In fall 2020 the Counselor-in-Residence program expanded thanks to a grant from Women Investing in Nebraska. Now three counselors, each of whom service a different residential complex, offer increased preventative resources for mental health. Launched in 2019, the Counselors-in-Residence (CIR) program places an advanced counseling student in the residential environment where they conveniently offer mental health assistance to students.
All three counselors are second-year students in the Marriage and Family Therapy graduate program. The CIR program is offered in partnership with Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) to ensure students have the opportunity to seek any help and support they need.
Amber Weir, who previously mentored college women, now serves as the Counselor-in-Residence for Abel and Sandoz halls. She is passionate about helping college students and getting them through the toughest times in life.
"The transition into college can be an incredibly difficult adjustment to handle [for young adults]. I have talked with a number of friends who have made comments about how they wish they had a counselor in-residence when they were living on campus," said Weir.
Josh Timmons – the CIR for Harper, Schramm and Smith – has experience teaching Portuguese and interpersonal skills to college-age individuals in Provo, Utah. His experience lends itself toward his approach to viewing people in the context of their important relationships.
Mia Teehan covers Knoll, University and Eastside Suites, as well as Selleck Quadrangle. The CIR program is her clinical practicum site for the year. She is interested in working with trauma and with children and families. Previously, she worked in ministry with college students for three years at Carnegie Mellon University. She hopes to encourage students to be themselves and feel safe coming to talk with her.
"While the negative stigma of seeking help for mental health has improved, there is still a lot of work to be done in normalizing the need for support and validating the experiences of our students," said Teehan.
CIR services are free to students with no session limit. Students can also drop in for half-hour consultations – they do not have to participate in ongoing therapy. Right now, Weir said she sees about six students on a weekly basis, although her office is becoming busier as the semester goes on.
It’s important to know that the counselors can help students with a huge array of potential topics. They are all trained in trauma intervention, so they can also assist students with past trauma experiences or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
According to Timmons, no topic is off-limits. "Anything, really, that students feel is relevant is something they can bring into the room."
Each counselor says that their location inside residence halls provides a significant advantage to their position.
"We've tried to make it as easy and accessible as possible." Timmons said, "Students can step right down and be there, or they can Zoom in from their room."
As Teehan points out, "It is much easier to walk down the hall or take the elevator down to one of our offices than making a trek in the rain or trying to catch a bus in the snow."
All three counselors communicate regularly to check in on the others' progress, share advice and plan curriculums. Last month, the counselors hosted a workshop for an RA team about anxiety and grounding techniques. They hope to offer additional workshops and support groups in the future.
The counselors agree that the most rewarding part of the program is seeing their students grow and develop through their personal journey.
"It is a huge privilege and gift to be invited into the students' most difficult and vulnerable areas and moments of their lives," said Teehan. "The fact that students feel safe and free enough with me to work towards healing and change is really an honor."
To schedule a visit with a counselor, students can simply email counselors for available times.
- Abel-Sandoz | Amber Weir | amberweir.mft@gmail.com
- Harper-Schramm-Smith | Josh Timmons | jtimmons4@huskers.unl.edu
- Knoll - University Suites - Eastside Suites - Selleck | Mia Teehan | mteehan2@huskers.unl.edu