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UI counseling numbers steady Psychology Professor Michael O’Hara believes steady demand for counseling services could mean a decrease in social stigma attached to counseling. By RISHABH R. JAIN rishabh-jain@uiowa.edu
While the number of visitors to the University Counseling Service has remained level over the last few years, funding for the program has grown slightly, and officials said they’re doing more to serve students. Since the 2007-08 school year, the number of students visiting the counseling service each year has only grown by around 20 students. In addition to hiring a new staff member two years ago, the counseling service has introduced initial appointment slots throughout the week to be able to see students requesting counseling more often and at a faster pace. “We strive to see students who request counseling the same day or following day of the request,” said Sam Cochran, the program’s director. “Sometimes this takes longer but hopefully, not too much longer.” The counseling service has been allocated slightly more than $1 million this year, an increase of 1.5 percent over last year. The service is funded by the University of Iowa’s General Education Fund, and it hasn’t been affected by recent cuts in funding because it is related to student health and safety — a priority for the Office of Student Life. Michael O’Hara, a UI professor of psychology, says that while steady demand for the counseling services could mean that there is a drop in stigma attached to seeking such counseling along with increase in support for students, it could also mean an increase in rates of students with mental-health problems, which is alarming. Nevertheless, he acknowledges the importance of counseling. “These problems that students have can diminish their social and academic life, and in that respect, it is good to know that more students are seeking men-
tal-health services,” he said. The largest number of the counseling-service users come for what staff call “phase of life” problems, including academic issues, identity issues, and relationship problems. There are also a substantial number who seek help for anxiety, panic attacks, and depression. And 10 percent of the patients last year were seeking help for substance abuse. A study presented at the annual conference of American Psychology Association in 2010 indicates an increase in number of students with moderate to severe depression from 34 percent in August 1997 to 41 percent in September 2009 at a mid-sized private university. UI junior Patrick Kelleher, who approached the counseling service for anxiety-related problems, believes the service is a great asset for the university, especially because the service is free for students. “At first, I was a little apprehensive of the whole idea of getting counseling, but everyone there was really warm and hospitable,” he said. “You’d be surprised to know how much anxiety you can relieve just by talking to someone.” The counseling service doesn’t, however, prescribe medicine to students; instead, it refers students needing prescriptions to Student Health. O’Hara noted that professionals need to use care with prescription medicines. “We have to be careful [with prescription medicines],” he said. “It isn’t a best first choice, especially if situation can be solved with psychotherapy. But many people today want quick fixes and medicines do help.” He noted the role of big pharmaceutical companies in increasing the use of psychotropic medicines via advertisements mostly on TV.
The Daily Iowan - Iowa City, Iowa - Wednesday, September 7, 2011 - 5A
BLOTTER Scott Barker, 42, Cedar Rapids, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Stephen Bartuce, 40, Arlinton Hgts, Ill., was charged Sept. 3 with public intoxication. Parish Bennett, 23, 2401 Highway 6 E. Apt. 303, was charged Aug. 12 with simple assault and fifth-degree criminal mischief. Audra Brinlee, 20, 815 E. Burlington St., was charged Monday with keeping a disorderly house. Benjamin Bruggeman, 34, Monticello, Iowa, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Andrew Cisco, 18, 135 Rienow, was charged Sept. 3 with public intoxication. Elizabeth Collins, 19, S145 Currier, was charged Sept. 3 with public intoxication. Michael Coons, 48, Anamosa, Iowa, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Terri Curtis, 38, North Liberty, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Paula Denison, 43, North Liberty, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Mitchell Devlin, 27, Lamont, Iowa, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Curtis Durr, 18, 304 Slater, was charged Sept. 3 with PAULA/supplying alcohol to those under 21. Richard Edwards, 32, North Liberty, was charged Monday with disorderly conduct. Christopher Engelbrecht, 24, Davenport, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Ujio Fifi, 20, Coralville, was charged Monday with driving with a suspended/canceled license. Blaine Flanagan, 20, 627 Iowa Ave. Apt. 2, was charged Sept. 3 with public intoxication. Nicholas Ford, 27, Fort Dodge, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. James Funke, 26, Edgewood, Iowa, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Willie Garrett III, 34, Coralville, was charged Monday with simple assault. Tyler Gaswint, 22, 804 S. Van Buren St., was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Katie Golien, 23, Muscatine, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Jeffrey Greiner, 34, Grundy Center, Iowa, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public.
Ty Herdlicka, 30, 746 Bay Ridge Drive, was charged Monday with possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana, and possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. Aaron Holmes, 19, Dubuque, was charged Sept. 2 with PAULA/supplying alcohol to those under 21. Emily House, 25, North Liberty, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Todd Hyink, 26, Muscatine, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Stacy Ireland, 23, Marion, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Angela Johnson, 26, Newell, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Jessica Johnson, 28, Cedar Rapids, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Korey Ketschke, 21, 804 S. Van Buren St., was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Angela Klaassen, 26, Pomeroy, Iowa, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Courteny Knebel, 21, Jesup, Iowa, was charged Sept. 3 with public intoxication. Steven Korman, 53, Dubuque, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Michael Kubas, 30, Chicago, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Troy Long, 24, Muscatine, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Michael Maker, 30, Waterloo, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Xzavier Mallard, 20, 203 Myrtle Ave. Apt. 215, was charged June 27 with possession of marijuana and possession of a schedule II controlled substance. Dong Mao, 21, 34 Lincoln Ave. Apt. 8, was charged Sept. 2 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Alyssa Marti, 30, Eldridge, Iowa, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public.
Mallory Mccarthy, 22, Burr Ridge, Ill., was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Michael Mcdole, 33, 2430 Muscatine Ave. Apt. 9, was charged Monday with public intoxication. Emily Mcquire, 28, Dubuque, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Ross Meany, 21, 623 E. Burlington St., was charged Sept. 3 with public intoxication. Kendra Meltzer, 19, 426C Mayflower, was charged Sept. 2 with public intoxication and unlawful use of an authentic driver’s license. Christopher Montez, 18, 146 Rienow, was charged Sept. 3 with public intoxication. Ryan Moray, 18, 127 Rienow, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Barry Muilenburg, 40, Newton, Iowa, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Brittany Murray, 19, Cedar Rapids, was charged Sept. 3 with public intoxication. Kory Nelson, 21, Grundy Center, Iowa, was charged Monday with public intoxication. Olivia Neuhaus, 35, Manchester, Iowa, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Adam Nusser, 18, Coralville, was charged Monday with public intoxication. Dean Palmer, 44, North Liberty, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Deborah Pape, 48, Des Moines, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Michelle Pettit, 33, Solon, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Trenton Place, 30, 2780 Triple Crown Lane Apt. 12, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Lisa Ray, 35, Davenport, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Trevor Rhiner, 23, 17 S. Governor St., was charged Feb. 26 with possession of marijuana and public intoxication.
Zachary Reuter, 19, 633 S. Dodge Apt. 6, was charged Sept. 3 with PAULA/supply alcohol to those under 21. Jessica Runyon, 33, Cedar Rapids, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Nicholas Schoeberi, 19, N 350 Hillcrest, was charged Sunday with public intoxication. Roger Seei, 48, Dallas Center, Iowa, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Peter Selinger, 18, 1343 Slater, was charged Sept. 3 with public intoxication and possession of drug paraphernalia. Michelle Shoppa, 23, Muscatine, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Lindsey Sinn, 29, 436 Southgate Ave. Apt. 302, was charged Monday with public intoxication. Jonathon Slomski, 29, Gilberts, Ill., was charged Sept. 3 with public intoxication. Ronda Stout, 50, Columbus Junction, Iowa, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Swanson, 58, Jeffrey Davenport, was charged May 4 with second-degree theft. Tegan Tabaka, 22, Cedar Rapids, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. James Tucker, 55, address unknown, was charged Sept. 3 with public intoxication. Jessica Van Maanen, 33, Altoona, Iowa, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Veneziano, 22, Antonio Dubuque, was charged Sunday with public intoxication. Joshua Wachendorf, 27, North Liberty, was charged Sept. 3 with public intoxication. Scott White, 22, Dubuque, was charged Sunday with public intoxication. Sandra Widdel, 48, Reinbeck, Iowa, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Dale Wilkinson, 35, Ely, Iowa, was charged Sept. 3 with possession of an open alcohol container in public. Christopher Yates, 54, address unknown, was charged Monday with trespassing.