Counseling, Library Work to Install Light Therapy Stations

Counseling Services has been working with the Class of 1945 Library since last November to develop light therapy stations that can aid student mental health during the dreary months of winter, when Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) burdens many Exonians.

SAD is a mood disorder that typically occurs during the winter months. “Over the years, we see many cases of the winter blues and Seasonal Affective Disorder.” Director of Psychological and Counseling Services Szu-Hui Lee said. “We teach students how to develop coping skills to manage changes in their energy, mood, focus, etc. as weather changes.”

Artificial light has been proven to be an alternative way of lightening students’ moods. On floor 1M of the library, Counseling Services has set up a station with therapeutic artificial light that mimics sunlight. Light therapy affects neurochemicals linked to mood and sleep such as serotonin and melatonin. It may also help with other forms of neurochemical imbalances, such as depression, sleep disorders and jetlag.

“It is important to us that our services are not only accessible but also equitable, so we thought what better way to do this than to make SAD lights available on campus.” Lee said.

Lee, Medical Director Katharina Lilly and Director of the Office of the Principal Leigh Drapeau contacted the librarians last November in order to figure out the location of these light therapy stations. “They were looking for a place that would be open a lot of hours,” librarian Gail Scanlon said. “And so they asked us if the library had an area, and we said yes.”

According to Scanlon, the project has been set up in the library since February.However, the stations were not used because of the bright spring weather. Students can find information about light therapy at the Health Center, where they can also learn more about the scheduling process. The staff involved in this project have also created handouts that provide more details and instructions.

Student responses to the light therapy stations varied. “I think that I definitely get worse in the winter, especially when I walk across campus at six and it’s pitch black out,” senior Destiny Rogers said. “I would totally recommend light therapy to students. People are affected by this sort of thing but it’s great that there is something to help.”

On the other hand, some suggested the stations would not make much of a difference. “I wouldn’t see myself using it, or in fact other students,” lower Toby Chan said. “Maybe except for people who would be feeling the effects drastically.”

Other students hoped the convenient location would boost usage. Prep Clara Gullick said, “The library is a very accessible location for students, so they can easily drop in instead of walking all the way across campus.”

Senior Maggie Smyth commended the efforts of Counseling Services and other adults who brought this project to life. “As Exonians, we don’t get enough sunlight or go outside enough, as it is,” she said, “I just think it’s an incredibly fantastic idea.”