We are deeply concerned about inaccuracies conveyed in last Thursday’s editorial regarding the accessibility and quality of mental health care available to Marquette students.
The editorial implied that the Counseling Center and the Center for Psychological Services are either unable or unwilling to provide services to students with severe mental health problems.
Nothing could be further from the truth and we do not want this misrepresentation to discourage students in need of counseling from reaching out for help.
The Counseling Center provides psychotherapy to appoximately 1,000 students per year, in addition to offering training and outreach activities to a wide variety of student groups.
Its staff consists of highly skilled, compassionate professionals who are dedicated to promoting the well-being of Marquette students.
Most students who receive psychotherapy services at the center are seen for a semester or less, usually because that is all that is required.
However, if the therapist and student agree that longer-term treatment is needed, they may be referred to agencies that can provide more extensive care.
Far from being indifferent to the needs of the student, referral to an outside agency where the best help is available is a responsible and ethical thing to do.
The Counseling Center often refers students in need of longer-term therapy to the Department of Psychology’s Center for Psychological Services (CPS).
The center provides a wide range of assessment and treatment services to students and nonstudents, does not limit the number of sessions and offers treatment to students without charge.
The Tribune editorial erroneously stated that CPS is “run by graduate students” and implied that the quality of care was inadequate.
In fact, CPS is run by department of psychology faculty who are licensed clinical psychologists. The faculty closely supervise doctoral graduate students in clinical psychology, who provide most of the therapy and assessments.
The implication that graduate students are not competent to provide therapy is not supported by research, nor has it been the experience of the hundreds of patients seen at CPS each year.
Further, because department of psychology faculty and students are actively involved in research, teaching, and training related to a variety of mental health problems, they are able to provide state-of-the-art treatment to CPS clients.
College is a stressful time and many students experience psychological difficulties that can be treated effectively with psychotherapy. Marquette students are fortunate to have access to excellent mental health care right on campus.
For most of these students, the Counseling Center will be able to provide the care that they need to feel and function better.
They also have access to the CPS, which provides affordable, comprehensive assessments and can offer more long-term psychotherapy. Students can expect to receive confidential, high quality services at both centers and they encourage anyone struggling with academic, personal or interpersonal problems to reach out if they need help.
John Grych is a professor of psychology and director of the Center for Psychological Services. Stephen Saunders is an associate professor of psychology and director of graduate studies.
