Want mindfulness? Visit Auburn’s ‘Zen Den’

It’s a new year and a new semester at Auburn University. You’ve got a couple of minutes to spare between classes, and you’d like to spend that time on self-care. But you find yourself on the concourse, surrounded by food trucks, conversations and scooters zipping by.

Where can you go to find some peace?

The answer is the “Zen Den,” a dedicated room for practicing mindfulness and meditation at Auburn’s Student Counseling & Psychological Services (SCPS). Located in the northwest corner of Haley Center, with a separate ground-floor entrance next to the Auburn Bookstore, SCPS offers more than just mental health counseling; the Zen Den and the center’s other resources are available for any students who want to improve their mental health.

Christian Lomack, a junior studying rehabilitation and disability studies in the College of Education, is a big fan of the Zen Den.

“I’m a frequent ‘Zen Denner,’” he said. “The Zen Den is a special place where people can find a couple of minutes of quiet from the hustle and bustle of college life — just enough to make a difference. It’s very calming.”

Lomack is a member of Active Minds, a campus organization that offers meetings and events to support student mental health. One of the best ways to improve mental health is to practice mindfulness — focusing awareness on the present moment and limiting distractions to promote a sense of calm and clarity. Mindfulness practices include meditation, yoga and biofeedback, and students can do all three of those at the Zen Den.

“The Zen Den is set up for a variety of uses,” said Priscilla Little, SCPS’ office manager. “We have everything you need to practice yoga, along with a light therapy lamp for treating seasonal affective disorder and a massage chair. We also have a computer for practicing biofeedback.”

Student Christian Lomack utilizes the Zen Den on a regular basis to practice mindfulness.

The nap pod is a specialized capsule where students can grab a quick nap or guided meditation.

SCPS' Zen Den features a light therapy lamp for treating seasonal affective disorder.

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The computer features a self-paced program that helps students improve their body’s physiological response to stress and anxiety. The program leads users through a series of games that teach them to regulate breathing and heart rate with the help of audio and visual cues. Students who practice biofeedback regularly find it incredibly helpful.

“Since the biofeedback programs are self-directed, the time a student spends on them can vary depending on their needs,” said Joeleen Cooper-Bhatia, a licensed psychologist and the center’s associate director. “Students can use biofeedback on their own or during sessions with their assigned therapist.”

While SCPS doesn’t track exactly how many students use biofeedback specifically, Cooper-Bhatia says that in terms of Zen Den usage overall, 120 students attended 270 appointments this past fall.

Although it’s helpful to make an appointment to use the Zen Den, it’s not required, and any student who has completed a Zen Den orientation session can use the center’s other resources every weekday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. SCPS also has a nap pod, a specialized capsule where users can grab a quick nap or guided meditation, and the staff offers plenty of workshops and therapy dog events open to all students. Lomack says that because mental health is such a priority, Auburn students are lucky to have the Zen Den.

“It’s honestly a blessing to have something like this available to enjoy at almost any hour of the day,” said Lomack. “Sure, you can do meditation and find peace anywhere, but having a designated spot on campus where you can come any weekday is special, because not everybody has that.”