College life is exciting, busy, and sometimes overwhelming. Between classes, internships, and late-night study sessions, it can feel like there’s barely time to breathe, let alone take care of your mental health. That’s where telehealth can make things easier.
With telehealth counseling, you can connect with a licensed therapist right from your dorm room, the library, or wherever you can find a little privacy. No commute, no waiting rooms, just a safe space to talk about what’s on your mind.
If you’re a college student in Illinois adjusting to campus life, here are some simple tips to help you get started with telehealth.
Finding a Private Space for Telehealth Sessions
Privacy can be tough to find on a busy campus, but with a little creativity, it’s possible. Some options students often use:
- Reserve a study room in your campus library or a local public library.
- Check your residence hall; some offer small private rooms for students.
- Visit your wellness center and see if they can offer a quiet space for telehealth.
- Look for open rooms in career centers, tutoring labs, or academic offices.
- Consider faith-based spaces like churches that might have a private space to share.
- Hop in your car if you have one on campus; it can double as a private spot.
- Consider a walk and talk session if the weather permits, throw on some gym shoes, your earbuds, and take a walk around campus to get the added benefit of moving your body during the session while keeping the session moving to offer privacy.
Making Your Session Feel More Private
If you’re meeting from your dorm or apartment:
- Try to schedule sessions around your roommate’s classes. Communication can be key. Communicate to your roommate if you’re worried their class might end early and your privacy will be interrupted. Share with your roommate that you have a private meeting during their class and that you’ll be finished at xxx time. Providing clarity around when you’ll be done and that your meeting is private can help your roommate plan ahead to fill their time should class end early or get cancelled.
- Use headphones so only you hear your therapist’s voice. We all know that dorms and apartments aren’t the most private; oftentimes, the walls can be pretty thin, or we’ve even seen vents on the exterior doors. Using headphones helps keep your therapist’s voice just between the two of you.
- White noise, a towel, or playing music near your door can help block sound. We use white noise machines in our therapy office hallways, but we know this isn’t exactly aesthetic on a college campus. Sometimes music can be enough of a buffer, but laying a towel down at the bottom of the door can help a ton, too!
Preparing for Your Appointment
A little prep goes a long way in making your telehealth session smooth and stress-free:
- Check your tech. Test your Wi-Fi, camera, and microphone ahead of time.
- Download the right app. Platforms like Simple Practice or Zoom are commonly used.
- Jot down your thoughts. Write out a few questions, concerns, or topics you’d like to cover so you feel ready.
- Get cozy. Wherever you decide to plan to set up for your oline therapy appointment, make sure that you feel comfortable. Grab a favorite beverage for the session, wear a cozy hoodie if you’ll be in the AC, or bring along a pillow or blanket to cozy up with.
You Don’t Have to Do College Alone
Starting college is a big adjustment. You may be living away from home for the first time, balancing classes with a job or sports, or just figuring out where you belong. Many students feel homesick, anxious, or stressed, and that’s completely normal.
Therapy can give you a space to process those feelings and learn tools to handle the ups and downs of campus life. At Stronger Therapeutic Counseling Services, our team specializes in supporting young adults and offers telehealth therapy for students all across Illinois. We understand how stressful this season can be and we’re here to support you through it.
You don’t need to have it all figured out to start therapy. Sometimes, the first step is simply giving yourself permission to reach out.
Want support that fits into your college schedule? Our Stronger team is here to make therapy simple, supportive, and flexible so you can focus on just being you and enjoy the experience!
Ready to get started with Stronger?
Click HERE to submit an inquiry to begin therapy with a therapist on our team.
Meet our Founder
Click HERE to virtually meet Kelly, the founder of Stronger. Kelly is excited to share with you her passion for mental health and wellness to normalize therapy through the services she and her team are proud to offer.
We want our clients to
Understand Your Journey + Create Change + Feel Stronger
That’s our formula for helping you live an authentic life.
We know that Humans are complex and so is your story.
Your journey to wellness and strength doesn’t have to be scary to unpack and understand.
We think it can even be fun.