Dr. Sally Oakes Edman (‘81) has been hired as the new interim director of counseling services, the first step towards reopening counseling for all students through Luther College Counseling Services (LCCS).
On November 12, Luther students received an email from Interim Dean for Student Engagement Renee’ T. Watson announcing Edman’s appointment to head up the counseling services team.
Luther College Counseling Services needs a director to operate, and filling this position is the first step toward students regaining access to counseling services on campus. There is not yet a timeline in place for when counseling services will reopen on a regular schedule, as it is dependent on the hiring of counselors for the department. Recently, LCCS announced that it resumed in-person appointments on a limited basis for the last two weeks of the Fall semester, starting December 3.
“We have posted all of the job openings, and applications are coming in,” Edman said. “We are conducting searches for well-qualified mental health therapists who have a heart for helping Luther students. However, the process of identifying, interviewing, hiring, and onboarding qualified staff is going to take a while. We are highly motivated, and are moving things along as quickly as it can be done. We have interviewed for the administrative assistant role and I anticipate that we will have that role filled soon. We are in the midst of interviewing for our therapist positions now. In the meantime, we are pleased to continue providing 24/7 access to teletherapy services for our students through TELUS [a free online counseling app for Luther students] at (866) 743-7732 [crisis support hotline].”
Throughout the closure of LCCS, many students have expressed concern about equitable and accessible mental health services on campus. Prior to the closure, counseling services had long wait times for appointments, which Edman will address in the coming months.
“As I am familiarizing myself with operations in the Counseling Service and looking at the mental health needs across campus, I am considering several adjustments to provide students with faster access to in-person counseling,” Edman said.
Edman emphasizes the importance of self-care as a way for students to take care of their mental health, making sure that students eat well, get enough sleep and spend time with supportive people.
“I recommend that students make a list of emotional and physical activities that lift their mood,” Edman said. “It’s difficult to think of these activities when you’re feeling depressed or anxious, which is why it can be very helpful to have your list of ideas ready before a stressful time, like finals. Other self-care ideas can be found in the materials shared by Residence Life and on Counseling Service’s self-help resources webpage. I recommend that students watch out for each other and encourage each other. If your peers have concerns, encourage them to share their concerns with faculty, the student engagement staff, or the campus pastor.”
Edman graduated from Luther College with a B.A. in psychology and went on to earn an M.A. in psychology and Ph.D. in counseling psychology from the University of Notre Dame. Throughout her career, she has held many leadership and clinical positions in academic and healthcare settings.
Prior to her appointment at Luther College, Edman worked as the director of counseling services at Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa. She has also worked as a clinical psychologist at the Decorah Clinic, Mayo Health System and in private practice, where she specialized in marital and family counseling, psychological assessment and supervision. In addition to her clinical work, Edman has been an adjunct psychology professor at Luther College and Northwestern College.
“I would like the students to know that this situation is temporary,” Edman said. “Every person at every level on campus is committed to resuming in-person counseling service. We’re not taking this issue lightly. We are committed to providing high-quality mental health services for our students.”