They meet the student where they are at emotionally and are flexible in adapting to the student's genuine experience and needs. The team is open, curious, compassionate, and often express high satisfaction in the experiences of working with the student population at Wittenberg. West: I am very proud of the staff that we have at the Counseling Center. Wittenberg: What can you say about the staff and the environment of the Counseling Center? All the students have experienced some type of loss over the past two years. Students are struggling with limited emotional support and resources, missing important milestones to their emotional development and problem-solving skills during low access to social connections because of limited in-person outlets/activities, unknowns about their immediate future, and grief. West: Yes, I believe that COVID-19 has had a strong correlation with affecting the daily lives of our students. Wittenberg: How does COVID-19 correlate with mental health? Have you seen a spike of mental health cases because of it? Typical issues relate to homesickness, performance anxiety in athletics or academics, navigating new relationships in residential settings, economic difficulties, limited emotional supports, and dealing with disconnection because of the COVID-19 pandemic. West: Most of the students that we serve in the Counseling Center are dealing with high amounts of anxiety and stress. Wittenberg: Regarding the college students on this campus, what do you believe to be the state of mental health here for a typical student? The counselors are all trained and capable of working with students that are experiencing anxiety, mood disorders, relationship issues, trauma, combating stress, and other general mental health concerns. All students are contacted within the following business day of their first connection and are booked with a counselor for a consultation sometime within a week. Most of our students contact the center via email and by calling the front desk. Daily, we answer all student inquiries on getting access to mental health counseling. West: The Counseling Center handles all on-campus referrals for general mental health issues, problems, and consultations. Wittenberg: What does the Counseling Center do on a day-to-day basis, and what services are typically offered in the Counseling Center? West recently took some time to talk about the counseling staff and its services. Supporting students and their mental health is what Director of Student Counseling and Supportive Services Matthew West, LPCC-S does best.

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