LACKAWANNA COUNTY, Pa. — Between the pandemic and social media, many young adults are struggling with their mental health.
That means there's a greater need for counselors and psychologists, and a school in Lackawanna County is looking for the next generation of them.
Newswatch 16's Elizabeth Worthington has all the details from Marywood University in the video above.
An upcoming Psychology Fair will be held on Friday, March 24, from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. in Nazareth Student Center.
At the event, high school students will learn about the psychology field and related human services through interactive tables, presentations, and magic.
Attendees will be able to speak directly with faculty and students from the Psychology and Counseling Department.
- For Jose Collado, it was skyrocketing suicide rates during the pandemic.
- For Katelyn Ainey, it was a passion for helping children.
- For Jeffrey Lake, it was the struggles in his own life.
- For Bethany Sero, it was a desire for meaningful work.
Each of these Marywood University students has their own reasons for entering the field of psychology. Now, they want to help younger students discover what their reason might be.
"I think there's just no other career with the amount of meaning and fulfillment that i could find," Sero said.
"I don't think people realize how many different careers there are in psychology," Ainey said.
Those jobs are in demand right now because people, especially young adults, are struggling and looking for help.
"I've seen it through my work with kids. The pandemic really impacted them, and it's people in careers in psychology that can help them," Ainey said.
"There's so many issues going on in schools: mental health issues, learning and behavior issues, and this is something that we can work with," Dr. Stuart Badner said.
"National surveys suggest that half of adults say they feel sad or hopeless a couple days a week. And one in four, most of the time. With teens, it's even higher," said Dr. David Palmiter.
That's why Marywood is looking for the next generation of psychologists, counselors, and social workers. The school is hosting a psychology fair next Friday/ It's open to all area high school students.
Collado plans to use Harry Potter to get young people excited about the field.
"I'm going to have a table where people are going to get to know what house they belong to. And then, I'll translate that into what we call the big five personality traits. So kids are going to have a lot of fun at the fair."
Lunch will be provided. There will also be a tour of Marywood's campus.
Event coordinators ask that you RSVP by calling 570-665-1919 or emailing PsychologyClubMU@gmail.com.
You can also learn more about Marywood's Psychology program on their department's Facebook page.
Event details:
- What: Psychology Fair
- When: Friday, March 24, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Where: Marywood University's Nazareth Student Center, 1300 University Avenue, Scranton, PA 18509.
Need mental health resources?
Dial 211 to find a therapist in your community.
Another option? Marywood University has a psychological services center that offers mental health services both in-person and Telehealth at a sliding scale. These services are provided by mostly doctoral students who are supervised by licensed psychologists on Marywood's faculty.
Students use this opportunity for training while providing high-quality, evidence-based services to the community.
The center helps people of all ages.
For an appointment, call 570-348-6269.
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