Virginia Tech offering students free virtual mental health counseling

BLACKSBURG, Va. – Virginia Tech Hokies will now be able to receive virtual mental health counseling, at no cost to them.

On Thursday, Virginia Tech announced a new mental health and wellness resource aimed at helping students: TimelyCare, a virtual health service that officially launched on Aug. 12.

The school stressed that this service will not replace the mental health resources that are already available and said it is simply a new addition.

With the service, students can receive mental health support anytime, anywhere and fast, according to a press release from Virginia Tech.

TimelyCare will offer Hokies the following three services:

• Immediate Care: In moments of anxiety or distress, students can be connected with a counselor right away rather than waiting to set up an appointment

• Scheduled appointments: Students can schedule an appointment with licensed counselors in Virginia. There is a limit of 12 scheduled counseling appointments per academic year.

• Health coaching: Through TimelyCare, students will have access to information and guided sessions on well-being topics, which include dealing with conflict, time management, exercise, sleep, nutrition and mindfulness.

“We know that mental health is a critical component of overall well-being,” said Frances Keene, interim vice president for Student Affairs. “TimelyCare services complement our existing mental health services and educational programming by giving students a robust and flexible way to use technology to seek out support 24/7. Mental health support needs are unique to each student, and by providing a variety of resources, we hope to encourage students to seek the support that best fits their needs.”

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Ellie Sturgis, director of the Thomas E. Cook Counseling Center, went on to add, “We are hopeful that this resource will be well received by students. It provides an option for almost immediate contact with a clinician if they have issues they would like to discuss, regardless of the time of day or night or the location of the student or the device they are using.”