Students at the University of Tennessee College of Law will benefit this academic year from an on-site success and wellness coach who can assist students in growing both personally and professionally.
Through a partnership with UT’s College of Education, Health and Human Sciences and the counselor education Ph.D. program, graduate doctoral student Kristen Carlosh will spend two days of her work week at the College of Law making mental health resources more accessible to law students.
Carlosh will begin next month offering education sessions on a number of issues that impact students seeking to improve their well-being, find work-life balance, and generally improve their quality of life.
“The goal is to make mental health accessible,” Carlosh said. “If it seems complicated, there is probably work to be done, and I look forward to working with students to remove the stigma surrounding mental health and mental health services.”
The partnership is the result of an initiative launched by College of Law Dean Melanie Wilson in response to students’ concerns and requests for assistance.
“Law school is challenging, and law school can certainly be stressful for students. The legal profession is no different,” Wilson said. “We have long focused on providing an excellent academic experience for students, and enhancing their emotional and mental well-being by providing tools for long-term success and wellness is equally important.
“Through coaching and counseling we want to prepare our students for the obstacles they face both now and as practicing lawyers.”
Prior to attending UT, Carlosh was a therapeutic crisis intervention trainer for Covenant Health System’s Peninsula Hospital working as an individual, family, and psycho-educational group therapist.
While there, she became a leader in educating hospital staff on the effects of vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, and self-care.
The services are being coordinated through the College of Law’s Office of Student Affairs and are offered to students at no charge.