Gannon University Student Counseling Services’ Relaxation Room
Meet the staff… Dr. Steve Large Dr. Jodi Giacomelli
Students have described the relaxation room as: - an escape - “me time” - a moment of quiet - a place to slow down - a spa-like atmosphere - a peaceful place to rejuvenate We encourage students to incorporate what they learn in the relaxation room into their daily lives
Purposes of the room… - An adjunct to individual counseling (particularly helpful during busy periods of the semester, when students cannot be seen on a weekly basis) - Can be used by clients and non-clients - Potentially less stigmatic or threatening than counseling - An opportunity to provide psycho- educationalmaterials related to relaxation, stress, mindfulness
Procedure… - Students are scheduled for 30 minute appointments - Non-clients complete very brief paperwork, primarily assessing for medical conditions that may be contraindicated - A practicum student or intern can coordinate the use of the Relaxation Room, including scheduling appointments and orienting students to the room
-Décor includes: stones, water, nature, earth-tones -Focus on the five senses: sight, touch, smell, taste, sound Themes of the room…
Sense One: Sight - Décor aimed at creating a calming and reflective atmosphere - Students may watch DVD’s of serene visual scenes (beaches, forests, etc.)
Sense Two: Touch - Heated, reclining chair with built-in massage capabilities - Area rug adds to the décor and gives the room a textural element
Sense Three: Smell -Electric aromatherapy diffuser in which students can choose the essential oil that they would like diffused during their session -Essential oils include: Peppermint, lavender, rosemary, eucalyptus, geranium and tea tree -Each oil has different benefits/ purposes, such as: refreshing, relaxing or stimulating
Sense Four: Taste -We have not yet incorporated this sense into our room; however, we are exploring the idea of including a “tea station” -Students would be able to sip an herbal tea of their choice as they enjoy the room
Sense Five: Sound -Students may listen to DVD’s and CD’s that play soothing, peaceful music or guided relaxation exercises - Sound machine that plays simple nature sounds, such as: crickets, rainfall, the ocean - Trickling water sounds from our fountain
Practical Considerations… - Heated/reclining /massage chair(La-Z-Boy brand): $1,000 - Décor, such as: wall art, candles, stones, bamboo, fabric, fountain, lighting, plants (mostly from Ikea): $500 - TV, CD player, CD’s & DVD’s: $500 -Aromatherapy diffuser & oils: $50
Estimated total cost of the room… $ In addition to the aforementioned furniture & accessories, you must also secure the room itself! We “got” our room by including it in the architect’s plans for our new office space when the university decided that Student Health Services and Counseling Services would merge. By the way…
Our relaxation room…
The focal point of the room is “the chair”… The heated, reclining massage chair The view from the chair…flat screen TV to watch calming visualization DVD’s
Soft lighting…
Décor with themes of nature, stones, water…
Soothing sounds of water & nature… sound machine water fountain
An opportunity to learn & practice new skills… CD player to practice guided relaxation exercises & various handouts & resources on relaxation for students to take One of our favorite book/ CD combos
Aromatherapy diffuser with various essential oils…
Conclusion… We hope you enjoyed a glimpse into our relaxation room! Feel free to contact us at (Steve) or (Jodi) if you have any further questions. Enjoy the rest of your time at the conference!