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The Mindful Space

 

Welcome to The Mindful Space!

The Mindful Space Logo

WELCOME to the new mental health center at Barstow Community College called The Mindful Space. This is a place where students can now receive mental health services from a mental health counselor, Dr. Christa Banton, who is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.  Services are tailored to meet the needs of each individual and are provided free to students.   

Services that are provided through The Mindful Space include:

  • Individual psychotherapy
  • Coaching
  • Group therapy
  • Mental Health Assessment
  • Crisis Intervention
  • Consultations
  • Referrals to additional services in the community
  • Disciplinary Intervention

We Have Moved!

The Mindful Space is now located in the middle of the Administration Building in Room A9. Come visit us in our new location!

Spring Office Hours: 

  • Main Campus (Room A9)
    • Monday through Friday 8:00am-5:00pm 
    • *Thursday and Friday appointments are available virtually
    • Crisis walk-in hours are Monday through Wednesday, 11:00am to 12:00pm in Room A9 or via phone, and Thursday through Friday, 11:00am-12:00pm via phone. 
  • Fort Irwin Campus (Room D7)
    • Wednesday January 3rd, 9:00am-5:00pm
    • Wednesday January 31st, 9:00am-5:00pm
    • Wednesday February 7th, 9:00am-5:00pm
    • Wednesday February 28th, 9:00am-5:00pm
    • Wednesday March 6th, 9:00am-5:00pm
    • Wednesday March 27th, 9:00am-5:00pm
    • Wednesday April 3rd, 9:00am-5:00pm
    • Wednesday May 8th, 9:00am-5:00pm
""Spring 24 Fort Irwin Flyer

Make an Appointment: You can make an appointment by emailing themindfulspace@barstow.edu or calling (760) 252-6873. 

Services are voluntary and referrals can be made by students, staff, or faculty through the following email themindfulspace@barstow.edu

All are welcome at The Mindful Space, a space to heal, recover, and find support and guidance for the everyday situations and difficulties we face. Remember a single step forward makes a change in your life.

We are here for you at The Mindful Space.   

 If you are in crisis during the times we are closed, please call CCRT at (760) 956-2345 or Text (760) 734-8093 between 7am-10pm, 911 for immediate services, or go to your nearest hospital.  

Meet the Team

Dr. Christa Banton Photo

Dr. Banton began her career working as a social worker for the Department of Public Health-HIV Program where she worked with individuals impacted by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. From there, she transitioned to the University of California San Diego, Department of Psychiatry working with the individuals who were newly released from incarceration returning to the San Bernardino County area. She went on to work for Children and Family Services as a Social Service Practitioner and then finally as a Supervising Social Services Practitioner for thirteen years. She has worked in direct services as well as in new program design, training, program implement and monitoring, and supervision.

Dr. Banton is a licensed marriage and family therapist and was in private practice. Her mental health specialties include education, motivation, relationship and trauma focused practice. In addition, she teaches at several schools in the local area on topics that include trauma, child abuse/neglect, mandated reporting, psychology and human services.

Persephone Belle Photo

 

Persephone Belle joined Mindful Space in 2024. She previously worked at Barstow Community College as a Library Technician and Learning Support Services Specialist. Persephone is a BCC graduate who obtained her associate’s degree in Administration of Justice. She is a strong advocate for mental health and aspires to dismantle the barriers that prevent underserved communities from receiving the care they need. 

Upcoming Events

The Mindful Space offers student support groups, open to all currently enrolled Barstow Community College students. Groups are voluntary, confidential, and free, and are designed to encourage and support you while completing your education.  

Spring 2024 Meeting Dates:

Viking Wellness (Geared toward student-athletes)

10:00am to 11:00am in the Viking Student Lounge

  • January 17th
  • February 7th
  • March 27th
  • April 10th

 

Free Your Mind Space (Safe space for ALL students, LGBTQ+ friendly)

3:00pm to 4;00m via Zoom

Meeting ID: 857-0346-4107

  • January 25th
  • February 8th
  • March 28th
  • April 11th
""Spring 2024 Student Support Group Flyers

Mindful Mondays are back! Join counselor Nanette Duarte as she guides you through mindfulness and meditation techniques focused on relaxation and calming the nervous system. Sessions are available via Zoom and are open to all. To RSVP and for reminders, TEXT @BCCMindful to 81010. Questions? Email Nduarte@Barstow.edu.

Spring Dates

12:00pm to 1:00mpm via Zoom

Meeting ID: 959-1958-6361

  • February 12th
  • February 26th
  • March 25th
  • April 8th
""Mindful Mondays Event Flyer

CASE Human Trafficking Awareness Month

January is Human Trafficking Prevention Awareness Month! Dr. Banton will present at the High Desert Human Trafficking Symposium on January 11th at High Desert Church in Victorville. To register for the event, please get in touch with Children's Network at (909) 383-9677 or email angel.magallanes@hss.sbcounty.gov. 

""Case Human Trafficking Prevention Awareness Month Flyer

Human Trafficking 101 

Join us as Misa Nguyen, Prevention & Outreach Coordinator of United Against Human Trafficking, presents on Human Trafficking 101. Know the signs, and protect yourself, your family, and the community. Misa will be joining us virtually on January 24th from 2:00pm to 3:30pm. Join via Zoom at https://barstow-edu.zoom.us/j/83932831519

""Human Trafficking 101 Flyer

Diversity is Beautiful

Join us for a virtual training on the value of diversity and why it is important on our college campus and in our lives. Learn how you can help make campus a more inclusive space. Open to students, employees, and the community! Training will take place March 21st, 2024 from 4:00pm to 5:00pm via Zoom: https://barstow-edu.zoom.us/j/89400007845.

 Diversity is Beautiful Flyer

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The Mindful Space, in conjunction with Partners Against Violence, will be hosting our annual Denim Day event on April 16th from 11:00am to 2:00pm in the Performing Arts Center!

Denim Day is a day to show your support for survivors and to eliminate victim blaming. We celebrate Denim Day in honor of a woman who was forcibly raped by her driving instructor. The woman pressed charges, but the case was dismissed because the chief judge decided that, “…because the victim wore very, very tight jeans, she had to help him remove them, and by removing the jeans, it was no longer rape, but consensual sex.”

For more information, please contact The Mindful Space at themindfulspace@barstow.edu or Partners Against Violence at (760) 952-0041.

""Denim Day 2024 Flyer

 

May is Mental Health Awareness month. Join us on May 1st, 2024 from 9:00am to 12:00pm for the Mental Health Matters Fair!

The Mindful Space hosts its annual Mental Health Matters Fair to raIse awareness of mental health resources and reduce stigma. Students, employees, and the community are invited to share in the fun- informational sessions, guest speaker, a resource fair and lunch will be provided! For more details, please contact our office. We hope to see you there!

""Mental Health Matters Fair 2024 Flyer

2022 Healthy Campus Award

Barstow Community College Recognized as One of the Healthiest Campuses Among U.S. Colleges and Universities

Healthy Campus Award logo

Barstow Community College joins four other colleges and universities as a recipient of the 2022 Active Minds Healthy Campus Award

BARSTOW, CA, March 8, 2022 – Today, Barstow Community College was announced as a winner of the 2022 Active Minds Healthy Campus Award and recognized as one of the healthiest college campuses in the nation. The prestigious award, now in its sixth year, celebrates U.S. colleges and universities that provide access to quality healthcare and not only serve students’ physical health but give equal priority and investment to mental health.

This year’s recipients represent a range of campuses that operate within different contexts and challenges. Together they demonstrate how institutions of all sizes and types can create healthy communities that allow every student the opportunity to thrive and succeed.

Barstow Community College joins four other colleges and universities in receiving the Healthy Campus Award: Auburn University, University of South Florida-St. Petersburg campus, Stevens Institute of Technology, and Virginia Tech.

Colleges and universities are crucial partners in improving the well-being of young adults. Barstow Community College, and the other winning campuses, found ways to pivot to address student needs during the COVID-19 pandemic, proactively address systems of oppression, integrate health and wellbeing in strategic planning, and use data to ensure that students are getting the care they need.

"Our mission at Barstow Community College has been to get mental health education, training, and resources to students in our area by all means possible," said Tanesha Young, dean of counseling and student success for Barstow Community College. "We aim to be student centered so that barriers can be removed and allow for student success. We know when students succeed our community also succeeds."

Students enrolled at colleges and universities that prioritize well-being often find that the programs and services provided to them are part of the fabric of the campus community.

The well-being of all students is a priority for Barstow and it shows. The review panel for the Healthy Campus Award cited the following innovative practices in particular:

● Defining Health Broadly and Pursuing it Comprehensively:

Barstow Community College has taken a proactive stance on mental health and well-being. In September 2020, Barstow Community College opened The Mindful Space, the campus mental health counseling center, which started seeing students virtually via telephone and video sessions at no cost to the student. Now The Mindful Space provides, both in-person and virtually, individual psychotherapy, coaching, group therapy, mental health assessment, crisis intervention, consultations, referrals to additional services in the community, and disciplinary intervention to students with grant funding.

● Securing and Making the Most of Available Resources: Being a rural campus, Barstow Community College has thoughtfully partnered with local community-based and governmental agencies to provide a well-integrated system for change. Barstow has used this approach to find the right care for the right person at the right time in the right area. They have established memorandums of understanding with the two largest community-based organizations in the Barstow area to refer students to appropriate providers through a warm handoff system. On campus, Barstow added the CareSolace system which enables students, faculty, and staff to find mental health services for their specific needs.

● Cultivating a Deep Commitment to Equal Opportunities for Health: With Barstow Community College’s diverse student population, they are committed to addressing gaps in opportunities to obtain services and information that tends to negatively affect certain populations. They have created a Student Success and Equity Committee which is a shared governance entity responsible for developing the Student Equity Plan to boost academic achievement for student subpopulations determined to be of higher risk for discontinuation and requires each college to develop detailed goals and measures addressing disparities. To meet their goals, many of the programs provided by Barstow focus on supporting students’ basic needs, including housing, food, and English as a second language services, in addition to providing emotional support.

“Barstow Community College stands out because it demonstrates a driven stance on mental health and well-being by providing free services to students through in-house providers and community partnerships,” said Alison Malmon, founder and executive director of Active Minds. “Barstow is a model for prioritizing mental health for its students by engaging the local community.”