WHAT'S
IN IT?
SELF-ASSESSMENT THE TEAM AT COOK COUNSELING Center believes in assessments as tools, especially when it comes to evaluating themselves. “We’re constantly assessing our services,” said Bethany Rallis, clinical psychologist. “We want to constantly be learning about students’ needs and how they change from year to year. We’re really intentional about how we’re designing our services to meet student needs.”
RY, MARY DESMOND
The center is committed to connecting students to services that enhance mental health, removing barriers that may affect academic performance or influence the overall Virginia Tech experience, and improving learning opportunities for the next generation of mental health professionals. Cook ranked No. 1 for Best Counseling Services in the 2021 edition of the Princeton Review’s Best 386 Colleges. During the past five years, the center has expanded and reorganized, relying on self-evaluations and student feedback to inform its work. The center’s leaders have added 21 clinicians, including psychologists, counselors, social workers, nurse practitioners, and support staff. In fall 2020, Cook debuted a flexible, multifaceted approach to meeting student needs. Rather than waiting for a clini-
cian to become available for a traditional patient intake, the Cook Connect Model invites the student to meet with a connection professional to review specific concerns, explore available resources, and tailor an individual action plan. Rallis, who coordinates the center’s self-assessments, said the new model not only decreased students’ wait time, but also increased student satisfaction. Wait times for first appointments ranged from two to four days in fall 2020, down from 18 days in late October 2019, and 80 percent of students reported improvement with their symptoms resulting from the services recommended.
• Individual therapy. • Psychiatry. • Crisis consultation. The well-rounded approach is designed to address a variety of needs and aligns with the universitywide mental health campaign, #VTBetterTogether. TW
Cook Connect recommendations for services vary based on individual circumstances, but may include: • Access to vetted mental health resources. • Referrals to campus resources outside of Cook. • Workshops on specific mental health-related topics. • Animal-assisted programs. • Support groups. • Academic support. • Therapy groups.
FOUR-LEGGED FRIENDS: Virginia Tech’s Cook Counseling Center therapy dogs——Derek, Wagner, and Josie——enjoy spending time on Blacksburg’s campus.
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