Going into a new school year can be daunting, to say the least. While college can introduce the most rewarding memories, people and lessons, there comes a certain level of anxiety that can arise from being away from the normalcy of family and friends at home. Finding someone to talk to about these changes is a healthy alternative to internalizing feelings of anxiety. The Wellness Center at The College of Wooster offers a variety of services to deal with topics ranging from grief, to adjustment to campus, academics relationships and mental and physical struggles. Counseling is one service that many students take an interest in using, including myself.
I had the fortune of having Emily Harstine as my counselor last year. Unlike the previous professionals I had talked to in my hometown, Emily had an ability be my friend. She celebrated the highs and would talk me through the lows. She never gave the impression that she pitied me, but instead, she left a legacy of wanting to take my experiences and find a way to see how they could make me a stronger person.
I say all of this in past tense because this summer, about two weeks before the start of school, I received an email from her saying that she would no longer be a counselor on campus. A couple of thoughts went through my head when I got that email. I was in shock, because she had become a constant in my life and someone with whom I had shared my vulnerabilities. While I know other counselors can look at files and become up to date about what was talked about in the past, there would still need to be the exhaustive practice of clarifying and discussing my history. Second, and the most worrisome thought of all, was the notion that I would have to find another counselor who created a similar and comforting dynamic with me.
The College of Wooster currently has three licensed counselors. After going into the Wellness Center to discuss seeing one of these counselors, I saw that there was a sign talking about the waiting list for frequent counseling and options for more frequent treatment in the Wooster community. Students at the College of Wooster can receive five free, one hour sessions a semester. After these five sessions, the rate changes to $20 per session. Going to a counseling center outside of campus means an individual has to have insurance or willingness to pay at least $100, and a means to get to the service. However, if receiving counseling outside of campus is of interest, the Wellness Center includes recommendations on its website. I will also mention that if there is ever a crisis, a student can mention they are in a state of crisis at the Wellness Center and receive a quicker response time than usual.
While the Wellness Center looks to add another counselor and decrease the waiting time for students, there are other initiatives that help with student’s mental wellness. “Let’s Talk” allows for students to meet in 15 minute segments with a counselor to talk about anything that is on a student’s mind. Student health initiatives offered by peer educators, a program which I am joining this year, looks to stimulate healthy habits among students by creating events and dialogues. While counseling is a great medium to talk to someone other than friends and family, the biggest takeaway from knowing my counselor will not be on campus is that I have more of a responsibility to have conversations with other students and to be a source of comfort as best I can.
Grace Montgomery, a Contributing Writer for the Voice, can be reached for comment at GMontgomery20@wooster.edu.