In an attempt to encourage holistic health among student-athletes, Chad Coleman, associate athletic director, announced Gia Karem as a new counselor for the athletic department.

Earlier this summer, Patty Hartshorn, director of health and wellness and Title IX coordinator, contacted Coleman, suggesting additional counseling support for athletes in the afternoons. He believes it to be “a good endeavor for athletics … giving the emphasis on mental and physical health is what we strive for here.”

GC’s Student Life alongside Health and Wellness have been in touch with social work students in the past, who have wanted to complete  their graduate work and counseling at colleges. 

Karam has a bachelor’s degree in social work from Indiana University South Bend and is currently pursuing her master’s degree in social work at the same school. In the past, she served at the Oaklawn Psychiatric Center for three years, working with children and adolescents with complex mental health issues.  

“The strength that I’ve built there is definitely connecting all different kinds of people, and then also crisis intervention and helping people calm down … that emotional regulation,” she said.

She will be available

for pre-scheduled meetings on Wednesdays or walk-in appointments every Tuesday and Thursday from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the Athletic Administrative Offices at the RFC.

When asked about how her sessions will be structured, Karem said that athletes will “talk about whatever they’re struggling with, tell me what their goals are and what I could possibly help them with. A lot of it is listening, but also making suggestions about how they can move forward … I have a strong background in stress management and building confidence.”

Coleman believes mental conditioning is just as important as physical conditioning. “Even if it’s not something that’s, you know, depression or anxiety, sometimes it serves as clarity for athletes and the sports psychology aspect of it,” he said. 

Although considered new, general counseling was already an available service for students. The first floor of Wyse Hall offers

walk-in and scheduled appointments for all students who need emotional support. Now, student-athletes have a tool exclusively tailored to their needs.

“We have counseling for all students, but over 40% of our student body are athletes … Having additional support from health and wellness to have folks come in and help us in athletics is fantastic,” said Coleman.

The private sessions will have the standard protocols for psychological treatments in terms of confidentiality. “The sessions are confidential and only what I have permission to share will be shared, unless the student or other person is in imminent danger,” said Karem.

With the arrival of a new role, Coleman is hopeful and believes it will benefit  on the program as a whole. “It’s part of the holistic athletic experience, it’s just one element of ‘living FULL,’ as we like to say … If our athletes are coming in to make it worthwhile for this person to be here two days a week, that’s what I hope happens, that it gets used,” he said.

Looking ahead, Karam has goals already set. “I would really like to grow my skills in helping people respond to different situations that they have going on … these are athletes who have a lot of different issues that may come up. So I would grow my skills in handling that kind of thing,” she said.