Everyone of us sometimes faces a difficult moment in life. Often it occures that other people have faced similar problems in their past. It is always worth to give a try and share our experience with the others to improve our ability of facing the crisis.
Student Centre for Support and Adaptation "SOWA" is a project of the Jagiellonian University and the University Hospital in Kraków addressed to full-time, part-time and doctoral students of the Jagiellonian University. The centre offers a series of intervention meetings as well as help in organizing further psychotherapeutic or psychiatric care. Meetings are conducted within the framework of crisis intervention, taking into account individual student needs. Aid is provided for free and without long queue.
It is recommended to attend SOWA every time you face an emotional or existential problem you cannot challange on you own. SOWA will not replace the psychiatrist or the therapist, but they are able to help you to decide if you require such assistance. The employees of SOWA are familiar with the specific of common problems occuring within the University's community.
SOWA offers:
- intervention in mental or emotional crisis;
- support in adaption;
- promotion of health and education in this matter;
- assistance in finding psychiatrist or therapist if needed.
https://www.sowa.uj.edu.pl
The Centre is bound by similar confidentiality rules as those applicable in healthcare, which means in practice that the fact of taking advantage of the Centre’s aid is kept in secret. SOWA's employees are not lecturers, but practising psychologists whom the student will not meet at the university or during lectures. Specialists with experience in crisis intervention, psychologists and therapists work at the Centre.
SOWA accepts submission from people who:
- have suicidal thoughts or plans and see no point in life,
- are often in a bad mood, cry and have a pessimistic worldview,
- have sleeping or appetite disorders,
- find it hard to concentrate and attend classes due to their mental condition,
- see no point in continuing their studies,
- are struggling with difficult events in life, have experienced persecution, violence or the loss of a close person,
- abuse medication or drugs to raise their spirits or calm down.
At the “SOWA” Centre, meetings of support groups are organized in various thematic areas (e.g. “Boosting Resources” group for those willing to strengthen their self-esteem and develop strategies for coping with difficult situations). More information can be found on https://sowa.uj.edu.pl/grupy-wsparcia.
The “SOWA” Centre also organizes open lectures (for everyone interested). The lectures, delivered by specialists in various disciplines, concern topics related to the promotion of mental health.