Therapy on the University of Denver campus: Is it accessible and beneficial?

The HCC, located in the Ritchie Center [Photo by Tia Sciarrotta]

College campuses are a known stress-breeding environment, and many college students suffer from various mental illnesses. With an increase in mental illness diagnoses amongst young adults, there is a general consensus that college students need to be given more help and treatment in order to not be burdened while pursuing further education. 

The University of Denver offers counseling services to their students through the Health and Counseling Center (HCC). Some DU students say that they have experienced issues with the HCC, in particular in terms of how quickly and efficiently they can access therapy services.

Evan Mendelman, a freshman at DU, has utilized the HCC’s counseling services, and highlights how they have negatively impacted them.

“I tried to book a psychiatry appointment with the HCC multiple times,” says Mendelman. “They took so long and were so resistant to getting me this appointment. I really needed it because I wasn’t even getting out of bed or showering or eating.”

Mendelman mentions that there are many problems with the HCC, including how many of the therapists there are unqualified.

“If you go in and just ask them to give you a therapist, there is a high chance that you will just be sent to a grad student who may or may not be trained or equipped to help you out properly.”

Mali Faulkner, a fellow freshman, voices her concerns with the HCC pairing students up with people not equipped to counsel them professionally.

“They are completely unqualified for what they are supposed to be offering,” says Faulkner. “They advertise for mental health therapists, but we end up getting marriage counselors or students in training.”

The HCC’s counseling services have made students see the vast differences with it compared to private practices. University of Denver freshman and Colorado-native Maddie Allen immediately noticed how the HCC counseling services contrast to the services she received in Denver prior to attending DU.

“I’m only able to schedule appointments once every two weeks,” says Allen. “The process of rescheduling and canceling appointments is also frustrating because there have been numerous occasions where my account has been charged.”

Mazi Wolf, a DU freshman, also sees how the HCC counseling services differ from other practices, but has had more positive experiences with their services.

“I was seeing a therapist through telehealth,” says Wolf. “I think he was a little outdated in his practices. The HCC is very up to date, it’s easy to schedule an appointment.”

Faulkner also had a therapist at home before attending DU, and has difficulty when comparing her hometown counseling services to those at the HCC.

“The therapist I have at home is experienced, qualified, and understanding of the specific problems I have. It seems to be in a completely different ballfield than what I was provided with at the HCC.”

Students on campus are actively seeking help for mental health conditions that strain their lives, and believe that DU needs to cater more to the needs of those on campus.

“I believe that the therapists at the HCC aren’t always the most cognizant of what their patients need,” states Allen. “There have been instances where I feel like I am not necessarily being heard.”

“It’s difficult to get care as fast as you need unless you are seeing multiple different providers,” says Wolf. “They have intensive patient outreach but if you are not on that, it feels sparse at times.”

Counseling services are a necessity on a college campus, and institutions are well-aware of the increase in mental health issues with college students. Regardless of mental health being a taboo subject matter, DU must address how its environment is affecting the mental states of their students.

“There are suicide blockers on the windows for a reason,” states Wolf. “Colleges and universities know that this is a really stressful place.”

Students firmly believe that therapy and counseling services are essential, and that DU should prioritize their students’ mental well-being.

“Therapy is really helpful for everybody”, says Allen. “Especially for college students as we’re going through such a big change and transition in life.”

In order for DU students to feel mentally well, there needs to be change within the HCC’s counseling services that can ensure efficiency in scheduling and appointments between students and therapists.

“Mental illnesses are on such a stoop rise, especially after Covid, and for the HCC to be unable to keep up with that rise in demand is shameful”, says Mendelman. “Therapy is needed so badly by so many people, and it’s not something that can be overlooked by the university in any way and it needs to be taken very seriously.”