Articles and research from our team on the future of mental healthcare for young adults.

Colleges and universities are preparing for an onslaught of public health emergencies, including new strains of COVID-19, Monkeypox, the seasonal flu, even polio – all of which will, inevitably, affect the mental health of college students, many of whom are away from home for the first time, immunocompromised, at high risk, or dealing with ongoing stress, anxiety, or trauma related to COVID-19. 

It’s been a challenging few years for academia, but Ellen Larson, MD, Director of Student Health Services at Colgate University in Madison County, New York, is optimistic that the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic have prepared her and the university community to weather the challenges that are bound to rise amidst the impending public health emergencies. 

“It’s all about the balance of providing education and information without creating stigma,” said Dr. Larson. 

Like many of her peers, Dr. Larson is focusing heavily on fact-based information. It’s important to explain to students how these viruses are transmitted, what a Monkeypox rash really looks like, and what to do when you suspect you’ve been infected, she said. In addition, Dr. Larson is considering more self-care guidelines on how to treat a fever, how to take care of yourself when you’re sick, when to stay home and wear a mask, and when to visit the health center.  

Prevention is arguably the best medicine – and colleges and universities all around the counter are bracing for what’s next. Northwestern University, for example, has assembled a team of infectious disease specialists to advise on its response to the virus. Their work will include guiding awareness campaigns, creating diagnosis plans, organizing contact tracing tools, and writing isolation protocols. University of California of Irvine and Bucknell University have each created websites that function as a hub offering for students and staff ongoing access to the university’s monkeypox response, prevention, and management plans, and providing them with contact information about on-campus testing, vaccines, and other health resources.

Regardless of your size, all colleges and universities should be focused on producing educational resources, encouraging frank discussions around health and mental health, as well providing health and counseling services, and building networks to support students who get infected and must isolate in place. 

Combating Fears – and Building a Path of Recovery

“I'm hopeful that this is the year that we recover,” Dr. Larson said. Now that we have a better understanding of public health concerns and have built the right tools, resources, and protocols, Dr. Larson thinks “we're in a place where we can be proactive.”

So many students in their developmental years have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many students’ ability to connect with their peers has changed, said Dr. Larson, and as a community we need to be prepared to support these students as they try and rebuild their social skills. Something as simple as asking another student for their contact information can feel awkward to this generation which has been isolated on and off for more than two years, Dr. Larson explained.

The hope is that these public health concerns will encourage students to visit their health and counseling centers, get vaccinated, talk about their fears, and take precautionary measures to stay safe and healthy. By focusing more heavily on health and mental health, we can better prepare students and the college community at large to prevent, mitigate, and manage these crises more effectively. 

For more resources and guidance on curbing infectious diseases in college communities, we encourage you to check out best practices offered by the Biden Administration:

Reducing Monkeypox Transmission in Congregate Living Settings

Reducing Stigma in Monkeypox Communication

Disinfecting Home and Other Non-Healthcare Settings

We can’t predict what will happen this year, but we do know that public health concerns have a direct effect on mental health, which is why we’re encouraging all colleges and universities to think critically about their mental health offerings. You may have a fully staffed counseling center, but do you have long waitlists? Do you have students with high acuity cases that need psychiatric care? Make sure you’re focusing on all aspects of health beyond just the physical.

For more information on Mantra and our telehealth solutions for colleges and universities, visit us here.

COVID-19, Monkeypox, and the Seasonal Flu – Is Your Campus Prepared? 

Students can play a critical role in mental health crisis management and suicide prevention. Students are much more likely to reach out to peers for support before exploring other resources, like campus counseling. In fact, according to the 2021 Healthy Minds Study, 58% of students report going to a friend or roommate when experiencing serious emotional distress. 

Although this informal social support can be beneficial, most students aren’t well-equipped or trained to handle a mental health crisis and don’t know who to notify or how to respond.  How can we ensure that they know the right protocols, have access to the right resources, and are empowered to take action to protect their peers?

"By providing education and training, promoting open dialogue, and making help resources easily accessible, institutions can engage students in creating a culture of care on campus. Peer support and social connectedness are crucial parts of building this,” says Emily Grady, LPCC-S, Clinical Solutions Consultant at Mantra Health.

Educating Students on Crisis and Suicide Prevention

Crisis and suicide prevention starts with awareness. Students need to know what a crisis is, who’s at risk for suicide, how to identify a crisis in real time, and what to do when a peer comes to them for support. Here are some ways campus leaders can help educate students:

Conduct suicide awareness campaigns. Contrary to popular belief, speaking publicly about suicide does not make people suicidal. In fact, research shows that suicide awareness campaigns can increase public knowledge and acceptance of depression and other mental illnesses. Suicide awareness campaigns on campus can help debunk information, give students a better understanding of mental health issues, and remind students that they’re not alone and help is available.

Encourage open conversations. Mental illness thrives on shame and secrecy. By encouraging campus-wide conversations about mental health and suicide, you can reduce mental health stigma on your campus and make it easier for students to ask for help. Campaigns and resources like Seize the Awkward from The Jed Foundation can help facilitate these conversations and help students feel more comfortable talking about their mental health.

Train students on the signs and symptoms of a crisis. Students might not know what a mental health crisis looks like. Depression and other mental health conditions can also present differently for different people (for instance, some people with depression may exhibit irritability and anger, rather than sadness). Provide free workshops and training sessions so students can identify when a peer is in crisis.

Provide effective intervention training. Students may be able to recognize when a peer is experiencing mental health issues, but they might not know what to do or say. Give them step-by-step guidance on what questions to ask, how to provide support, and how to notify the right people. “A student has an amazing ability to be a bridge and empower their peers to connect with support systems. The right training can help them build the confidence to know how to make these connections,” says Grady. 

Ensure that all students know campus protocols. Every campus should have policies or guidelines around mental health crises and emergencies. Instead of limiting these protocols to faculty and staff, make them known to students so they are prepared. “This information, along with resources, can be incorporated into orientations or first-year seminars. If you can, host additional conversations or trainings throughout the year with student organizations and leadership groups,” says Grady.

Make resources accessible. Crisis management and suicide prevention resources help students and other members of the campus community respond effectively. Put these resources on your campus website, on social media platforms, and in public spaces on campus so students can easily access them. Every student should know how to reach a mental health professional should they need to.  

Host peer support groups. Peer support groups should be offered to students as they provide an added layer of support to students. Often these are led or hosted by students who have lived experiences with mental illness or suicidality. Students may not want to visit a therapist or call the crisis line, but they may feel comfortable talking to someone their age who understands what they’re going through

Provide crisis services. Students might be hesitant to call 911 when someone is in crisis, especially if they’re concerned about punishment for drug use or underaged drinking.  Encourage students to use the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (988) or your own campus crisis line. Remind students that they can also call the line on behalf of a peer.

Everyone has an important role to play when it comes to ensuring the health and safety of the campus community. By educating students on crisis and suicide provention, you can equip students with the tools they need to support their peers when a crisis occurs.

Want to learn how Mantra supports crisis and suicide prevention efforts. Contact us at outreach@mantrahealth.com. 

How to Educate Students on Crisis and Suicide Prevention

Before partnering with Mantra Health, Alfred State College had a dedicated counseling center, but few psychiatric services. A SUNY college located in the rural town of Alfred, New York, Alfred State needed more offerings to reduce waitlists and improve the quality of care offered to students. 

Since adding on Mantra, the college has helped fill gaps in care by offering assessments and treatment plans for conditions such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), generalized anxiety disorder, and other mental health conditions.

"Patients love the services. We have not had one bad or negative review,” said Libby Tsibulsky, MSEd, LMHC, Alfred State Counselor.

Since launching the program, 90% of students felt their Mantra provider was a good match for their mental health treatment and 100% felt their Mantra provider helped them accomplish their goals in therapy and psychiatry.

Improving Student Mental Health at Alfred State College with Psychiatry Services

There’s no question that athletic departments around the country are starting to address mental health on a larger scale, but what does this look like in practice? How can we train coaches, athletic directors, and other athletics leaders to better understand mental health, while ensuring that athletes are receiving individualized care?

In order to improve the mental health of student-athletes, we must look beyond the athletes themselves to consider the greater role of coaches, athletic directors, staff, and other members of the community. This is something we discussed in our latest webinar Strengthening the Player-Coach Relationship to Improve Mental Health. 

“Coaches don’t have to be clinical psychologists, but they have to be aware,” says Joe Valerio, Former NFL Athlete; Senior Director and Regional Client Service Operations Officer at Willis Towers Watson, who says he, himself, had a coach who knew that every player was motivated differently. “He spent as much time coaching us on the field and off the field.” 

Mental health literacy is a key component, says Stephen Hebard, PhD, Chief Innovation Officer at Prevention Strategies. “What is anxiety, depression, substance abuse? What are the implications of trauma?” He asks. “You don’t need to know the criteria in the DSM (a standard classification of mental disorders), but having a sense of how depression shows up in athletes is really powerful information.” 

Deborah Wardlaw, Director of Athletics at Columbia College, says that coaches should be “mindful, patient, and proactive” to figure out what’s going on with a student. As an athletic director and administrator of the college, she believes it’s just as important to support coaches with education and professional development so they can understand and practice mental health best practices, she explains. If you can have a mental health counselor in the building, that can be extremely powerful, but even if you can’t, she suggests building a unique partnership between athletics and the counseling center. 

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to mental health at the university level, because every campus is unique and has its own set of systems and processes, but there are best practices which can be implemented into every athletic program.

Dr. Hebard suggests the four mental health best practices established by the NCAA Sports Science Institute:

Providing access to licensed mental health professionals 

Establishing emergency and non-emergency action plans 

Implementing confidential mental health screenings 

Creating a culture that supports mental well-being and resilience 

We also expanded on these best practices in our new white paper Taking a Team Approach to Mental Health: Best Practices for Collegiate Athletic Departments, which includes contributions from industry experts including Dr. Hebard, Deborah Wardlaw, Director of Athletics at Columbia College, and Erin J. Reifsteck, PhD, Associate Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, among others.

While there are many different leaders, organizations, and associations leading the way on student-athlete mental health, it’s important to seek out evidence-based education, training, and resources, which aims to provide the most effective care available.

Here are some evidence-based resources to check out:

Coaches Assist – you’ll find three different handbooks (including Managing Student-Athlete Mental Health and Coaches Handbook - Managing the Female Athlete Triad), along with training for coaches

Hilinski’s Hope Foundation – this includes the Hilinski’s Hope Game Plan, created in partnership with NCAA Sports Science Institute and Prevention Strategies

NCAA Sports Science Institute – we recommend checking out Mind, Body, and Sport and Mental Health Best Practices. 

In his article The State of College Athletics, Alex Auerbach, PhD, MBA, Director of Wellness and Development for the Toronto Raptors, argues that resources aren’t enough. In order to create a supportive culture of mental wellness, we must work together to change the system. He provides specific recommendations, including making coaching healthier and redistributing the power within athletics. 

For more information, download the white paper here or watch the latest webinar recording here. 

Webinar Recap: Strengthening the Player-Coach Relationship to Improve Mental Health

Mental health inequities have disproportionately impacted historically marginalized populations for decades – and this is true on college campuses all across the country. Among the most vulnerable are students with disabilities, low-income students, BIPOC students, students in the LGBTQ+ community, and students living in remote areas. 

Students identifying as LGBTQIA+, for example, are experiencing more stress, feelings of loneliness or isolation, difficulty with schoolwork, and depression compared to their non-LGBTQIA+ counterparts – and 42% seriously considered attempting suicide in 2020. Likewise, students of color are facing higher rates of depression compared to their white counterparts, and among those with intersectional identities, the barriers are even more aggravated. 

In addition to witnessing ongoing pandemic, changing political climate, rising social justice movement, and uncertain economic climate, students are facing numerous personal hardships, including financial strain, cultural differences, academic pressures, trauma, discrimination or racial microaggressions, all which is leading to worsening student mental health outcomes and a greater need for mental health support on campus.

Barriers Preventing Students from Accessing Mental Health Services

When faced with high levels of stress, anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues, students should be turning to on-campus mental health services, but many students of color and those in minority populations will not – and it’s not because they’re busy balancing school assignments, family obligations, sports, work schedules, or other aspects of college life, though that is often the case. In addition to facing numerous social determinants of health, these student populations face the very real possibility of inappropriate, ineffective, or lower quality care. 

“Research suggests that although there's a great need for mental health services among historically marginalized college and university students, there are significant barriers to accessing and actually using quality-affirming care,” says Farah Gilani, LPC-S, a clinical solutions consultant at Mantra Health.

On-campus counseling centers provide tremendous value to students, but clinicians aren’t always trained in cultural competence and may not have expertise in working with BIPOC, LGBTQ+, or other minority populations – and this can, unfortunately, lessen the effectiveness of a student’s treatment or care. Understanding a college student’s cultural background, linguistic need, or identity challenges can not only enhance a student’s care experience, but can improve their overall mental health. 

Studies on microaggressions and cultural competence in mental healthcare have shown that minority clients are 50% more likely to prematurely terminate their relationship with a counselor or mental health professional after the initial meeting – and this has a direct impact on the individual’s mental health. 

To achieve greater student health equity on campus, colleges and universities must revitalize their mental health offerings and recognize the unique behavioral and mental health needs of minority populations. In doing so, student mental health will improve – and so, too, will student success. Here’s what you can do to improve your mental health care on campus:

Colleges should be collecting information on students’ backgrounds, identities, and preferences in order to develop and offer more tailored resources, programs, and service offerings. The more accurate the numbers, the easier it is to build proposals for funding, develop comprehensive student support services, and implement training sessions. Leverage your campus climate surveys and other screening tools to better understand your student body and what they need to succeed on campus.

Is your existing structure conducive to all students, regardless of their background, identity, or lifestyle? If not, consider adjusting your policies or procedures to better account for student preferences. A gender non-conforming student, for example, may not want to choose a gender on forms, or they may wish to use a chosen name as opposed to a birth name in their student email or on their student ID. Changes to the existing structure may require cross-campus collaboration, but would make a significant difference to the individual student. 

Train providers and campus staff in cultural competence and humility

Clinical providers, as well as staff, professors, and other higher education leaders should be engaging in the most culturally-responsive practices. It’s not enough to simply understand cultural barriers; colleges and universities should strive for cultural competence and humility. Beyond providing written materials, you can host webinars, training sessions, or workshops for providers, as well as faculty, staff, and students. Make sure everyone on campus is given the opportunity to learn and grow.

Provide more personalized offerings to minority students

Navigating mental health as a minority student is challenging, especially when resources are tailored to white cisgendered students. Ensure that all intersectional identities are reflected in campus offerings, including in mental health resources, workshops, clubs, peer support groups, community spaces, and clinical providers. If you’re unsure what students want or need, simply ask. 

Extending your school’s mental health services to include telemental health providers is an important step in removing barriers to care, but isn’t enough to meet minority students’ needs. Colleges and universities should ensure that their provider network is full of diverse providers who have unique specialities and can meet students where they are. Hiring BIPOC providers is important, but so is hiring providers who have expertise in working with students with disabilities or students who are parents or international students who face language and cultural barriers. 

Closing the student mental health equity gap won’t happen overnight, but colleges and universities can take many steps to improve their diversity and inclusion efforts across all aspects of student life. Expanding counseling center offerings to include more diverse care is just one aspect of the solution, but it can make a big difference to the minority students who don’t currently have access to quality mental health services. 

Mantra Health can work with higher education leaders to address student mental health needs. Our 50-state provider group is trained in cultural competence (and humility). Fifty-percent of our providers identify as BIPOC and have lived experiences. To learn more about our mental health service offerings and how we can work with your campus, contact our partnerships team today. 

How to Address Student Mental Health Equity on Campus

Today’s socio-political backdrop includes aggressive legislation limiting the very mention of sexual orientation or gender identity, the banning of books in schools and libraries, and an ongoing fight for gender-affirming healthcare. Is it any wonder, then, that students in the LGBTQ+ community are experiencing a mental health crisis, and facing unique challenges compared to their non-LGBTQ+ counterparts? 

According to a 2021 survey conducted by The Trevor Project, 62% of LGBTQ+ youth reported symptoms of a major depressive disorder in the past two weeks and 42% seriously considered suicide in the past year. While in school, LGBTQ+ students are more likely than their non-LGBTQ+ peers to experience poor mental health, bullying, and harassment. This increases for transgender and nonbinary students. 

Many of these students are actively seeking help; they just can’t access it. Sixty-percent of LGBTQ youth wanted mental health care in the past year, but were not able to get it. The most common reasons: fear of discussing mental health concerns, concerns with obtaining permission from a parent or caregivers, fear of not being taken seriously, and affordability of services. 

Higher education leaders have an opportunity to support LGBTQ+ students in an informed and sensitive manner. Here are six ways to recognize and meet the needs of the LGBTQ+ community:

1. Improve and highlight your campus policies.

The best way to build a more inclusive campus and learning environment is to adjust your policies. Every college and university should have anti-bullying and harassment policies that protect LGBTQ+ staff and faculty and LGBTQ+ students, especially transgender and gender nonconforming students, LGBTQ+ students of color, and those with learning, physical, and mental health disabilities who may face additional hardships.

Make sure your policies are clear, consistent, and comprehensive and your institution's vision and mission statement is inclusive of all students, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, racial or ethnic background, and socioeconomic status. An overall indicator of your institution’s commitment to LGBTQ-inclusive policy, program and practice can be found using the Campus Pride Index.

2. Expand mental health care for LGBTQ+ college students.

Ninety-four percent of LGBQT youth said that it was important for them to have access to a 24/7 crisis line. The same percentage preferred to have access to a counselor via text. Meanwhile, 78% wished for webchat access, and 77% preferred phone access. 

Your campus may have limited mental health options for LGBTQ+ students, many of whom have intersectional identities and need more specialized, tailored services. You should consider expanding your existing counseling services and working with a mental health care provider that offers more diverse and accessible therapy and psychiatry services.

3. Make resources and guides readily available to all students, staff, faculty, and the community at large.

Offer LGBTQ+ students a guide to campus life, which includes a comprehensive list of relevant student groups, counseling center information, mental health resources, and directions to LGBTQ+-friendly spaces. The Spectrum Center at The University of Michigan provides this extensive guide listing scholarship opportunities, local clinics that provide trans care, LGBTQ+-friendly faith spaces, among other valuable resources.

You should include local and national organizations or advocacy groups, such as Trans Student Educational Resources, Point Foundation, Matthew Shepard Foundation, among others, as well as reading lists (example from Brown University), a pronoun guide (example from the University of Connecticut), a glossary, and a list of on-campus groups, which may include the Genders & Sexualities Alliance or other groups for allies.

4. Align relevant campus centers, departments, and services.

There is strength in the community. To build a better campus environment for your LGBTQ+ students, be sure to align with different stakeholders across different departments. You may have a gender and sexuality department, diversity center, LGBTQ+ center, counseling services and health centers, among others. Make sure you build a bridge between all of them, fostering consistent communication and alignment. You can also build a committee of advocates in order to discuss LGBTQ+ student needs, such as a campus task force.

Leverage your collective power to support LGBTQ+ students and protect their rights to gender expression, freedom from discrimination, the right to assemble, right to access facilities that match gender identities, and safety from bullying and harassment.

5. Provide professional development and diversity training to faculty and staff.

Most counselors and administrators (58%) do not believe they receive enough training to support the needs of LGBTQ+ students. If you have the funding, you can develop your own DEI workshops and training. You can also utilize training resources from Campus Pride, The Safe Zone Project, The Trevor Project, GLAAD, and It Gets Better Project, among other organizations. Check with your local LGBTQ+ community resource center, too, as they may also offer training and workshops accessible to your campus.

6. Foster safe and affirming spaces on campus for LGBTQ+ students.

LGBTQ youth who have access to spaces that affirm their sexual orientation and gender identity report lower rates of attempting suicide. If you don’t already have these spaces on campus, create them. In addition, student affairs should align with LGBTQ+ student groups and the institution's LGBTQ+ resource center, if it exists, to create informative, interactive, and fun events and activities for LGBTQ+ students. Encourage a sense of revelry, joy, and (yes) pride in the LGBTQ+ community by marking meaningful events. Lavender Graduation, for example, is an annual event sponsored on college campuses by the Human Rights Campaign and honors LGBTQ+ graduates. 

A commitment to LGBTQ+ students is a commitment to the whole student body. According to research conducted by Learning for Justice, LGBTQ+ students thrive in environments where their identities are acknowledged and valued. In fact, all students benefit from a school setting that priorities safety, inclusion, and accessibility. 

Improve LGBTQ+ Mental Wellness with Mantra Health

Mantra Health is a clinically-informed digital mental health company on a mission to improve young adult mental health by expanding access to therapy, psychiatry, and crisis care via telehealth. We have compiled a diverse network of providers who are trained in culturally responsive care and have unique specialities in order to properly support and treat LGBTQ+ students. 

You can learn more about our services and how we work with college campuses here. 

6 Ways to Support LGBTQ+ College Students on Campus

Mental health matters every day of the year, but especially during times of crisis. At Mantra Health, we have hired a phenomenal team of creatives, experts, clinicians, leaders, and mental health advocates, all of whom hold additional roles of parent, friend, relative, child, partner, community member, and loved one. We are all humans, first and foremost, and we have basic human needs. 

When there’s a national crisis, political event, weather-related disaster, public health emergency, or personal tragedy, we should strive to give employees the grace and autonomy to respond and grieve on their own terms. This not only prevents burnout, but encourages a healthy work/life balance. 

Take a Proactive, Collaborative Approach to Mental Health

According to Mental Health America’s (MHA) Mind the Workplace 2022 Report, four out of five employees say workplace stress affects their relationships with friends, family, and coworkers – and while 47% of employees know about their company’s mental health services, only 38% feel comfortable using them. If we want our employees to strengthen their mental health, we have to give them the opportunity to do so.

Offering mental health benefits, such as flexible hours, ample paid time off, access to mental health resources, like meditation and therapy, is just one step in supporting employee health and wellbeing. It needs to be a collaborative and proactive priority. At Mantra Health, we’re focused on cultivating a company culture of compassion and understanding. 

“We take a proactive approach to employee mental health and wellness,” says Allie Schwartz, VP of People Operations at Mantra Health. “We don’t just give employees unlimited time off. We track their time taken to encourage them to utilize their PTO throughout the year. We also host training sessions for new employees on supporting their colleague’s mental health. We encourage teammates to turn off notifications after hours, block time off for focused work, and build a schedule that best suits their preferred way of working and we offer meditation and yoga classes, in addition to free Talkspace subscriptions.”

We know that mental health goes beyond mental health benefits. It’s important to create a culture of collaboration, so employees feel comfortable to ask questions, set boundaries, and adjust their days to accommodate their personal needs. 

Since joining the Mantra Health, Nicole Wheeler, M.A. NCC LPC, Mantra Health Provider, said that her family and friends have noticed that her stress levels have lowered. “If just the work environment has had this impact on me, imagine how we are impacting the clients. It all starts with leadership. I’ve had lots of job offers and I keep turning them down [because of] how happy I am.”

“I decided to work for Mantra Health because of the population we serve,” said Maribel Aheran, EdD, LMHC, Mental Health Provider, who likes the company culture and the professionalism and respect that’s offered to providers. 

Ted Wolf, Analytics Manager at Mantra Health, said, “It's the first time in my career that a professional opportunity truly aligned with something I'm passionate about as a person… I've struggled with major depression and anxiety since I was [a teenager], and college was the lowest point… I didn't know how to navigate anything or what the next steps even were, and it took me three full years after I accepted the fact that I had a mental health issue to even begin therapy because I had to figure everything out on my own. If I found therapy and the care I needed while I was in school, I can only imagine how much better my experience as a student and overall life would have been. So, [now I] get the chance to provide that for thousands of students while also furthering my own skills.”

Becky Arroyo, LMHC, Mantra Health Provider, said, “I get to focus on my work with clients and also my personal life, which in turn allows me to show up 100% for my clients.”

How Our Team Prioritizes Mental Health – and How You Can, Too

No one is immune from stress, anxiety, or mental health issues, but some of the hardest hit are clinical providers who offer unconditional care to others. We asked some of our providers how they take care of their mental health and here’s what they said:

“I make time to disconnect from ‘noise’ or stimuli such as staying away from electronics and social media while enjoying the silence.” – Maria Ximena Cortada, LCSW, Mantra Health Provider

“I keep my hygiene routines, even when I'm really tired or struggling. Sometimes, just having the routine makes me do the task without thinking. [Putting] one foot in front of the other, one brushing of the teeth or a healthy meal or quick rest at a time, puts me back on track.” – Sarah Barrett, LCSW, Mantra Health Provider

“[I focus on] spending time enjoying my family, sitting down and drinking coffee, working outside, or going for a bike ride.” – Marie-Anne Abenroth MA, LPC, LAC, NCC

“I set boundaries, I set limits, I spend alone time, I spend time with my family and friends, I give back, I limit my working hours, I go for walks, I go outside 20 minutes a day no matter what, I hug my husband, I hug my children, I hug my dogs and cats, I laugh often, I appreciate everything I have, I do not waste time on drama, I practice kindness, I talk to my friends, [and] when needed, I [reach] out for mental health support.” – Donna Marley, LCSW, Mantra Health Provider

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to mental health care, but far too often stigma, social barriers, financial strains, limited care access, work constraints, and other factors prevent people from speaking up, taking personal breaks, and accessing mental health services. We want to make sure each teammate feels supported – and if they don’t, we should work with them individually to change this.

Protect Your Employees’ Wellbeing Year-Round

A company is only as successful as its people – and people need more than tools and resources to thrive in the workplace. To protect team mental health, it’s important to talk openly about mental health issues, acknowledge times of stress, and praise mental health best practices. 

Here at Mantra Health, we’re lucky to have a team that is not only dedicated to the company mission, but is also full of empathy and compassion. Our leadership team also knows how important self-care is and encourages employees to set boundaries around personal time, schedule doctor visits during the day, say “no” to unnecessary meeting invites, take PTO when needed, eat lunch away from the desk or office, and speak up about their mental health needs. When we foster this kind of environment, we make it easier for employees to take care of themselves during difficult times. 

To learn more about Mantra Health and how we’re building a team of providers to expand mental health access on college campuses, contact us at partner@mantrahealth.com. 

Standing Together for Mental Health: Supporting Employee Wellbeing During Times of Crisis

“Everybody’s competing to win. [Student-athletes] are driven to be perfect. They’re afraid to fail in the area and there is certainly a lot of external pressure to that,” said James Borchers, MD, President and CEO of the U.S. Council for Athletes’ Health. “You [now] have individuals that have not developed the skillset to be able to deal with those pressures.”

Dr. Borchers and Jeffrey J. Milroy, Dr.Ph, Director of Programs for Prevention Strategies, joined moderator Farah Gilani, LPC-S, Clinical Solutions Consultant at Mantra Health for a discussion on resilience and improving the mental wellness of student-athletes on campus, which you can watch here.

Defined as “an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change,” resilience gives student-athletes the ability to bounce back from a loss, an unexpected injury, or other unforeseen obstacles. How can athletic directors, coaches, athletic trainers, and other athletic leaders teach resilience to student-athletes and help them thrive when faced with adversity?

Recognize the Unique Needs of this Generation

Unlike generations before, the Gen Z population is heavily influenced by the things going on in the world and are more likely to embrace societal change and address social issues like climate change. 

“When things happen, they do feel more burdened by it than generations [before them],” Dr. Borchers explains. “They want to work towards making the world a better place.” While this is certainly a good thing, this can add pressure and stress on student-athletes who are already overburdened with responsibilities. 

This generation wants to be included in conversations. Rather than simply advising, athletic leaders, especially coaches, should focus on bringing athletes into the process, giving them a voice and listening to what they need to be most successful. This may require a change in communication style. 

“Coaches can [practice] a lot more listening, a lot less talking,” says Dr. Milroy. Using shorter, more impactful statements rather than giving longer, impassioned speeches can be more effective, Dr. Borchers explains. By listening intently and with empathy to athletes, coaches have the opportunity to gather information, practice active listening, and better assess the mental health needs of the athletes. 

Empathy in sport can keep athletes connected and enhance athletic performance, all while reminding athletes that they’re not alone, that their experience is shared by others. You can utilize the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)’s Sport Science Institute’s empathetic response training video to get started. 

Athletes aren’t going to win every game, every match, but that won’t stop them trying. While there’s nothing wrong with the desire to win, perfection is unattainable – and student-athletes need to be reminded of this fact. 

Coaches can introduce student-athletes to mini-hardships and help student-athletes cope with hardship in practice, outside of practice, and during games or matches. Rather than forcing an athlete to do pushups or run when a mistake occurs, ask them to express their feelings. Let them know that their frustration and embarrassment is not something to be ashamed of, but simply a part of the experience.

It’s also important for athletic leaders to demonstrate resilience. When a coach loses a game, how do they respond? Athletes are young and vulnerable and they will model the behavior they witness. This is why coaches need to practice healthy mental health habits and work on their own emotional response to a loss or hardship. 

Failures are bound to happen, but they’re not personal failures, and in sport, this needs to be acknowledged. “The failure is going to be there,” Dr. Milroy explains. Student-athletes need to know that they have the support, the resources, and the community available to overcome these challenges. This can start with hiring and making sure that each member of the athletic department is prepared to create a supportive environment. 

Building resilience is “a marathon, not a sprint,” says Dr. Borchers. It won’t happen overnight. It takes time and it requires ongoing learning for coaches, athletic staff, and others involved in the athletic program.

Make Mental Health a Priority – and Build in Collaboration

“People want a great experience and they want to win,” Dr. Borchers explains, but far too often, measurements of success in sport are tied to winning and athletes in college are young 18 to 22 year olds who don’t necessarily have the skill set to handle loss.

Athletic departments are generally siloed from other departments on campus and this is a problem, as they typically handle problems in insulation, rather than working with other campus departments to solve them. If it continues this way, Dr. Borchers says sport will fail. “It will fail because this generation and the people to follow are not going to accept it.”

Athletic leaders have a unique opportunity to reimagine the way they’re working – and make concrete changes to build a better program for the future. This requires a new approach and a new way of thinking. The best athletic directors and coaches understand this and are making mental wellness a priority. 

It’s far too easy to leave mental health to the clinical experts, but we all play a role in supporting the health and well-being of college students. You can lend an ear when an athlete is having a difficult day, but you can also train yourself in identifying signs and symptoms of mental distress, so you can take action and intervene early. 

Athletic directors can take initiative to build committees or host regular meetings with cross-campus stakeholders that focus solely on student mental health. They can also foster more collaborative relationships between on-campus and off-campus resources – including the counseling center, health center, student affairs department – which will help improve the student-athlete experience on campus.

“The goal [is] to support [student-athletes] and meet their needs [so they can get] back to what they love, which is the competition,” says Dr. Milroy. To win in sport, athletes must stay mentally focused, but they can’t do that if they’re battling anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues. 

Improving Mental Health Access for Student-Athletes

When a student-athlete has a mental health concern and needs support, where do they go? Is therapy or psychiatry available to them? What resources can they easily access? We need to protect college athletes' physical and mental health by equipping athletic departments, coaches, and students with the proper tools to build mental wellness.

At Mantra Health, we're dedicated to providing the resources and proper mental health care for collegiate athletes, so they can withstand everyday failures, anxieties, and other mental health challenges. 

Watch How to Redefine and Reimagine the Power of Resilience and Improve Student-Athlete Mental Well-Being here and join us for the next webinar in our student-athlete webinar series on July 11, 2022. RSVP here.

Experts from Prevention Strategies and USCAH Address the Power of Resilience Among Student-Athletes

Insufficient funding can impact an institution’s ability to expand mental health services, attract and retain clinical providers, and adequately prepare for peaks in demand. Learn how to maximize funding for the health and well-being of college students and leverage existing resources to improve the success of your on-campus mental health care.

Here are some ways you can advocate for mental health funding, stretch your current budget, and better support your existing counseling centers and mental health programs:

Utilize Grants to Improve Mental Health Across Campus

In addition to securing private grants, which can help expand student mental health resources, colleges and universities should be leveraging federal and state grants which can increase funding for student affairs and counseling services. 

As of May 19, 2022, the Biden administration released new guidance on how best to spend Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF), which are extended through June 30, 2023. The administration strongly encourages colleges and universities to address student, faculty, and staff mental health and allocate the funds to “evidence-based best practices for meeting the growing and diverse mental health needs of students.” 

Some of the administrations suggested practices include:

Investing in Telehealth platforms offering therapy 

Offering wellness activities, such as skills-based workshops

Providing suicide prevention training to staff and faculty

Securing a crisis care hotline which offers 24/7 call/text options

Hiring additional in-person mental health professionals 

Hosting Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) trainings

Luis Manzo, PhD, Executive Director of Student Wellness at St. John’s University, suggests looking into additional federal government reimbursements for COVID-related expenses, such as telehealth services. While you may be required to provide proof of use for COVID-specific activities, this source of funding should be utilized for campus mental health services before it runs out.

Reassess the Budget for Student Mental Health Services

While student health fees, donations, and tuition fees are often primary sources of funding for mental health services, this isn't enough to support the high demand for student mental health care. In many cases, only a small portion of these funds are available for mental health services, and administrators in charge of allocating these funds may not be aware of the difficulties facing their counseling center.

While higher education budgets are hard to change once established, you can reallocate and adjust your budget to better support counseling services.

Communicate regularly with counseling center directors to better understand student needs, care gaps, and pressing mental health resources. Present this information to relevant stakeholders with the hope of attaining more funding for mental health programs and raising awareness of the problems around student mental health.

Partner with Student and Community Organizations

Higher education leaders may overlook the benefits of partnering with student organizations and other local groups, but these offer additional sources of funding. These groups are likely already advocating for on-campus mental healthcare, but can generate funding through fundraising efforts and provide more mental health resources.

“Student organizations can advocate for additional resources for your center," says Dr. Manzo. "That’s how we’ve been able to get staffing approved as well as specific staffing for specific areas, whether in athletics, residence halls, or in certain colleges.”

Students advocate in addition to administrators and leverage their personal stories to coincide with relevant data; often this motivates higher education leaders to take mental health conditions more seriously.

Foster a Collaborative Environment for Clinical Providers

One of the primary concerns on college campuses is attracting, securing, and retaining college counseling professionals. The supply does not meet the demand and counselors face salary limitations, administrative burdens, and resource constraints. Attracting and retaining providers isn't easy in higher education, but offering a rewarding work environment is an important factor to consider.

Mental health counseling center directors and counselors should be given more flexibility, autonomy, resources, support, and mental health care so they can excel in their roles while maintaining a healthy work/life balance. This may require additional service offerings, such as off-campus therapy, psychiatry, and crisis care services, so on-campus providers can shift their focus to developing mental health resources, implementing programs for suicide prevention, and responding to widespread needs across the college campus.

Maximize Telehealth Services for Student Success

More and more students are demanding telehealth services, but most university counseling services don't have the bandwidth to offer this. Expanding your service offerings by securing a telehealth provider can lessen the strain on your counseling center, while simultaneously increasing access to college students.

At Mantra Health, we understand that most institutions face budgeting constraints, which is why we work directly with colleges and universities to fill gaps in care and provide additional support to on-campus providers. Our provider network can not only accommodate the growing need for more mental health care, but offer students more diverse and flexible care options. We work with our partners during and outside of the academic year to ensure that every student, regardless of their situation, can access therapy when needed. We want to ensure that students everywhere have equitable access to efficient and quality mental health services.

Reducing the workload for on-campus providers and expanding mental health services via telehealth is critical now more than ever. Since attracting and retaining providers with limited funding is a significant concern among higher education administrators, we encourage you to read our white paper on provider burnout to better understand the challenges facing your college counseling services. 

Maximize Your Funding Resources for Student Mental Health Services

Mantra Health recruits VPs from Noodle, Tempest and NOCD, the #1 telehealth provider of OCD treatment. 

New hires include Yiwen Looi as VP of Marketing, Hunter Davis as VP of Engineering, Allie Schwartz as VP of People, Alex Xu as VP of Virtual Care Operations, and Kelly Carleton was promoted to VP of Program Success.

The new leadership team joins Mantra as the company continues to expand its footprint to provide the most clinically-informed virtual mental health program to college campuses nationwide.

NEW YORK, June 9, 2022 — Mantra Health, the preeminent digital mental health clinic focused on young adults, today announced several new additions to its leadership team, adding Yiwen Looi as VP of Marketing, Hunter Davis as VP of Engineering, Allie Schwartz as VP of People, Alex Xu as VP of Virtual Care Operations, and promoting Kelly Carleton to VP of Program Success. Collectively, they bring several decades of collective experience in digital health and education technology, and will augment Mantra Health’s brand awareness and fortify its relationships with schools and mental health professionals.

This all-star leadership team joins Mantra Health during a moment of significant development. Mantra Health’s growth has skyrocketed since its debut in 2020, and its high-quality virtual counseling is now available to over 500,000 students across 52 colleges and universities ranging from Ivy League institutions to community colleges. 

As a result of college counseling centers adopting Mantra’s evidence-based, collaborative approach to support students with increased access to care, students have achieved positive clinical and academic outcomes. In fact, in a recent quarterly patient NPS survey, 81% of students stated that Mantra made it easy for them to manage their mental health, 68% of students attribute Mantra Health’s services to improved academic results, and ultimately 70% of participants credit the services to helping them stay in school. 

“It’s a great privilege to be part of an organization that is committed to not only improving the mental health of 20 million young adults attending postsecondary schools but also has a deep focus on the mental health wellbeing of its own workforce,” said Allie Schwartz, VP of People at Mantra Health. “Mantra practices what they preach, and I’m happy to be spearheading the cultivation of human connection and well-being with all employees in-person and remote.”

All of Mantra Health’s new Vice Presidents bring invaluable experience from the nation's leading digital health, digital wellness, and edtech companies. At Mantra, they will be responsible for many aspects of how higher education institutions, counselors, and students experience Mantra’s clinical excellence and white-glove patient services:

VP of Marketing, Yiwen Looi and VP of Program Success, Kelly Carleton are leading Mantra's go-to-market functions. They will be focused on driving greater awareness of Mantra Health’s mission and services, and ensuring that each of Mantra’s institutional partners receives a high quality of patient service and clinical care. Yiwen brings almost 13 years of marketing leadership experience from the edtech ecosystem. Prior to joining Mantra, Yiwen was the VP of Marketing at Noodle, the nation’s fastest-growing online education network. Kelly was promoted from within Mantra Health and has been instrumental to Mantra’s success thus far. Prior to her promotion, Kelly was Mantra’s Clinical Operations Director, running everything from care navigation to provider recruiting and university partner management. Before joining Mantra, Kelly was the Project Manager of the Behavioral Health Integration Program at Montefiore Medical Center.


As VP of Engineering, Hunter Davis will evolve and fortify Mantra’s engineering stack and scale the engineering team as the company accelerates its technology investment. Hunter’s work will ultimately facilitate collaboration with Mantra’s school partners and deliver quality mental health care to students at every stage of their care journey. Hunter brings over 18 years of engineering leadership experience. Before joining Mantra Health, Hunter was the Director of Engineering of RealSelf, the medical aesthetics industry digital marketplace.


As VP of Virtual Care Operations, Alex Xu will build and retain a nationwide network of providers specializing in young adult mental health care, while creating the best end to end patient experience with care navigation. Prior to Mantra Health, Alex was the VP of Network Operations at NOOCD, the #1 telehealth provider of OCD treatment. Before NOCD, Alex was at Lyra Health, the leading workforce mental health solutions provider for employers. Alex also had operations leadership roles at Uber and ofo, an international bike-share platform.


As VP of People, Allie Schwartz will build Mantra Health as the premier place to work in the mental health industry. She’ll also be responsible for creating connections within the company’s hybrid remote workplace as it continues to scale this year. Allie brings over 15 years of human resources leadership; most recently she was the VP of People at Tempest, the digital alcohol recovery program.

“We’re thrilled to have such a high caliber of professionals joining the Mantra team and helping to strengthen our go-to-market strategy and enhance the experience for our university partners and patients,” said Ed Gaussen, CEO and co-founder, Mantra Health. “Their combined experience and deep understanding of the latest innovations in education, technology and healthcare is essential to Mantra’s rapid expansion and to ensure Mantra’s services are available to all colleges and universities as we continue to combat the campus mental health crisis.”

In January, Mantra Health closed a Series A fundraising round. Among other goals, the capital injection was meant to enable Mantra to quadruple its headcount over the next year across all aspects of the business from product development to go-to-market and clinical operations. 

Mantra Health is a digital mental health clinic on a mission to improve access to evidence-based mental healthcare for young adults. Through augmenting high-quality clinical services with software and design, we're on a mission to improve the mental health of over 20 million university and college students through partnerships with higher education institutions and health insurance plans. As of Spring 2022, Mantra’s program has been deployed across 52 campuses with over 500,000 students including Penn State, MIT, Cornell, and Miami Dade College.

Press Release: Mantra Health Expands Leadership Team With Five New Vice Presidents

It’s the end of the school year and college students are preparing for summer break or life post-graduation. Some are looking forward to this time away, while others face new living situations, unhealthy home environments, new jobs, cross-country moves, or other stressful life events, which can heighten stress levels and worsen mental health conditions. 

When students leave campus, they often leave behind social support systems, which may include mentors, friends, therapists, and on-campus advocates. It’s not enough to bid them farewell and wish them a happy summer. Administrators, counseling center directors, and other higher education leaders need to prepare students for this transitional time, with the understanding that summer breaks – and time away from campus – can be harmful to students’ mental health. 

How Can Colleges Support Student Mental Health When the School Year Ends?

Mental health needs don’t cease to exist at the end of the academic calendar. In some cases, this is when care is needed most. As higher education leaders, athletic directors, counseling center directors, clinicians, and other on-campus staff members prepare for the summer break, now is the time to consider students’ needs.

Food for Thought

Articles and research from our team on the future of mental healthcare for young adults.

COVID-19, Monkeypox, and the Seasonal Flu – Is Your Campus Prepared?

How to Educate Students on Crisis and Suicide Prevention

Improving Student Mental Health at Alfred State College with Psychiatry Services

Webinar Recap: Strengthening the Player-Coach Relationship to Improve Mental Health

How to Address Student Mental Health Equity on Campus

6 Ways to Support LGBTQ+ College Students on Campus

Standing Together for Mental Health: Supporting Employee Wellbeing During Times of Crisis

Experts from Prevention Strategies and USCAH Address the Power of Resilience Among Student-Athletes

Maximize Your Funding Resources for Student Mental Health Services

Press Release: Mantra Health Expands Leadership Team With Five New Vice Presidents

Together, We Can Provide Continuity of Care: How to Support Student Mental Health Through the Summer Months

Strategies to Increase Student Engagement and Improve Student Mental Health

Removing Barriers to Mental Health Care with Alecia Sundsmo, PsyD

Taking a Team Approach to Mental Health: Best Practices for Collegiate Athletic Departments

Building a Collaborative Partnership with Telehealth Providers

Assessing Telehealth Providers: Why MIT and Other Higher Ed Institutions Choose Mantra