By Christina Walker

The University of Maryland’s Counseling Center created the Wellness Series more than three years ago, and in the past year, less than 1% of the university’s population took advantage of it. 

This online series provides drop-in skill sessions every Monday through Thursday at 4 p.m. on various topics. The themes include coping skills, academic success, relationships and communication, and resilience and adaptability. 

“We want to be there for not just the students that have [mental health] at the front of their minds, but for all the students who would benefit from thinking about and getting support for their mental health,” said Allison Asarch, the counseling center’s coordinator for outreach and consultation services and staff psychologist. 

Asarch and the outreach committee created the series in the Spring of 2020 as a way for the UMD community to stay connected and feel supported during the pandemic. After initial overwhelming support, the counseling center said they knew they wanted to continue and expand the program. 

The Wellness Series’ goal is to offer an accessible and beneficial opportunity that allows the UMD community to engage with their mental health and wellbeing.

“I absolutely feel that we have met that goal,” Asarch said. 

These events are open to all members of the UMD community, which covers over 55,000 faculty members and students. 

In the 2021-2022 school year, the Wellness Series had 900 attendees, but the next school year, they saw a 50% decrease, having only 500 attendees. This was approximately five attendees per session in the 2022 to 2023 school year. 

Asarch said flyers are posted around campus and emails are sent through individual colleges, organizations, and offices. Despite the Counseling Center’s extensive advertising, many students do not know The Wellness Series exists.

Bridget Naughton, senior animal science major, said not only has she never heard of the series but she would likely not find the impersonal group setting to be effective. 

When Naughton looked to the counseling center for guidance, they put her in an “anxiety toolbox workshop” with another group of students. She did not find the experience beneficial or helpful. 

“The overarching ‘mental wellness’ programs aren’t the best way to help students with their mental health,” Naughton said. “They need to make it easier to get one-on-one counseling.”

A friend of Naughton, who is an animal science graduate student, tried to seek counseling at UMD, but her appointment was canceled two days prior. 

“Now she is having trouble even getting an appointment,” Naughton said. “She had to start looking elsewhere.” 

Xiao Warren, a junior public health major, said she has heard of the Wellness Series but has never attended a session because it does not fit into her schedule. She acknowledged that it must be hard to accommodate such a large population, but more programs at different times would do this. 

Warren said the large wait times at the counseling center deter students from interacting with them in the future. 

“[Students] don’t want to wait or they don’t think it will be useful,” Warren said. 

Although a limited number of the community has been reached, Asarch said she sees the individual impacts every day. It has positively impacted students’ personal lives, she said, and that small benefit is enough to keep pushing the program forward. 

“Knowing that it’s there, for some students, has been really meaningful,” Asarch said. 

Featured Image: The Counseling Center in 2021. Photo by Joel Lev-Tov.