Nichols College Supports Student Mental Health During Global Pandemic
Dudley, MA (04/21/2020) — When asked to describe Nichols College in one-word, students often say "community" or even "home." Being away from their campus home during the Covid-19 pandemic has changed how students interact with their community. It has also challenged administrators to find innovative ways to keep students virtually connected, not just to their coursework but to the services that ensure they remain both safe and sound during this time.
A special focus for the student life team at Nichols College has been on the continued mental health of students. Kate Logan, director of counseling services at Nichols, and counselor Brittany Henderson reacted quickly to the new virtual world by first creating an online teletherapy policy that meets all federal requirements. "At first we were overwhelmed by training and reinventing our counseling program online, but now it is feels good that we are able to continue to offer our services to the students," says Logan.
They have developed a multilevel approach to ensure service availability to all students: conducting one on one appointments via video conferencing, with existing and new student clients; offering weekly virtual group drop-in sessions to discuss a topic related to coping during the Covid-19 crisis; integrating in the student community by offering a positive mental health tip in the daily student newsletter. No matter the format, the goal is to offer students tools and resources to cope with their specific experience related to Covid-19. For many, a form of grief counseling is needed, not just for the loss of a loved one, but for the loss of experiences, especially for students and athletes expected to graduate this May who have missed out on the activities of a traditional spring semester.
Logan and Henderson, who both started last fall at Nichols College, are proud of the relationships they have started to build with the students. "It has been an adjustment to switch to virtual sessions, but I am thrilled to report that most of our students have maintained their counseling appointments," remarks Henderson. "It is nice to see our relationships grow within the Nichols community. The ability to maintain our relationships and help our students through a challenging time in all of our lives is more rewarding than ever."
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Jillian Riches, jillian.riches@nichols.eduShare this Story
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