In an effort to improve engagement, efficiency and effectiveness, the University of Hartford Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is one of the first counseling centers in New England to offer Therapist Assisted Online (TAO).
The state of the art program works in accompaniment with individual therapy for students by offering the ability to access therapeutic exercises, material and modules at any time.
“It was an opportunity we saw for innovation, advancement and improvement of our already excellent services,” Dr. Nick Pinkerton said, who serves as director of CAPS. “We are very proud of the kinds of support we are able to offer our students and are constantly looking for new and better ways of helping our students achieve their goals and successfully manage the challenges of college life.”
88% of director’s report students may not receive timely treatment. TAO can increase time on task. #TAOThursday pic.twitter.com/0cDMK6sv5K
— TAO Connect (@TAOConnect) March 3, 2016
TAO begin in 2012 at the University of Florida when Dr. Sherry Benton faced the problem of waiting lists for students to see counselors. Initially, they added four more counselors to help out, but it proved to only be a temporary fix for a few weeks.
The program is a weekly interactive web-based program in which participants will watch videos, complete exercises and meet with a counselor via video conferencing. It gives students more accessibility to getting help, especially on weekend nights.
After conducting the pilot program in May 2014, students at the University of Florida showed much better improvement than students treated with traditional face-to-face psychotherapy.
Initial concerns from the students were that they didn’t want it be like another online class, and instead wanted engaging, realistic content with examples that they could relate to.
One anonymous testimony on the TAO website states, “The sessions were helpful and very easy to follow along with. I liked that they provided information and then had me apply it to my life. I really liked having a counseling session over the webcam because I didn’t even have to leave my house.”
Another one says, “I liked how easy and simple it was. Sure it takes work to perform mindfulness well but just attempting it makes me feel so much better and calm and less worried. I liked that it was so straightforward.”
The website also states several challenges that college and university counseling centers face. It lists that 88 percent of directors have reported that students may not receive timely treatment and 79 percent of students not in crisis are seen less frequently. With more students seeking services while having to juggle a busy schedule, TAO allows them to get help at their own optimal times.
TAO gives the University of Hartford access to another service that can help the well-being of students.
It gives students another option in addition to the services already provided by Counseling and Psychological Services.
CAPS is open Monday–Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For an appointment, stop by their office in GSU 313, or call 860-768-4482.