By Lucy Bowman
College is a huge transition, one that has become even more complicated in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic. Throughout the 2020–2021 school year, more than 60% of college students met the criteria for at least one mental health problem. Even before the pandemic, schools across the nation experienced a dramatic increase in mental health issues, and in person counseling centers became overbooked.
Thankfully, many colleges are beginning to rethink their approach to student mental health, reaching outside the box and extending their services. McPherson College has now joined this group of innovative institutions through their partnership with Uwill. Uwill is a mental health and wellness solution that offers students free access to teletherapy. Through this online service students are able to choose a therapist based on the specific issues that they are working through as well as set preferences on gender, language, and ethnicity.
To utilize Uwill, scan the QR code and follow it to the Uwill site. Click the “I’d Like To Register” option, and clarify that you are looking for services. At this point, you will be able to complete your profile information, and then move on to searching for counselors. You can search specifically for therapists with work hours that match your scheduling needs. Each student on McPherson Campus receives 360 credits per year. These credits can be used to “pay” for video calls, chat sessions, and messaging options with counselors on the site. These points are not able to be shared or exchanged with fellow peers.
This new teletherapy resource will greatly complement the on-campus counseling (Client Centered Counseling) offered at the Partners In Family Care clinic. To schedule an in person counseling session, students can call 620.241.2300. Both of these options are great resources for all students on the McPherson College campus as they balance the difficulties that college life can bring.
