By: Working on Wellness
USM Counseling Services provides individual and group counseling, crisis services, and supports students being referred to psychiatry and local mental health providers but clinical services are not all that’s offered. Outreach, Education, & Prevention at USM Counseling is about getting outside of the therapy room and bringing mental health into the community.
Over 100 years ago, activist, suffragist, and co-founder of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Jane Addams and her “friendly visitors” met with people in their homes and communities to address health, housing, and workers’ rights issues and to provide daycare, education, and necessary services to those in greatest need.
Her advocacy and “social work”, as it came to be called, gave way to the development of many of the first programs – settlement houses, public health initiatives, juvenile courts – we now understand to be based on the tenets of social justice and reform.
That tradition, focused on social connectedness and mutual aid, carries on today in how we think about mental health education and community psychology – getting beyond the walls of our office and into the community.
Many more people can benefit from counseling and psychotherapy than are currently receiving those clinical services. However, what about those who aren’t in counseling? – or aren’t ready for it? – or might not ever use it?
Supporting the mental health of our communities means bringing mental health outside of the therapy room and to people that we might never see in our offices. Sorry, Dr. Freud.
So what is Outreach, Education & Prevention at USM Counseling?
Outreach is about connecting with the campus community to support mental health through prevention, awareness, education, and reducing stigma. It is about improving our community’s mental health outside of the therapy room, supporting learning and collaboration, and engaging students who might not utilize traditional counseling.
Our Outreach, Education & Prevention efforts at Counseling Services take many forms including outreach to specific communities, workshops and presentations by request, training for groups on campus, suicide awareness & prevention education, and mental health resources.
We frequently provide Outreach programs and presentations focused on the following:
- Suicide Awareness & Prevention
- Reducing mental health stigma
- Improving wellness, self-care, & coping skills
- Mental health resources, referrals, and help-seeking
Programs on other mental health topics not listed can often be arranged by request. We do our best to accommodate requests and work with you to discuss your needs. Programs, workshops, and presentations can usually be tailored to your time constraints.
Develop skills and tools, increase your awareness, and learn more about mental health through Outreach at USM Counseling!
If you are interested in Outreach, Education, & Prevention initiatives at USM Counseling or would like to request a program, presentation, or training please contact Colm Daly, Clinical Counselor & Outreach Coordinator: [email protected] t. 207-780-4050