Have you or any one of your friends ever needed a place to go when stressed about tests, problems, or other events? If so, come to West High’s very own Wellness Center! Located on the first floor of Building 4 in room 4140, the Wellness Center has many relaxing resources to help West High Warriors destress from their days, including fun games, coloring books, and occasional furry friends.

   West High counselor Mrs. Garcia expresses the reason that West High has a Wellness Center is to “have a safe space for students that are experiencing some form of stress or need just a moment to breathe.” The main goal of the Wellness Center is to have students relax and not focus on school or extracurricular activities. If by chance the center is closed when someone wants to enter, Mrs. Garcia assures “[they] always have staffing in the health office.” 

   West High therapists Mrs. Loftus and Mrs. Burke described more about the purpose and creation of the Wellness Center, made by West’s therapists in 2021. Loftus and Burke explained that “all schools in Torrance created wellness centers to be able to provide safe places for students.” They also expressed that the West High Wellness Center provides many resources and activities to destress students. “There’s beanbags. There’s couches. We have lots of different games, lots of different fidget toys, [and] coloring books.” During finals, therapy dogs come on campus to help with students’ stress levels during the tough three days, a wonderful addition to the other resources in the Wellness Center.

   So the next time you or one of your friends need to go somewhere to de-stress from tests, grades, or other life events, feel free to come to West High’s Wellness Center. You’ll have fun playing with the amount of activities and it’ll keep your mind off of school and other hurdles. If you or your friend is in a serious crisis, you should seek help from one of West High’s therapists and counselors or find a mental health professional.