Fayetteville Technical Community College’s Psychology Club began several years ago with the goal of bringing community college students opportunities to help others by sharing knowledge and experience about psychology-related issues that students in four-year college environments receive.

Since its inception, the FTCC Psychology Club has grown in numbers and in heart. The club is service-oriented, and its focus is on bettering Cumberland County through community projects. Here are a few examples of ways the club has tried to positively impact the area.

 

Members of the Psychology Club have fed the homeless, collected stuffed animals for the police department as an outreach to children, collected clothes and food for the homeless at the Salvation Army, visited the elderly at rest homes, volunteered with the local pregnancy center, donated food and clothes to local organizations that serve the community, donated items for a horse rescue that trains horses to help veterans going through psychological trauma and collected used cell phones for domestic violence survivors. The club has also participated in and sponsored events aimed at educating FTCC students, faculty and staff about resources available for mental health issues and general education about different psychological disorders and issues.

FTCC staff members have attended psychology conferences to help students develop their understanding of research explored in the field of psychology today. At a recent conference, FTCC students participated in a competition and earned second place in the knowledge-based competition even though they competed against students from fouryear colleges.

One of the offshoots of the Psychology Club is a speaker series hosted by the club entitled “Out of the Darkness.” The club members position the speaker series as a platform for healing and helping by asking speakers who have experienced life trauma to share their experiences and success stories. In many cases, the speakers help others understand that they are not alone and that, with help, they too can “come out of the darkness.” Many of the speakers have gained the courage to share their own experiences and receive inner healing through the opportunity to help someone else.

The newest offshoot of the club is the Trojan Shoulders Support Group, a general support group that meets twice a month. Group members try to provide a safe place for individuals who are feeling stressed, are hurting or are just in need of a shoulder to cry on. The group does not provide therapy but can refer individuals to a counselor if needed.

FTCC’s Psychology Club is one among many great opportunities available at this institution. It’s not too late to register for Spring 2018 classes. Visit in-person at the Fayetteville, Spring Lake or Fort Bragg locations, or learn more at www.faytechcc.edu.