Increased Mental Health Services for Students
Stúdentablaðið/Stefanía Stefánsdóttir
Translation: Sindri Snær Jónsson
The University of Iceland (UI) recently hired a third psychologist, Guðlaug Friðgeirsdóttir, who joins colleagues Ásta Rún Valgerðardóttir and Katrín Sverrisdóttir. A journalist from the Student Paper met the three women for coffee at Litla-torg, adjacent to Háskólatorg, to discuss the addition of the third position. The Student Counselling and Career Centre (UISCCC) offers free counselling services to UI students, and students can book an appointment with a psychologist by visiting the UISCCC office on the third floor of the University Centre (Háskólatorg) or by emailing salfraedingar@hi.is. Students are encouraged to reach out sooner rather than later.
In general, what mental health resources are available to students?
We offer individual counselling as well as CBT group therapy for low self-esteem, stress management, and exam anxiety (led by the UISCCC counsellors). There are also educational videos, relaxation techniques, and mindfulness exercises available to everyone. Additionally, there is the mental health group Hugrún, the student meditation group, and, last but not least, psychological counselling offered by fifth-year psychology students. They offer individual appointments more frequently than we do, but they also provide group therapy sessions and can help both students and their children. Plus, there is also the group therapy option Sálrækt, which is managed by doctoral students.
What else can UI do to promote students’ well-being?
We are now part of a mental health team (steering committee) in collaboration with a Student Council representative as well as representatives from the department of medicine and the Division of Academic Affairs. We meet regularly and get a lot of tips from the Student Council about what’s really going to be helpful to students, because we consider the Student Council to be the closest representative of the student body. We also have a representative from the fifth-year psychology students, who is actually the director of the Student Psychology Clinic. We are considering creating a podcast as an alternative to the group therapy sessions. That way, people could listen in their free time or whenever it suits them. Finding a time that works for everyone is one of the problems with the group therapy sessions, as people are all available at different times.
What is involved in the psychological services you offer?
We offer individual counselling and group therapy. We work with the CBT method in the individual sessions. Our primary focus is on supporting students to stay in school, helping them to improve their well-being and to reduce or lighten the pressure they’re under. During the first appointment, we map out the issues they’re facing and then consider whether our services will be of use. The most common reasons students contact us are anxiety, depression, or self-esteem issues. Sometimes students have received some bad news or have experienced trauma, such as having their heart broken for the first time or going through a divorce, which can have a serious effect on their education. We are also part of UISCCC, so oftentimes we aren’t dealing with these cases alone. We work together with the career and guidance counsellors, who also provide daily support and advice. We think it's good for the students that we work together. For example, we might get a student with anxiety who hasn’t been able to submit some assignment, attend class, or communicate with their instructor. In those cases, a guidance counsellor can provide good support on the academic side while we work on reviewing the student’s anxiety symptoms and finding helpful resources.
Research has shown that Icelandic students’ mental health has been deteriorating. What could be the cause of that?
That's a big question! I don't think anyone knows the answer, really. The mental health of the general public seems to be deteriorating as well, so the problem is not specific to university students. This is something that we have wondered about for a long time. But more people seek help today due to increased mental health awareness. People are more aware and talk about anxiety more readily than they used to. People have become more capable of explaining their problems and recognizing that they do have a problem. There are a lot of questions about technology today. People aren't as active these days because they spend so much time on their computers and phones, which can harm one's mental health, for instance when people start comparing themselves to others. People used to go on vacation, come home, and tell you that they went on vacation, and you would think to yourself, "Alright! That's great!" But now, you can explicitly see a person on the beach, cocktail in hand, while you're just here at home, fighting the snow. This is a different, more tangible kind of comparison that proves difficult for many. We only see these perfect pictures on social media. But considering the general decline in mental health, it is important to dive deeper to discover the cause. The statistics tell us this is happening, but we need a more in-depth assessment of the situation. We have ideas, but sadly no answers.
What role did the Student Council play in increasing the number of school psychologists?
It was precisely these shocking statistics that the big newspapers were printing, about the increased stress and anxiety that students feel today. And then there's the fact that mental health services aren't covered by health insurance. Every session with a psychologist at a clinic in town is expensive and not necessarily something that the average university student can afford. As a result, demand for improved mental health services has increased, both among society in general as well as the Student Council. There was increased pressure from the Student Council, and for some time, improving mental health services was one of their primary goals, which they eventually achieved. Additional funding for improving mental health services was secured, and the steering committee, along with a Student Council representative, decided to add more school psychologists. That was in 2018 when Ásta was hired, and then Guðlaug joined the team in January. This isn't completely new; UISCCC has provided free mental health services for 30 years. But due to these changes, increased awareness, and the latest statistics, it was clear that we needed to add more people. It’s critical for us to hear what students want. We want to know if there are any services that we are not currently providing, and we will gladly take any suggestion. But we are in close communication with the Student Council and working well with them.