Fordham’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS) launched the Peer Counseling Program on Sept. 18. The program is available to support Fordham College and Gabelli undergraduate students with concerns such as the transition to college, stress management and loneliness. The Peer Counseling Program is composed of nine Fordham undergraduate students.
Jeffrey Ng, director of CPS, said that the CPS office has been thinking about implementing a peer counseling program for about 2 ½ years. Ultimately, CPS decided to launch the program because research shows that peer counseling programs are highly effective at universities — students feel more comfortable seeking support and positive affirmations from a peer.
“I think, most importantly, we would want the students to not feel alone with their struggles. That they have a space to go to where they can speak about it and be heard and validated,” said Ng.
CPS sent out a call for applications to become a peer counselor in spring 2023 — mainly through the psychology department. Applicants submitted required materials, references and were interviewed. CPS received more interest in the peer counselor position than they originally anticipated. The department received around 30 applicants and narrowed it down to nine.
“Originally, we were leaning towards having five, but because there were so many amazing students we decided to develop a bigger cohort,” said Ng.
Peer counselors receive academic credit for their participation in the year-long internship. Typically, peer counselors work three hours a week: two hours dedicated to providing counseling services and one hour dedicated to group supervision. In their role as a peer counselor, students are given the opportunity to learn foundational counseling and therapy skills which Ng hopes will aid them professionally.
Anastasia Pezza, FCRH ’24, a psychology major, was primarily interested in becoming a peer counselor because the program is a unique opportunity for undergraduate students to acquire first-hand practice in the field.
“I was interested in getting experience in a clinical setting because it’s really hard to find an internship without a bachelor’s. I thought it’d be great to get some hands-on experience,” said Pezza.
Since the launch of the peer counseling program, CPS has scheduled over 15 appointments for undergraduate students.
“I had a few clients and I left feeling really happy because I like what I do here. I like thinking that I’m able to help people,” said Pezza.
Students can sign up for 45-minute sessions online, and there is no limit to how many appointments a student can schedule. However, there may be occasions where the student may need another level of support — peer counselors are trained on how to refer students and engage with students based on their individual needs. Ultimately, the goal of the peer counseling program is to provide students with additional support and resources on campus.
“We’re always thinking about how to increase student access to mental health support. We hope that adding another level of care will increase accessibility,” said Ng.
Similarly, Pezza expects that the peer counseling program will allow students to feel more comfortable connecting with their peers for help: “I hope more students will be open to reaching out for mental health resources. I know it’s intimidating sometimes, so I think the program can serve as a bridge for people who are on the fence about receiving help.”
Since the peer counseling program is a relatively new initiative, Ng asks that students remain patient as CPS works to develop the program in a way that is sustainable and becomes a reliable resource for students. Students can schedule an in-person appointment with a peer counselor online free of charge.
There are eight peer counselors at Rose Hill and one at Lincoln Center.
