New changes for counseling center

The movement of office space in Bartlett has been an overall improvement for both Bruce Holt and his new staff. The counseling center, which used to be located on the second floor of Bartlett close to Issac’s Café is now located on the opposite side of Bartlett that used to house Residence Life, Student Government and various other organizations.  The move was mainly due to space issues, as intern Becky Livingston was using a closet as a makeshift “office.”

Another issue regarding the old counseling office was the fact that it was “too visible,” according to Holt. The new space offers the opportunity for students to sit away from foot traffic and now have a waiting room where they can wait comfortably.

“Students needed an overall more privacy,” Holt said.

Both Holt and his co workers claimed that the new office feels much more spacious.

“We don’t have the budget to fill the space how we want to fill the space,” he said. “We’ve been begging and borrowing.”

This was obvious from the mismatched couches that were placed in the waiting room.

“One of the other things the other office offered was that it was more public,” said Holt. Students knew about the space, where it was, and it was easy to access.

The new interns are also a major change within the counseling center. Abby Peters, a graduate of the University of Wisconsin with a degree in social work can possibly be seen riding her Harley Davidson Motorcycle to work. Becky Livingston who was born and raised in Maryville, Tennessee, has a Bachelor’s in sociology and psychology, and is part of a local band Three Miles Smiles.

“Overall it was a good move even though the view isn’t as good,” Holt said.

But Holt and his staff all agree that the change has been positive.