to sign up, though you know that is a slippery slope.

You may also be worried about your load of classes, or if college is going to be more challenging than high school. Maybe you're concerned your test anxiety is going to kick in. Or, you may be a Sophomore or Junior, and it might be time to pick a major, which feels like a forever decision wrought with pressure, and you fear choosing a field that you end up hating, and worry all of the money spent and hard work you endured, will be for nothing.

You may be like me, starting college all those years ago, in a long distance romantic relationship. Having to deal with the confusing feelings of wanting to start a new chapter of your life, but feeling a large portion of your heart is back home, or miles away, in a different state. These issues are big and hard, and weigh on students more than we realize.

A study conducted in 2015, The NCHAS (National College Health Assessment Survey) indicated more than half of the students visiting campus health clinics listed anxiety as a concern. They also stated nearly 1 in 6 (15.8%) college students had been diagnosed with, or treated for anxiety. Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress and often include feelings of tension and worried thoughts. In fact, small doses of anxiety can actually motivate us to accomplish assignments, to study harder for tests, and can warn us when we’re in dangerous situations. But if the anxiety grows into panic attacks and prevents us from being able to complete daily tasks, and is left untreated, it can grow into a full-blown anxiety disorder.

Depression is a concern as well. In a survey conducted by the Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors in 2013, 36.4% of college students reported they experienced some level of depression. According to the study, depression is the number one reason students drop out of school, and is a gateway issue that could lead to unhealthy coping strategies, or even suicide.

It’s normal to feel stressed or blue on occasion, especially in this season of life. But if your symptoms have lingered, or have become so severe that they are hampering your daily life, or if you start to feel hopelessness kick in, it’s time to seek professional help.

Professional Counselors and Therapists can guide you in learning the skills to manage your emotions in a healthy way. We can help you identify your current response systems and implement more effective ways of coping. Research indicates the best response to treatment includes lifestyle changes, therapy, and medication when indicated.

Let our team of professionals help you today!

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The Hiking Journey

Anxiety is the new epidemic for College Students