Iowa State University expands mental health services with counseling and peer coaching

Young adults are no longer suffering alone.

Iowa State University psychologist Kristen Sievert said students are becoming increasingly aware of mental health resources and seeking them out more than ever before.

"Students are talking about their mental health with their friends and with others on campus; they're asking questions and wanting to know the resources," Sievert said. "I would definitely say there's a trend that's happening in that direction."

ISU offers several mental wellness options, from individual counseling to group therapy, online therapy assistance, and peer coaching.

The variety allows students to find the ones that fit them best, Sievert said.

"We recognize that students have different mental health needs and different preferences around how they seek support for mental health," Sievert said. "We really try to bring out a variety of services that are going to support the unique needs of each student."

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What mental health services are available at Iowa State?

Iowa State's Student Counseling Services provides individual, group and traditional short-term counseling sessions . Students schedule an initial appointment with a certified counselor to discuss their situation to determine what best suits them.

Sessions are typically every other week, and students complete four to eight sessions. When necessary, staff can also help connect students with outside resources.

Student Counseling Services also provides mental health workshops where students can come in for skill-building on things like anxiety and motivation. The workshops last three weeks and generally incorporate teaching and interactive sessions.

Students can receive support through Therapy Assistance Online, or TAO. The program is free to students, faculty, and staff. It covers a variety of topics related to mental health, and the experience can be tailored to the individual's needs.

"We also know students have different preferences of how they access services, so most of our services can be virtual if that's the student's preference," Sievert said. "We try to support whatever that need or preference is for how they access services."

Group therapy helps students open up

Sievert said students often seek out individual counseling, but there are times when the counseling team believes group therapy is a better fit.

While students can be hesitant, Sievert said many of them admit that group therapy reached them in a way individual sessions couldn't.

"I think it's the piece of being able to connect with peers having a similar experience, and of knowing they're not alone in their experience," Sievert said. "For college students, that feeling of disconnection or isolation is common. The connection that they experience with other students is very powerful."

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Students learn from peers in Student Wellness coaching program

The Wellbeing Coaching program was launched by Iowa State University's Student Health and Wellness department in 2023 with great success, Director of Student Wellness Brian Vanderheyden said.

The program is led by peer coaching instead of counselors, with Iowa State graduate students leading the sessions.

"Students are coming in (virtually or in person) with any issues they might be experiencing connected to well-being and connecting with another student," Vanderheyden said. "What the well-being coaches are doing is helping them process that and generate an action plan to continue working on that."

For some students, the next step is getting connected to more resources and support; for others, it's finding steps they can do on their own. Regardless of direction, Vanderheyden said Iowa State's Wellbeing Coaching can be a great starting point for students.

"For a lot of students, this program can be helpful because it can be a bridge to get connected," Vanderheyden said. "Sometimes just going in and accessing some of the resources on campus can be a little scary for students who have maybe never accessed health care or counseling on their own. It can be a safe place where they can process and get some support."

Vanderheyden said students have made good progress toward their goals. The program has also experienced a"definite increase" in interest, with student appointments doubling over the last academic year.

"We're excited to continue to grow that program on campus," Vanderheyden said.

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How Iowa State keeps its students aware of mental health resources

Iowa State strives to make its mental health resources available from the moment students step on campus.

Information is available at student orientation and the Destination Iowa State event. The school also conducts outreach throughout the year, ensuring that faculty are aware of the available resources for students.

"We don't just do (outreach) at the beginning of the year," Vanderheyden said. "We have a lot of strategies throughout the year we use to connect students to support."

Iowa State has also developed a new university-wide communication campaign called Cyclone Support , a mental health-specific website filled with resources and information.

"It's kind of a one-stop-shop getting started website," Vanderheyden said. "It helps students quickly identify what resources are available and helps them get connected."

Vanderheyden said Cyclone Support will be formally rolled out in the fall.

Celia Brocker is a government, crime, political and education reporter for the Ames Tribune. She can be reached at CBrocker@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Iowa State University expands mental health services with counseling and peer coaching