By ASHER JOHNSON
Tiger Media Network
Connecting with fellow peers and creating connections through real-life and face-to-face connections are becoming uncommon in today’s age. Pat McGinnis, owner of Breathe Coffee House and former mental health counselor at Fort Hays State University, would like to change that.
“[Can We Just Talk] encourage[s] everyone to have face-to-face conversations with one another… it helps create communities, health of relationships, and connections between others,” McGinnis said.
Can We Just Talk is open to anyone interested. They would like to have a variety of voices ranging from students to parents to teachers, etc.
According to McGinnis, Can We Just Talk encourages participants to speak their minds and get to know one another on a personal basis and the main goal is having one-on-one conversations with each other.
As a former mental health counselor at FHSU, McGinnis has also recruited some student leaders to help facilitate conversations between groups.
Nevaeh Copenhaver is the Can We Just Talk Student Liaison and will be working alongside McGinnis to help mediate the conversations and run the whole operation.
Copenhaver has been a part of Can We Just Talk as a student and as a coordinator.
“It has changed my life for the better,” she said.
Can We Just Talk will have several speakers over the course of the semester who are experts in a specific topic. Once they start and have the initial discussion, attendees will have small group discussion time to share their thoughts.
“We keep things confidential… this is a safe place to talk and feel free,” McGinnis said.
Their goal is to not only make people have conversations but to also train people to become good listeners as well.
Can We Just Talk takes place every Thursday at 7 p.m. and alternates from Breathe Coffee House (7th and Main Street) and the 2nd floor of the Fischli Wills Center for Student Success. Tonight’s meeting will take place at Breathe Coffee House.
More information can be found here https://breathecoffee.com/new-page-1.