Regardless of what you are going through, from academic stress to suicidal thoughts, you are not alone.
Although the statement “you are not alone” is awfully cliché, it’s absolutely 100% true. There are so many people in the world, which means that there are countless others that are struggling with some of the same things as you. Everyone has their baggage and for some, it can be way too much to bear. However, there are so many forms of support available to us in this day and age. There are hotlines, apps, therapists and counseling centers available left and right these days, and that’s more than we can say about even just 20 years ago.
If you’re a Kutztown student, you have the Counseling and Psychological center as free on-campus resource. There are trained masters and doctorate-professionals working for the University that work to help with several aspects of life and health. Although it is known that you can reach out to the center for mental health issues, they also cover the following:
- Prevention and treatment of psychological disorders and addictions
- Individual, group and couples counseling
- Grief counseling
- Emergency/crisis prevention
- Rape/sexual assault resources
Although our school provides these services, the level of actual profressinalism seems to be questionable. It is important that not only are these people certififed, but that they are also exceedingly professional and effective. I have to be honest, I have not heard many great things about the counseling services here at Kutztown. I’ve heard that the waitlist to be seen by a professional for help with a mental health issue is extremely long and usually backed up for a few weeks. I’ve also heard about how the staff isn’t extremely helpful and that the department itself is unorganized. Yet, I can’t just go off of the whispers I have heard in passing arguments, so I asked several people (who have asked to remain anonymous) to reach out to me about their experiences with the KU counseling services; good or bad.
One of the individuals I spoke to sees a counselor here every other week for an eating disorder.
“My psychiatrist at the health and wellness center lets me vent to her about life and stress, which does help, but I can tell she is not a full on professional. Sometimes she will even comment on my weight if I’ve dropped a few pounds, and she’ll say it like it’s a positive thing […] I get more help when I’m at home from my other doctor”
Another individual was a female victim of a drugged beverage at an off-campus party. When she went to the counseling center, she told her story and asked for information and help as to how to report it. The staff member had responded that she was new and did not know how to report it. Luckily, the victim went elsewhere and was provided with the help she needed.
In addition to these accounts, several people have also indicated that they have gone to the counseling services for help at some point during their time here and have walked away feeling as though they did not receive quality care. This is a problem.
Even though the counseling center is rather small, they do not seem to be able to effectively supply the demand for Kutztown University students. Not only are some people not even able to schedule with them due to hour restrictions and filled time slots, but many also feel as though it isn’t as beneficial as it could be. Yet, the mission statement (as per the Kutztown University website) is as follows:
“The mission of the office of Counseling & Psychological Services (CPS) is to support students in achieving personal and academic goals in order to prepare them to meet the lifelong challenges and responsibilities associated with living and working in complex and diverse communities. This is accomplished through the prevention and treatment of psychological and addictive disorders, and difficulties associated with normal development.”
Which is followed by:
“Psychological services are provided by masters- and doctoral-level professionals who are also faculty members at the university. In addition, the center serves as a training site for masters- and doctoral-level trainees, who provide counseling services under the supervision of the faculty.”
Yet how can they fulfill their mission statement if they are not effectively meeting the needs of their students?
According to The National Institute of Mental Health, the highest percentage of those struggling with mental illness is within the age group of 18-25 years of age. That is the age range where individuals usually attend college. The percentage of any type of mental illness in the U.S is represented in the chart below. Although the most recent data is from the year 2015, keep in mind that we are still freshly in 2017. This information is less than two years old.
We all know that increasing the level of support, professionalism, and staff members at the counseling center costs money. No one is ignorant to the cost; however, this is a demand that needs to be met. There are a lot of people on this campus who are internally struggling with something and need more support than what our counseling services can currently provide them with. Although many people DO attest to how they feel as though they can talk and vent to the staff there, that is simply not enough for others who need more.
Despite the issues laid out by those who have attended and felt unsatisfied by the efforts of the staff, this should not discourage anyone from utilizing any resources available to them in order to receive help. Your experience may, and hopefully will, be different than those I have encountered in pursuit of writing this article. Regardless of where you find your help, just remember that you aren’t alone and you can get help.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental illnes such as suicide or depression, please call:
- Lehigh County Crisis Intervention: 610-782-3127
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK
- Crisis Text Line: text “start” to 741-741 (http://www.crisistextline.org/)
For those who are victims of rape/sexual assault please refer to the following:
- Heart@KU 24-7 Kutztown University Sexual Assault Hotline
- Berks Women in Crisis: (610) 372-9540 (hotline)
- Turning Point of the Lehigh Valley: 610-437-3369