Dear Editor:
In response to two previous letters (11/2/06 and 11/6/06), I appreciate the concerns voiced for better mental health services as well as the efforts to clarify misperceptions. However, I have misgivings about other aspects of each letter.
I find it troubling - if not groundless - to characterize the Counseling Center ("CC") as a place "where the therapists are inexperienced graduate students." I support exercising caution and examining the qualifications of therapists, and my impression is that the CC does too. While I am not privy to the intricacies of student-therapist assignment, I am confident that if a student is unsatisfied with a therapist there are mechanisms in place that allow the CC to accommodate the student's request. It is an erroneous belief, likely a product of conceptual confusion, that psychiatric (not to be confused with psychotherapy) monitoring is an indicator of CC competency levels. Ms. Leonard stated there was "no gap in services for students" as a result of the staffing change, and rather the SHC "has actually expanded the hours that a psychiatrist is available." The expansion of "hours that a psychiatrist is available" is an improvement; I would argue, however, that the decision to start charging students for a service that was once free does in fact create a gap in services for students.
Clearly I disagree with some of the particular claims about the mental health services offered at AU, but the fact that the Active Minds conference has generated discussion is, in my mind, promising. Admittedly, there are flaws in the system, yet the very existence of AU's CC is a testament to the need for and value of mental health services. Furthermore, it has been my experience that each staff member - and particularly the support staff members - are knowledgeable and consistently strike the ideal balance between professionalism and compassion. Thank you to the CC for providing critical, yet oft underappreciated, mental health services to the AU community.
Sincerely, S. Elizabeth Mason Graduate Student School of International Service
