The American Counseling Association (ACA) has named April ‘Counseling Awareness Month’ which will be dedicated to highlighting available services. Lincoln Land Community College no longer offers on-campus services – but the college has partnered with ‘TalkSpace’ to provide broader and more available access to counseling services to all currently enrolled students.

The TalkSpace website features testimonials from Olympic Champion Michael Phelps and Platinum-selling artist Demi Lovato. The endorsement of celebrities helps to eliminate the stigma that is sometimes associated with seeking out mental health services and can sometimes provide a gentle nudge needed to get started on the path to better overall wellness. According to the Pew Research Center, 21% of adults are experiencing high levels of psychological distress with 28% saying that the pandemic has changed their outlook “in a major way”.

Some of the benefits listed on the website for TalkSpace – who is rated #1 in online therapy with over one million users – are the ability to schedule and re-schedule appointments from an app, 24/7 access to counselors, and plans that are curated to specific needs. This service takes away the need to travel to a physical office and allows the user to be able to talk to a professional from home, the park, or anywhere they desire. This service is FREE for all current LLCC students and sign-up is greatly encouraged.

Students can sign up at TalkSpace and by using the keyword: LLCC2021