As of last week, on Feb. 11, Alicia Dorcey-McIntosh began working full-time at the Counseling Center as the new Director of Counseling, taking over from the previous director who retired after 39 years of working at Wayne State College.

The counseling center is currently understaffed with only two counselors available for appointments. McIntosh is reassuring students, saying they are currently looking for new replacements.

“We are currently planning to hire two more counselors. Then we will be fully staffed,” McIntosh said. “We will have a search committee working as a team to choose the best possible candidates.”

While students continue to visit the counseling center, most have trouble finding a time for an appointment due to the small amount of counselors.

“The only problems I’ve had with the counseling center is with scheduling,” education major Michelle Mass said. “Because there is so few of them, they are overbooked and you have to wait a week or two, which can suck when you need urgent advice or help.”

Despite being understaffed, students continue to meet with the staff and receive help with whatever issues they may have.

“I went to the counselors around the end of November,” biology major Brianna Goodier said. “The counselor I talked to was nice and had listened to all of my words and even had given me advice on how to overcome some of my problems.”

The counseling center is continuing to meet with students with one-on-one meetings, but McIntosh says she would like to create new therapy groups and other means of support.

“We will continue to see students for one-on-one counseling. In the future, I hope to provide more therapy groups, support groups, and mental health education,” McIntosh said. “We hope to work with other programs on campus too!”

McIntosh is optimistic about looking for new help for the student center and is keeping Wayne State students in mind while deciding on who to hire.

“We will make announcements when we are ready to interview potential candidates and have an open forum for students to meet the candidates and ask questions,” McIntosh said.