Addressing the Post-Pandemic Mental Health Crisis Among College Students

The sign you'll see when entering the Marist counseling center. Photo by Matthew Devine '24

Amidst mental health challenges spurred by the pandemic, Marist counseling services is always available for students who need and want support.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many college students nationwide have struggled with their mental health.

“COVID-19 was a turning point in my mental health. I had never suffered from anxiety or depression until I noticed a shift approximately a month after lockdown had started,” said Laura Kelton ‘24. “Although I was not officially diagnosed until nearly two years after the start of COVID-19, as the lockdown progressed and even when the restrictions began to ease, my mental health plummeted.” 

In recent years, college students’ mental health has reached an all-time low. According to the American Psychiatric Association, approximately 60% of college students reported experiencing at least one mental health issue in 2021; since 2013, the percentage of students going through mental health challenges has increased by about 50%. 

Often, when students have a mental health condition, the difficulty lies in seeking and receiving treatment. 

According to a research study conducted by BestColleges, of 1,000 students between the ages of 18-26 who ranked their mental health as poor, only 20% have sought assistance through their school. Of those who did not seek help, 35% did not feel comfortable enough to take that initiative. 

Encouraging students to come to counseling services can make a difference. Dr. Marisa Moore, director of counseling services at Marist College, has witnessed success when faculty members of the campus community recommend the counseling center to students.

“The first thing we have to understand is what the barriers to trust are. We try to build relationships, both in our sessions with our clients, but also with our partners across campus,” said Moore. “We have been the most successful when a faculty person says to a student who might be hesitant to come see us, ‘I know [said counselor] at the counseling center, she's really cool, let's get you connected.’ A lot of that is word of mouth, like letting folks know that we're here.”

Making sure students are comfortable enough to seek help when they are struggling mentally or emotionally can be difficult, and the center focuses on making students feel more relaxed about sharing their struggles with a counselor during individual sessions. 

“In terms of confidentiality, for anyone who is over 18, our sessions are confidential. There are limitations if they were at serious risk of harming themselves or others, but we're also not quick to react and panic, because that could also ruin our trust,” said Moore. “Even when a student gives us consent to release information, whether it's to a parent or a faculty member, they still get a say as to what we say and don't say, so we’re not like putting it all out there either.”

The center also hosts events for students related to mental health topics that connect the student body. Noelle Swift ‘24, a recent Marist graduate, helped out with planning these student programming events while working at the counseling center as an intern last semester.

“Our events focused on raising eating disorder awareness, promoting self-care during midterms and finals and sharing resources that students may need, to name a few,” said Swift. “We held events that focused on topics that we thought related to the Marist student body.”

Swift found connecting with students and organizations to be a significant role of both the interns and the counseling center altogether. 

“Our events often tried to bridge the gap between students who may have felt isolated coming to college during the height of the pandemic, as most of the events involved us speaking directly with Marist students at tables across campus or interacting with other campus offices,” she said.

The counseling center at Marist provides many unique resources for college students who find themselves struggling mentally, whether it be related to a school problem or a mental health condition. 

“For individuals, we meet with our students bi-weekly. The process would be that any student can reach out, and we will work to figure out who has an appointment open to schedule you based on the availability that you give to us,” said Kimberly Marsden, clinical counselor at the counseling center. 

The center also has a few groups that rotate depending on student interest, such as ones focused on dialectical behavior therapy, sexual assault survivors and expressive arts therapy this semester. But even beyond the groups, there is always 24/7 support from Marist counselors for students who find themselves in a mental health crisis.

“Last semester, I had a great experience with the counseling services on campus. I was set up for an initial appointment quickly, and my counselor really helped me get through a rough patch,” said Matt Eastman ‘26. 

Since the pandemic, the counseling center has adapted and changed in many ways. Dr. Moore highlighted how she hopes to continue expanding the center by adjusting its model and offering news services. For instance, Zoom and hybrid sessions came out of the pandemic, while private spaces are available for students who are meeting with their own therapist online. In the future, a focus on staffing is being prioritized, from hiring an assistant director to looking for a mental athlete and eating disorder specialist.

To anyone hesitant to utilize the Marist counseling center, Dr. Moore shares a simple piece of advice. 

“At the end of the day, we want to make sure our students get what they need, and what they deserve,” said Moore. “And so really, the message is ‘try us out.’ And if we're not the right fit, we want to make sure we get you to the right fit.”