Students tap counseling services to navigate extra stresses

by SHELBY BEATY
Photo Editor

In March 2020, Michigan students were introduced to COVID-19. The pandemic meant not going out in public unless you needed to, no face-to-face interaction with friends and family, and no in-person education for the next 18 months.

How will this affect interacting with others when life gets back to normal again? What happened to our mental health during Covid-19 times? Will we ever get away from our computer screens?

WCC counselor Kari Mapes shared some insight about what college counselors have been helping with during the shutdown.

Q: During the course over 18 months, has the number of students seeking help increased or decreased?

A: We’ve seen students constantly reach out. More of [WCC] students are taking advantage of the opportunity to receive tele-mental health services, which is new for WCC. All of our licensed professional counselors did receive their certification in tele-mental health last summer to best support and assist students through this difficult time

Q: What were the majority of the cases reported?

A: A lot of students I’ve seen have struggled with symptoms of anxiety, depression, life adjustments, stress, grief, relational conflict, and overall stress related to balancing work, family and school life.

Q: What resources can WCC offer for someone going through mental health troubles?

A: There’s a lot happening this semester so WCC offers free short-term, solution-focused counseling services to any student who’s currently registered in this semester and falls within our scope of practice. Students can access information about those services via the WCC personal counseling web page

 In addition to personal counseling, we offer our campus assistance program – referred to as CAP – and that service is a tele-phonic phone service that allows students to receive up to three free tele-phonic phone counseling sessions. That’s available 24/7, 365 days a year for students.”

Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

At a glance

• You can reach WCC’s personal counseling team at 734-677-5102. To learn more, visit: https://www.wccnet.edu/succeed/personal/counseling/
• WCC CAP (Campus Assistance Program) is available 24 hours a day at 1-866-227-3834
• College counselors will be available to answer questions and present information on WCC’s Personal Counseling services, Collegiate Recovery Program, Academic Advising, Success Coaching, the Student Resource Center and more Sept. 22, 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. Call 734-677-5102 for details on the virtual event.

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