The ETSU Counseling Center now offers two digital resources that students can use for FREE!
Boost and Togetherall are an exciting extension of ETSU’s current mental health and emotional wellness services. The ETSU Counseling Center’s longstanding services include personal counseling, groups, workshops, and *BucsPress2. Boost and Togetherall are welcome additions to existing services, as these new digital resources further extend reach beyond the campus, increasing accessible services to any interested student.
Dr. Kevin Smith, Associate Clinical Director of the ETSU Counseling Center, said that while the center reaches about 800-1,000 students each academic year, resources like Boost and Togetherall offers a way to potentially reach more students who may want or need mental health services.
“Even students who have never been into the ETSU Counseling Center may consider using the app or web-based resources,” he said. “There’s so much individuality between all our students and their needs, so taking an approach that says, ‘okay let’s present this to as many students and let them decide’ is a great launching point.”
These resource apps offer support for mental and emotional well-being. They are not meant to be crisis interventions.
“Mental health can be a very complicated journey with ups and downs. Small periodic efforts can be useful. A great example of this is the mood check function in the Boost app. Anyone can set up a daily reminder to do a quick ‘mood check.’ Checking in provides a good insight to see where you are day-to-day. You know, ‘things are good, things are bad, six good days vs one bad day, and so on,’” he said.
What is Boost?
The Boost app is self-guided, so students are empowered to access mental health support tools whenever they want. Begin by completing a Mental Wellbeing Assessment, where students can select areas they are looking to focus on, such as anxious thoughts, sleep, or resilience. The assessment provides a result, which acts as a starting point and offers some next steps as users begin exploring the app.
Once the app is set up, Boost outlines recommended next steps, which may include watching a video series, starting a thought diary, and completing a meditation session in the “Zen Room” – all within the app!
Other in-app resources include:
- Voice Series, featuring firsthand audio from peers
- Buring Questions, where licensed counselors respond to questions various topics
- Video Series, where users can view short, skills-based modules
- Zen Room, mindfulness meditation, affirmations, and more.
- My Action Plan, offering the ability to make a plan based on an upcoming challenge
- Room for the Positive, where users can keep track of things they are proud of or grateful for
- Mood Check, featuring a visual activity for mood tracking or daily check-ins
Users can even earn digital badges for in-app activities! Learn more about Boost’s additional resources on the Boost web page. While app content is created by Boost, ETSU’s academic, safety, and health information is also integrated on the Boost app’s Resources screen.
What is Togetherall?
Togetherall is an **anonymous, online platform where the ETSU community can find encouragement, support, and connection. Users may add written posts or take a more creative approach, such as uploading drawings or other images.
Smith said that Togetherall can be of interest to on-campus and online students alike. In fact, many specific student populations – including athletes, military-affiliated, and students with children to name a few – can access dedicated spaces and chat rooms for people with the same interests/situations.
Togetherall offers evidence-based courses where students can explore mental health topics. Like Boost, users have access to self-assessments and articles, all designed to help users track their mental health and emotional wellness journey.
“Platforms like Togetherall can help students make better mental health decisions based on insight,” said Dr. Smith. “Small efforts can offer larger gains over time and potentially avoid a crisis.”
While Dr. Smith hopes students will take advantage of these resources, he also said that Boost and Togetherall are available to faculty, staff, and anyone with a valid ETSU account.
“The big idea, the ultimate goal, with offering these two resources is to increase access to and usage of mental health support services for the ETSU community,” Dr. Smith said.
For those interested, the ETSU Counseling Center offers virtual sessions through a HIPPA-compliant version of Zoom. Currently enrolled students who would like to receive counseling services should submit a Needs Assessment, available on the counseling website. At the end of the Needs Assessment forms, there will be a scheduling function that shows open appointments; students can choose virtual options from there. However, please note that students must be inside the boundaries of the state of Tennessee to receive services, according to state law. Students outside of Tennessee can get counseling center assistance to find services in their area.
*From the ETSU Counseling Center website: BucsPress2 is a 24-hour mental health help line for ETSU Students. It provides free, confidential crisis counseling over the phone. It is supported 24/7/365 by well-being and clinical professionals contracted by the Counseling Center.
**From the Togetherall website: Togetherall’s team of trained professionals (Wall Guides) monitor the community at all times to protect and maintain the anonymity of our members. However, if there are times that we have serious and immediate concerns for the safety of yourself and others, we do have a process where Wall Guides may seek identifying information from a member we are concerned about. This is limited to circumstances where there are serious concerns to the safety for yourself or others.
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