The NC State Counseling Center aims to serve students by offering any academic, social or emotional support students may need; however, it has recently seen increased demand. This influx of students has placed a strain on the center’s functionality.

Monica Osburn, executive director of the Counseling Center, recognizes that there have been longer wait times for initial individual appointments.

“Where the wait happens is individual appointments, and that really depends on what’s going on,” Osburn said. “We hold some appointments back for folks who are really struggling with severe-type issues, whether is suicidal ideation or severe depression. They might get in a little sooner because they need to. Where if someone is struggling with anxiety, they have been experiencing this anxiety for the past month or so anyway, they might have to wait two weeks.”

However, once a student makes their initial appointment with their assigned counselor, it is up to the student and that individual to schedule appointments in the future.

“Once you get connected to your individual counselor, then it really is just a matter of scheduling with that person, and sometimes it is a little challenging: it depends on how booked that person’s schedule is,” Osburn said. “The clinician’s schedules here are easily booked out for three weeks with no availability.”

Olivia Bryant, a second-year studying graphic design, experienced serious difficulty when attempting to schedule an appointment with her regular counselor beginning last November. This was a scheduling conflict that wasn’t resolved until an entire month after her original appointment.

“This school year, starting in November, I had an appointment, and she contacted me saying she couldn’t do it [that day] because her son was sick.” Bryant said. “Then, we rescheduled for another time, and then the day of that appointment I was walking over to the actual counselling center, and I receive an email saying there was an emergency with another patient, and I would have to reschedule again for a second time. Then it was December, and I was on my way over, and I get a call saying that it was cancelled again. So, three times in a row where it was canceled.”

While it was helpful when Bryant was finally able to meet with her counselor, it was three appointments after she initially planned for. Bryant has had no issues with scheduling since December.

“I actually have been able to meet with her since then and talk with her and had some help.” Bryant said. “It’s been pretty straightforward since then.”

Sarah Brown, a second-year studying science education, also felt the strains of low availability of individual appointments. After seeing her counselor approximately every two weeks since this fall, Brown was politely asked if she would stop coming to appointments to make room for students who need it more.

“I started in the fall; I don’t go anymore though,” Brown said. “I would go every two weeks, and as I started to improve, she would ask me to come less and less often because she was getting more appointments, and then the last time I went I was dealing with my problems on my own really well so she asked if she could stop seeing me so she could make time for people who need it more.”

Despite this, Brown has only positive things to say about her time at the Counseling Center.

“Besides that, it was a really good experience; everyone was very open and welcoming, especially the people at the front desk,” Brown said. “I would recommend that everyone goes.”

More information about the Counseling Center can be found on its website.