Home»UNLV therapy program and clients coping with recession depression
UNLV therapy program and clients coping with recession depression
Page Last Updated: Thursday March 11, 2010 4:50pm PST
Students studying Marriage and Family Counseling at UNLV are gaining plenty of hands-on experience and seeing their patient load skyrockets as the recession takes an emotional toll.
But now, students are having some worries of their own.
“I think hopeless is probably the word I hear most often.”
For student therapist Samra Dayani, the word hopeless is most often followed by unemployment and despair.
“The fact is depression, anxiety rates, all kinds of things (are causing) an increase in clients coming in seeking services.”
At UNLV’s Center for Individual, Couple, and Family Counseling, student therapists can hardly keep up with their case loads; clients coming in all show symptoms of a tough job market during a recession with no near end in sight.
“We've got probably close to 250 people on our waiting list. That’s how much of an increase we've had compared to ten years ago,” says Dr. Colleen Peterson, Center Director. “When I first came here we could barely fill our student clients’ loads.”
Stress related to record unemployment has people lining up to receive counseling – couple, family, or individual. The center welcomes anyone needing to talk.
“Our standard fee is $25 a session but our policy is we don't turn anyone away because of inability to pay,” Dr. Peterson continues. “We have a sliding scale and we'll go down to $1, even nothing if they can't afford that.”
The center has seen a nearly 50 percent increase in the number of patients coming in for help.
Ironically, the center’s own troubles are also increasing: The Marriage and Family Therapy department is one of UNLV’s most costly to operate and could be cut entirely with budget cuts.
“We were just joking the other day that we're on the list of 20 programs to be cut. And here we are trying to supply services to those unemployed and we may be facing unemployment ourselves.”
Dr. Peterson says the equipment and services at the center are some of the best in the country and due to state budget cuts, it’s a double-edge sword.
“We understand there are going to be some pending cuts but we’re willing to do what we can to keep our programs afloat and provide the quality services we have.”
Although the Marriage and Family Therapy Department hangs in the balance, students know they have to continue their hard work to provide a sense of balance to the clients they serve.
The University of Nevada, Reno has already announced plans to close its Counseling, Marriage, and Family Therapy program due to budget cuts. If this happens, UNLV’s student-run counseling center will be the only one of its kind in the state.
COMMENTS
Simple. Stop wanting what doesn't help you in the long run. Vote no on health care which will end more job prospects then it will create. Look it how the word is the doctors and nurses are being cut. And realize, we are not the first generation to go through these tough times. Remember how our people where at the end of every war we have been in. It all boils to cutting prices across the board and leaving wages as is, and with in a year or two, we will be flush.
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Home»UNLV therapy program and clients coping with recession depression
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March 11, 2010 10:55pm PST
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The University of Phoenix has a terrific counseling center and absolutely no plans to close.