APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A “Zen Den” is breathing life into a former cinder block room at Appleton East High School. The room is a “safe space for anyone that seeks a state of calm attentiveness.”
Appleton East junior Melody Xiong tells FOX 11 she has a lot on her plate between preparing for college and school.
“I’d struggle a lot, I’d always have stress worrying about school, dance, going to work, getting that money that I need for college.”
There was always one place at school she could count on to calm down.
“Whenever I’m really stressed, of course the bathroom is my number one to go to,” Xiong said.
Now, Xiong has another option she says is much better.
“I don’t have to deal with the bathroom always hearing that flushing noise or that smelly noise. I can just come in here and be relaxed.”
Her new space is the Zen Den.
If students start to feel overwhelmed, they can take a step into the Zen Den. Students are limited to 10 minutes of time in the room. If they need additional help, they can talk to a counselor or social worker.
Last year, Appleton East students had more than 1,049 counselor visits. Student mental health hospitalizations increased by 15 percent, according to the Appleton Area School District.
“There are over 1,600 different students here, with 1,600 different stories,” Appleton East Principal Matt Mineau said.
The Zen Den has plants, padded furniture, and coloring books to help students relax. They are not allowed to have their phones out while in the room, and they must get a teacher’s permission to come to the room if it is in the middle of class.
Mineau tells FOX 11 the Zen Den is a space for students to catch their breath and unwind.
“I think the biggest thing that we need to do as educators or as just individuals in the community is to listen to our kids. You have to take the time to really recognize what that story is, so you can help them with empathy.”
In the United States, about 7 percent of kids have been diagnosed with anxiety and 3 percent with depression, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Doctors say the number of children diagnosed with either anxiety or depression rose 3 percent from 2003 to 2012.
