Self Help

Self Help Resources 

Whether or not you choose to meet with a Counseling Service clinician, the resources outlined below may offer you some insight, support, and guidance in how to engage with both difficult experiences and challenging opportunities.  Counseling Service staff have compiled a list of recommended readings about common mental health concerns.  In addition, we offer you on-line psycho-educational pages, meditations, and assessments both for mental health concerns and for personal strengths that you may choose to build upon.  Also below, we offer you a list of tools you may check out from the Counseling Service and both on-campus and community based sources of support.  

Recommended Readings

On-Line Psycho-Education & Meditations

On-Line Self-Assessment 

  • ULifeline is an anonymous online resource where you can learn more about emotional health and ways to help yourself or a friend if you are struggling with thoughts or feelings.  They offer a 5-10 minute self-assessment to help identify whether or not a treatable mental health problem could be affecting you or a friend.

  • Screening for Mental Health Inc. is an additional anonymous on-line resource that offers assessment for depression, bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, eating disorders, and problems with alcohol.

  • Authentic Happiness is a website for Positive Psychology, a new branch of psychology which focuses on the empirical study of such things as positive emotions, strength-based character, and healthy institutions.  Research has shown that it is possible to increase happiness, satisfaction, hope, and engagement in meaningful activity no matter one's circumstances.  There are several self-assessments on this page that may be helpful in looking at your character strengths and how you engage with various situations.  If you are interested, we recommend starting by completing the VIA Survey of Character Strengths.  You will have to register in order for your scores to be kept on file for you review, but this is a completely confidential process, requires no commitment from you, and is free.

Tools Available to Check Out 

  • Voice Recorders – The Counseling Service has digital voice recorders for students to check out.  These can be used for recording meditation, guided imagery, or hypnosis scripts either in session or on your own that can then be downloaded to your personal computer or other electronic device.  

  • Thermo Dots – The Counseling Service has adhesive thermo dots available that monitor changes in skin temperature.  These can be used to aide in biofeedback work both in session and on your own if you so choose.

  • The Counseling Service has finger thermometers available for use both in and outside of session.  These acutely monitor changes in skin temperature while you engage in biofeedback work.  Active involvement in counseling is required to check out finger thermometers.

  • Light Therapy – The Counseling Service has SAS lamps available to aide in the treatment of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).  A student must first meet with a counselor to determine whether or not the lamp is appropriate for the student's needs.  Continued counseling may be suggested but is not required for use of the light therapy. 

On Campus Resources 


  • Bowdoin Men Against Sexual Violence (BMASV)
    • "Bowdoin Men Against Sexual Violence is a student-led organization dedicated to preventing sexual violence at Bowdoin by encouraging dialog and examining the issue of sexual violence from a man's perspective."
    • Meetings: Monday 10 p.m. 30 College St.
    • Contact: Ben Chadwick, Luke Lamar, Will Alexander


Off Campus Resources