This quarter students enrolled in the News and Daily Living course were assigned writing a news article on a topic that has to do with OLS. Below is one of the articles that focuses on Kattie Dang, the counselor available to students on campus.
By: Katelyn
2018 – OLS has welcomed a counselor to our campus. Kattie Dang is here every Tuesday and Thursday to help college students attending Bellevue College. She can help students with free support academically, mentally, career or any other concerns they may have.
Kattie Dang, a new member of the OLS family, started her journey back in 2009. “I started working in the helping profession during my time at UW Seattle and then after my Bachelor’s, I started working at out-patient mental health agencies,” said Kattie. She got interested in counseling from her past. Kattie was born in Vietnam and because of the Vietnam War, her family came over on refugee status. This was because her father work for the South Vietnamese Government. After the government fell and communism took over the country, her father was sent to a camp. “They called it a re-education camp, but what really happened in those camps was a lot of forced manual labor and a lot of starvation,” said Kattie. When she saw the trauma and after-affects in her country, family and in her community, she noticed a lot of mental health concerns. When she moved to the US she got even more interested in mental health and the impact it has on someone and on the community. Later on, she went to school to learn more about it and get a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and later on a Masters Degree.
There are a few different ways that you are able to get in contact with Kattie. “There are different methods for students to get in contact with me, and the idea behind that is that some students feel more comfortable one way and some students feel more comfortable a different way. The idea behind so many methods is that students have more access,” said Kattie. Ways that you can contact her are email: kattie.dang@bellevuecollege.edu or students at OLS can talk to Sheena and she can help you scheduling an appointment with her. The process to schedule an appointment is kept confidential and accommodating to students. Kattie is located on the main floor in room 1063 in the OLS building.
“Anxiety is the top presenting concern among college students (41.6 percent), followed by depression (36.4 percent) and relationship problems (35.8 percent)” (American Physiological Association). Kattie is here to help OLS college students with any other concerns that may arise. She helps when students have barriers they may have when it comes to school. From test anxiety, working on motivation, or communicating with their teachers and many more. Another way she also helps students is with careers. From helping them figure out what they like to what they are looking for in a job. Lastly, she may help students with personal matters. Kattie best explains it as, “Whatever that’s coming up in their personal life. Whether it’s stress or feeling anxious or relationships in their life. All things within their personal life that they could work on with me.” Kattie is here for the students and their needs.
Everyone gets down in the dumps or needs a little help figuring things out. Knowing that OLS has counseling, students will be able to get the help that they need. Anyone can use counseling, even if you don’t need it all the time. “Change is constant in our lives,” said Kattie. Counseling is different for each person so don’t let that stop you. Counseling is your rock. It’s always there for you just like how Kattie Dang will be there.
“College students’ mental health is a growing concern, survey finds.” American Physiological Association. N.p. June 2013. Web. 9 Nov. 2018.
News and Daily Living is one of the many courses OLS Students take to obtain their associate degree from OLS. More information about our curriculum is available on our website. To learn more about our program register for an Information Session.
Last Updated January 16, 2020