College of Law students will benefit again this year from health counseling services designated specifically for them.
Through a program housed within the University of Tennessee College of Law and offered in partnership with UT’s Educational Psychology and Counseling Department at the College of Education, Health and Human Sciences, law students are receiving mental health services from a licensed professional counselor.
Services will be offered this year by Destiny White, a Ph.D. student who has served as a clinical mental health counselor throughout East Tennessee assisting individuals, families and groups.
The services, which are being coordinated through the College of Law’s Office of Student Affairs at no charge to students, are vital to law students, College of Law Dean of Students Maria Saez Tatman said.
“Life doesn’t stop when students come to law school,” Tatman said. “We want to make sure our students have support available to help them manage the stressors that both life and school can bring.”
Throughout the past two years since the program’s launch, 80 students have received assistance from the wellness counselor with half of them routinely meeting for personalized sessions. The wellness counselor has participated in panel discussions and has partnered with the College of Law Student Wellness Committee to offer guidance.
This year, in addition to the Ph.D. student wellness counselor, a master’s student in the educational psychology and counseling program has been dedicated to offer backup assistance when needed, Tatman said.
According to the American Bar Association, the adversarial nature of the legal profession leaves lawyers facing some of the highest rates of stress and depression of all occupations.
In an effort to raise awareness and assist students and members of the profession with the help they need, the American Bar Association encourages law schools to host programs and events that can break the stigma of seeking help when its needed.
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Photo: Destiny White will serve the College of Law throughout the coming year offering wellness counseling to students.