The need for counseling has become critical on most college campuses.

“The number of students seeking help at campus counseling centers increased almost 40% between 2009 and 2015 and continued to rise until the pandemic began,” according to the American Psychological Association. 

Due to the increase in students seeking counseling, the TCU Counseling and Mental Health Center offers peer support communities and groups that give students the opportunity to meet others struggling with similar challenges as them.

The counseling center noticed a rise in students looking for counseling for a variety of similar issues. In response, they created peer support communities, so students could interact with other students who are struggling in the same way. 

“Historically, over the last 20 years, there has been an uptake in the need for mental health counselors, and students are requesting mental health services at a higher rate than people my age or older,” said Joe LeConte, TCU’s peer support coordinator.

LeConte works with Substance Use & Recovery Services, which specializes in mental health services aimed to help students with alcohol or drug addictions among other substance use counseling. He specifically runs the supportive gaming community, which focuses on helping students who feel isolated to fit in and make friends.

“We have different peer support communities that are based around helping students with similar things to group therapy, but they were originally created out of a sense of after care,” LeConte said. 

Some different communities offered by the center include the Collegiate Recovery Community, Nourish, Grad Connect, Renew and Athletes to Athletes.

Each community focuses on different challenges that seem to be common among that group of students. The meetings are student-led and student-supported, with a professional staff member in attendance to act as a mediator to help keep conversations on track. 

“The Counseling and Mental Health Center fosters peer support communities, which are led by TCU students who work closely with staff members,” according to the counselor center’s website. “The goal of these supportive communities is to expand social support and increase connection with like-minded students.” 

TCU urges students who are struggling to contact the counseling center using the information below to get in contact with someone today to receive care. 

Main Office phone number: (817) 257-7863

Emergency Counseling Helpline (available 24/7): (817) 257-7233

Support communities offered:

• Collegiate Recovery Community
• Grad Connect Peer Support Community
• HRL Student Staff Peer Support Community
• Journey to Healing
• Nourish
• Students of Color Peer Support
• Supportive Gaming Community