For 21-year-old Xiomara Garcia, the dream of attending a four-year college once seemed impossible. Her parents hadn’t finished middle school, and finances were always a concern. Yet, there she was, thriving as a bioengineering major at Santa Clara University, thanks to a generous scholarship.
However, this new chapter brought unexpected challenges. As one of the few students of color in some of her classes, Ms. Garcia experienced a profound culture shock. Doubts crept in, making her feel like an impostor who didn’t truly belong. The sudden loss of a family member, coupled with an intense course load and unaddressed childhood trauma, made it increasingly difficult for her to manage her emotions.
She initially tried online therapy, but privacy was a constant struggle. Finding a quiet corner away from her roommate for confidential sessions proved nearly impossible; she even resorted to taking video calls with her therapist from a stairwell on campus, just steps from a bustling cafe. Realizing the need for a more personal approach, she decided to seek in-person counseling.
Her new therapist’s office was conveniently located within her old freshman dorm. This inviting space, decorated with found shells and rocks, soft lighting, comfortable chairs, and a basket of snacks, was a stark contrast to the impersonal, clinical setting of the main counseling center. Ms. Garcia found it a much more comforting environment than trying to find a private spot in a crowded campus building.
This innovative approach is part of a growing trend: an increasing number of campus mental health professionals, known as “embedded counselors,” are now stationed directly in dorms and academic buildings. Universities are adopting this model to break down the stigma associated with seeking help, making counselors more visible and approachable. This is especially crucial given that 37 percent of college students report struggling with depression. A recent survey of school counseling center directors revealed that nearly one-third now utilize embedded counselors, a significant increase from just 20 percent five years ago. This shift reflects a broader re-evaluation of how colleges provide mental health support, aiming to connect with students proactively, often before a crisis point is reached.
Late-Night Support: Counselors Where Students Need Them Most
Ms. Garcia reflects on her journey, noting that her early counseling sessions often ended in tears. Two years later, she feels significantly more confident and equipped to manage her emotions. She believes that without the readily accessible and welcoming environment provided by her embedded therapist, she might have abandoned therapy altogether.
For institutions like Virginia Tech, situated in a rural landscape among the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains, on-campus counselors serve as a vital resource, especially given the scarcity of off-campus therapists. However, the university’s main counseling center, with its conventional office hours and a 15-minute walk from dorms, presented challenges for students trying to fit appointments into their demanding schedules.
To address this, Virginia Tech now has four embedded counselors operating directly from a campus dorm, offering drop-in sessions until 10 p.m. Claire Cabellos, assistant director of embedded counseling at Virginia Tech, highlights the importance of this extended availability: “In the evening, as a student’s busy day winds down, everything else is kind of coming to the surface.” She emphasizes that “Mental health crises don’t happen on a 9 to 5 schedule.”
Since implementing embedded counselors and other mental health programs, the university has observed a decrease in after-hours crisis calls. Furthermore, resident assistants (RAs), who are student leaders, are now more willing to continue in their roles. Ms. Cabellos noted that RAs previously faced burnout and stress from constantly being approached by students with urgent mental health issues.
The program’s impact is evident in the numbers: during the 2024-25 academic year, five embedded counselors conducted 1,805 sessions with 391 students. This marks a significant increase from its inaugural year in 2022-23, when four counselors facilitated 504 sessions for 200 students. The convenience is such that students have even been known to show up for appointments in their pajamas.
For student leaders like Rosi Escobar, 21, having embedded counselors readily available, especially late at night, has been invaluable. She frequently refers students to them, including one experiencing a panic attack and another who hadn’t left their bed for a week. “I’m not the person who has to catch all these problems and fix it myself,” she states, highlighting the relief this dedicated support provides.
Delivering prompt and accessible mental health care to a vast student body remains a significant challenge for colleges. A recent Healthy Minds Survey, involving over 84,000 students nationwide, revealed that only 47 percent of those who screened positive for anxiety or depression received counseling in the past year. Common barriers cited by students included lack of time, uncertainty about where to seek help, financial constraints, and difficulty scheduling appointments.
A Welcoming Presence: A Friendly Dog and Open Doors
Kristin Tappan, a Santa Clara University alumna who now serves as a therapist on campus, has become a familiar and comforting figure to many students. Often seen with her Maltipoo, Tiramisu, by her side, Ms. Tappan also makes an effort to connect with students by handing out homemade lemon bars and striking up conversations. This personalized approach, she explains, “makes things feel a little bit more like home.”
“The doors are just a lot more open than I think they ever have been before,” she observes, noting the increased accessibility and comfort students now feel in seeking support.
Inside one of Ms. Tappan’s offices, designed to feel like a cozy family room, students often relax in an armchair with Tiramisu by their side. Here, they discuss a range of concerns, from adjusting to life away from home, relationship issues, and academic pressures to anxieties about post-graduation life. Frequently, Ms. Tappan notes, these conversations reveal deeper, underlying issues like family trauma, abuse, or struggles with substance use. “There’s so much under the surface,” she reflects.
While the advantages of integrating therapists directly into academic and residential settings are numerous, the role itself presents unique challenges. Melissa Bottiglio, assistant director of the Embedded Program at the University of Colorado Boulder, led a 2024 survey of embedded providers across North America. The findings indicated that counselors working solo in these environments can sometimes experience isolation and struggle to maintain professional boundaries when their workspace overlaps with daily campus life. “Counselors have to be firm about where their scope of care begins and ends,” Ms. Bottiglio emphasized.
However, when universities successfully implement this model, embedded counselors prove incredibly effective at engaging students who might otherwise be reluctant to seek assistance. This integrated approach also allows therapists to develop and deliver tailored programs for specific student communities.
Across the country, this model is expanding. The University of Iowa now employs two embedded therapists who serve 11 residence halls, while Ohio State University boasts 18 embedded clinicians spread throughout its campus. The University of Arizona’s embedded counseling program, which began in 2020 with three counselors, has since grown to 12 counselors. These professionals are strategically placed in various locations, including the Native American student affairs office, the medical school, and the veterinary college.
Sarah Heinzl, a licensed professional counselor at the University of Arizona, shared an anecdote that perfectly illustrates the impact of this approach. At a campus event, a student lightheartedly told her, “We’ll talk about this on Friday,” while another chimed in, “My counselor is also here.” Inspired by their peers’ openness, several students visited Ms. Heinzl’s office later that week to inquire about counseling services.
Ms. Heinzl concludes, “This is what embedded counseling does. It breaks down misconceptions about therapy and normalizes counseling as part of their world. And when they see that, more students step forward to ask for help.”