Statement from CAPS regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict

The staff at Counseling and Psychological Services are deeply dismayed by the continuing Israel-Hamas War. We hope for a resolution that will bring peace and safety for the Palestinian and Israeli peoples alike. CAPS staff are keenly aware of the psychological and emotional distress so many of our students are experiencing related to this devastating conflict, particularly Jewish students and Arab students. Violence, hatred, and prejudice in all forms is traumatizing to all who are touched by it. A large part of our role at CAPS is to support IC students in coping through, and healing from, such traumatic times as these. At CAPS, we start from a place of welcoming the full humanity of each student, seeking to understand the unique combination of identities, experiences, and perspectives each student holds.

We strive to be available to all students in a variety of times and formats. To that end, CAPS offers walk-in hours daily, during normal business hours, to ensure increased accessibility for all students during this difficult time. Students are also encouraged to use our Let's Talk (non-crisis drop-in consultation), and After-Hours counseling services, as other alternatives for mental health support. While it is uncertain how long the Israel-Hamas War will continue, please know that CAPS is a continuing resource for students for the duration of this conflict and beyond.

Everyone at CAPS wishes to extend particular care, concern, and welcome to the members of our community impacted by the recent displays of anti-Semitic symbols on the IC campus, and the history of violence they represent and perpetuate. Any act of harassment, intimidation, or hatred—whether through action or language, in person or online—stands in direct opposition to our values and our commitment to co-creating a community of wellness and belonging. We are here to listen and to support you. You can speak with someone informally through Let's Talk or schedule a time for a counseling session.

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If you, as an IC student, need or want to talk to a counselor about what you are feeling and experiencing, please reach out to us at 607-274-3136.

Please stay safe.

With Love and Support,

The Staff at the Center for Counseling and Psychological Services

The murders of Asian Americans and Black Americans recently, and over this past year, has been heartbreaking and traumatizing. What occurred in Buffalo and Laguna Woods, CA are just the most recent assaults in a long and painful history of violent acts against communities of color, spurred by those promoting racist rhetoric.

As mental health providers committed to social justice, we vehemently oppose and condemn these acts of terrorism, white supremacy, and racism. All students need and deserve more from the system that perpetuates and benefits repeatedly from hate trauma.

We stand with Ithaca College Asian American Alliance (@ithaca_AAA), their statement, and recommend resources they have provided. CAPS is available for students seeking support. We would like to highlight the following quick-access CAPS services:

Students do not need to be active or ongoing CAPS clients to use these services. All services are completely confidential. Your mental health is our priority.

After witnessing the murder of too many Black Lives, and observing the way our country is struggling to respond to the realities of current/historic police brutality and systemic racism, it can be hard to manage the many layers of emotion. Rage. Grief. Helplessness. Hopelessness. Numbness. Pain. And other feelings. This moment has been repeated over and over and over again and it can be overwhelming. If you are experiencing any of these, you are not alone.

We at CAPS are here for you. To talk, to vent, to hold a safe space for whatever you need to experience right now. We support and encourage a campus dialogue about social justice, race, oppression, and how the IC Community can support each and every member at the present time.

At Ithaca College, we inhabit the homelands of the Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫˀ(pronounced Guy-yo-KO-no) people, member of the Haudenosaunee(pronounced Ho-di-no-SHOW-ni) Confederacy. We learn, work, and live on stolen lands, still occupied due to expropriation, violence, and deceptive and broken treaties. Our work at CAPS is aligned with naming truths, reclaiming innate wholeness, and holding the complexity of our humanity. We make this acknowledgment in support of truth-telling, as a step toward dismantling the ongoing legacies of settler colonialism, and as a commitment to social justice. As members of the Ithaca College community, it is our right and responsibility to know and name—metaphorically and literally—where we stand. True healing is the unsettling, brave work of honesty and repair.