Counseling team equipped to serve students’ mental health needs

Nearly two-thirds of college students in the United States reported that they experienced a mental or behavioral health concern in the past year, according to recent findings in UnitedHealthcare's annual Young Adult & College Student Behavioral Report.

That finding - 62 percent of the students surveyed - was 15 points higher than their peers (ages 18-28) not enrolled in college. To combat these rising numbers - and the negative stigma that still exists around mental health disorders - colleges and universities across the country are taking steps to improve their counseling and mental health care offerings.

Campbell University's Counseling Services conducted 2,744 sessions with students in the last academic year. The team - led by Dr. Amy M. Johnson, director of Counseling Services for the Office of Student Life & Christian Mission - offers free mental health counseling and related services to help Campbell students identify barriers, improve coping and achieve their personal goals. The staff offers both short-term individual therapy and group therapy models.

Students are made aware of these services in their syllabus - undergraduates can request appointments through the Counseling Services webpage, and grad students have other options through the School of Osteopathic Medicine or (in the law school's case) school-specific counselors.

"All of our services are free," says Johnson. "We do not bill insurance, so that means there's no way to track a student to us, because there is no [paper trail]. That's helpful, because if somebody wants to go into a field where they need certain security clearance, they don't have to worry about that while they're a student. There's no deterrent to seek help"

According to the National Library of Medicine, anxiety disorders are the most prevalent problems among college students, with approximately 12 percent reporting anxiety while enrolled. Johnson says her department focuses on problem solving and educating students who seek counseling and giving them "tools to put in their toolbox to be able to deal with their issues."

"Whether it's transitioning to life in college, dealing with their parents or other issues, we work on what we can put in place to help them be successful," she says. "They don't usually want to come to therapy for the rest of their lives - they're looking to become their own selves."

According to Johnson, Counseling Services in its current form at Campbell was founded in 2005. Johnson earned her undergraduate degree in psychology from Campbell and later her Master's in Counseling before joining Campbell's team in 2011 as an adjunct professor and counselor. Today, she is a fully licensed mental health therapist and a licensed clinical supervisor for the State of North Carolina, and she is also a Nationally Certified Counselor. She earned her Doctorate of Education in Christian Counseling from Southeastern Theological Baptist Seminary in Wake Forest.

In addition to one-on-one and group sessions with students, the office hosts outreach events throughout the year to interact with students in a more informal way. In August, they hosted a "Heel Your Soles" [or Heal Your Souls] event where they tie-dyed socks - a relaxing distraction from the early academic demands of the new fall semester. This month, they'll host "Kindness Rocks," where students can gather and paint rocks and leave them around campus for others to find.

"It's a good way to be creative and just get a break from the chaos of their schedules," Johnson says. "They're a part of the First 50 initiative to get students involved and meeting other students. But they also get to learn about us as well."

Counseling Services also provides training for those not in the profession. Faculty, staff and students can take part in QPR (Question, Persuade and Refer) and Mental Health First Aid to get suicide prevention training and to learn more about anxiety, depression, substance abuse and other issues. In Mental Health First Aid, Campbell provides two hours of online pre-work, two hours of online post-work and eight hours with Johnson.

Improving mental health offerings on campus improves the quality of life for students at Campbell, Johnson says, and it can also play a role in keeping a student enrolled, especially during those critical early months.

"We've met with several students who said they were close to dropping out, but because of counseling, they felt like they could cope with their challenges," she says.

Support for Campbell Undergrads

• Academic Support: Academic Support Services offers individual and group assistance to aid in student success. Students can request Tutoring, Supplemental Instruction, Group Review Sessions, Success Coaching and Writing assistance through the Academic Support Services website or CU Succeed.

• CU Succeed: Campbell University provides support to students via CU Succeed to promote their academic and personal success. Students can also schedule appointments and receive alerts and timely feedback on their academic progress.

• Disability Services: Students with documented disabilities may request accommodations by contacting the office of Disability Services located in the Wallace Center. A health condition may rise to the level of a disability if it substantially limits one or more major life functions, one of which is learning. A disability may be temporary or ongoing.

• Counseling Services: All Campbell University students are eligible to receive free, confidential counseling via in-person and virtual consultations, groups, and individual sessions.

• Title IX, Title VI, and Protected Class Status: Campbell University is committed to equality of educational opportunity. Campbell University does not permit discrimination or harassment in our programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, or disability, genetic information, veteran status, military status and any other characteristic protected by law, except where exemption is appropriate and authorized by law.

• Nourish Market: The Nourish Market is open to students and staff experiencing food insecurity, offering a space for shoppers to choose their food items and personal hygiene items. With the main location at the Wallace Center and smaller satellite locations, there are multiple options to shop.

• Safety and Security: Students are asked to familiarize themselves with classroom and building surroundings, emergency information posters, and make sure they have registered their cell phone number with CU Notify for timely warnings and emergency alerts.