The air is scented orange-mango from a freshly steeped pot of tea, candles offset the absence of overhead lights, and two chairs sit facing one another in the far-left corner of the room. No, you haven’t entered a day-spa. Instead, you’ve stumbled upon the Storycatchers’ office in the Hendricks CCE Student Center. Storycatchers is the vision of CCE student Paula Wilder. According to their flyer, Storycatchers is a new program at Guilford designed to give CCE students a place to vent, celebrate, cry, complain, laugh, and be real.

Many adult students arrive at Guilford after spending the day at work and feeding their kids. In the midst of chaos, they don’t always have time to take a deep breath.

“CCE students have night classes,” Wilder said. “You have to ask yourself: What have they gone through to get to that place?”

Therefore, the trained Storycatchers want to ensure that CCE students can sit down and vent before class.

Unlike other programs where someone talks and the other offers advice or responds at all, Storycatchers focuses on listening instead of speaking. When a person comes in to talk, the Storycatcher remains silent. Occasionally, they’ll pose a question but only if they feel it will benefit the storyteller.

“The Storycatchers have to be OK with silence,” Wilder said. “People don’t always want to be psychoanalyzed.”

The Storycatchers’ philosophy is based upon the art of deep listening. According to Earl Koile, author of the book “Listening as a Way of Becoming,” when you really listen to a person you shouldn’t be thinking about your own experiences.

“There’s something curative in telling your story,” said Internship Coordinator Cheryl Bridges, the program’s sponsor. “Counselors know that much of the road to recovery lies within having someone there to listen non-judgmentally.”

Trained Storycatcher and CCE student Esta Broderick noted that the experience also gives the Storycatcher a break.

“When you’re not worried about formulating a proper response, you clear your mind too,” Broderick said.

While Wilder has had experience convening women’s mentor groups, she is not a trained counselor. Neither is Broderick. All of the Storycatchers have undergone training in deep listening, but none are professional therapists. This is, however, intentional.

The Storycatchers’ flyer asks, “Do you need to talk to someone without feeling like you’re being fixed?”

Many people view therapy as specialized and solely appropriate for those with “problems.” Contrarily, storytelling is universal.

“Storytelling is instinctive to human beings; we inherently love hearing and telling stories,” Bridges said.

This “anti-therapy” approach to the program intends to encourage students to make appointments and tell their stories. The program is young, but the Storycatchers are eager to listen to other people’s tales.

“The program is very insightful,” Broderick said. “I have my first shift this Wednesday and I’m looking forward to spending time with someone that needs to talk.”

For any CCE student interested in telling their story, drop by the Storycatchers office near the lounge in Hendricks to make an appointment.