Tanvi Punja, Staff Photographer
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) began clinical drop-in support sessions this semester to address high demand for their services, as well as to help students manage growing wait times between appointments.
To accommodate more students’ needs, clinical drop-in sessions take place Monday through Friday in the CAPS solarium from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. A clinician is available during these sessions, and students can attend the entire hour or only drop in as needed. Students should be mindful that these sessions are not private.
“Students who are considering attending a drop-in support group should be aware it is not group therapy in a traditional sense,” Jennifer D’Andrea, Director of Counseling and Psychological Services, said. “The clinician is available to talk through student concerns, offer problem-solving strategies, and connect students to resources both on campus and in the community. Students should also be aware it is not a one-on-one session with a clinician; they should expect to see other students there and have some comfort with accessing support in a group environment.”
The need for more counseling services comes after a longer struggle to fill vacancies throughout the department. In September 2018, there were multiple vacancies for therapists, and the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) had resigned. Since then, the department has been working to fill multiple vacancies and expand resources. In January 2018, CAPS hired Tamanna Rahman as the new APRN, whose arrival followed the addition of two new full-time psychotherapists, Priya Senecal, LPC, and Ginnie Taylor, Ph.D.
“The demand for [CAPS] services has been very high for years now,” D’Andrea said. “This year the demand is higher than ever before. We began the clinical drop-in support space this semester to assist students with managing the wait to their intake appointments. We also hope it will help to bridge the gap between therapy appointments, which take place biweekly in most cases.”
CAPS hopes that the sessions will be a helpful tool for students who are considering making a personal appointment, but don’t feel comfortable.
“They can stop by, see our office, and get a sense of what it is like to talk with a therapist,” D’Andrea said.
To join a session, students only have to fill out a sign-in sheet. Students may also attend as many of the sessions as they wish.
Kaye Dyja can be reached at kdyja@wesleyan.edu.
Oliver Cope can be reached at ocope@wesleyan.edu.