The University Counseling Center can help students at the University of Mississippi improve their mental health. The employees there strive to create a safe and welcoming environment.
The counseling center, located in Lester Hall, is an easily accessible outlet that many students may not know about. Sessions with a licensed counselor are free for all currently enrolled Ole Miss students. Building on their former plan which included 10 free sessions, the center now offers an unlimited number of sessions, based on the needs of the client. Most sessions occur once every two weeks, but flexibility is emphasized.
“Each student has unique needs; therefore, services may be planned differently for each,” Juawice McCormick, interim director, said.
The main purpose of the counseling center is to provide students with necessary mental health services.
“We provide individual and group counseling, mental health crisis, intervention and support services for students,” McCormick said.
So far this semester, the counseling center has seen 609 students. Throughout the 2020-2021 school year, the counseling center saw 841 students, and throughout the 2019-2020 school year the counseling center saw 912 students.
“I think we have had a huge increase, we’ve had an increase in the depth and breadth of issues due to a lot more grief and loss,” McCormick said. “We’ve had an increase in incidences of students seeking treatment for substance abuse. Depression and anxiety are always a constant (reason for students seeking counseling).”
McCormick said the counseling center is working to make time for all the students who are requesting counseling.
“Sometimes, people cancel (their appointments),” McCormick said. “We look at trying to get in touch with people who are waiting for an appointment and say, ‘We’ve got a cancellation. Can you come in tomorrow?’”
As of Nov. 30, the counseling center does not have a waitlist, which according to McCormick is unheard of.
The counseling center works closely with UM graduate programs to prepare students for successful careers. Currently, there are five doctoral students working as graduate assistants in the center. Three students are in the Clinical Psychology program, one is in the Social Work program and one is in the Counselor Education Doctoral program.
There are also three master’s level graduate assistants who are involved in the Outreach program. The goal of the Outreach program is to increase awareness of mental health in the Lafayette community through events like panels and tabling. Topics that the Outreach program focuses on include mindfulness, healthy relationships and suicide awareness.
In the spring, the number of master’s level graduate assistants working in the Counseling Center will increase to six. All graduate assistants work under clinical supervision.
McCormick wants students to know that the University Counseling Center is here to help.
“We are a welcoming safe space for all,” McCormick said. “With 10 licensed clinicians on staff, we provide high quality, ethical services for our Students and UM family.”
