Q&A with Nate Covington
College students face a whirlwind of experiences, from academic pressures and social dynamics to the transition into adulthood. With the demands of coursework, jobs and extracurricular activities, many students often prioritize their responsibilities over their mental health.
Nate Covington is a dedicated counselor at University Counseling Services, where he passionately supports students in navigating their mental health and overall well-being. His empathetic approach and understanding nature empower individuals to develop coping strategies and achieve personal growth, making a significant impact on their academic and personal lives.
Q: What is your role in Student Affairs, and what do you enjoy most about your job?
A: My role within Student Affairs is providing counseling, consultation and mental health services to students through my position as a counselor at University Counseling Services. Within my role, I conduct individual counseling sessions, facilitate multiple counseling groups, provide crisis counseling, assist with intern training and preparation, and engage in campus and community outreach events. I also serve as the staff advisor for the OSU Active Minds chapter. What I enjoy most about my job is having the ability to provide a space for students to not only process and work through difficult thoughts or events, but also being able to assist with thought exploration and intrapersonal growth. I truly believe that students are academically and developmentally (and for many occupationally) tasked with a TON during this stage of life, which often can by nature put emotions and mental well-being on the backburner. I love having the opportunity to assist students with prioritizing themselves and their mental state.
Q: What does making an impact look like in your role?
A: Making an impact within my role is a bit of a tricky question to answer, because like most things, mental health is not linear. We often take 3 steps backward just to take 5 steps forward, and that is okay. There are also times when we must experience some challenging emotions to progress, but of course, that might not be the most comfortable experience. I had to learn that positivity does not always mean progress, and because there might have been a difficult experience during a session does not mean there was no impact made or growth from the experience. Weirdly enough, I think even being able to see the ebb and flow of emotions can demonstrate a level of impact being made, because that shows that we are at least beginning to acknowledge our thoughts and emotions. I truly believe making an impact within my role comes in many forms, but I love seeing an impact made through assisting students with their journey toward autonomy of their own thoughts, values, and beliefs, as well as moving closer toward who they would like to be, or self-actualization.
Q: Why did you choose to work in Student Affairs?
A: “I didn't choose the student affairs life; the student affairs life chose me.”
No, but more seriously, I have had a deep passion for mental health for some time now and following completion of my master's program here at Oklahoma State, and my internship within UCS, I knew that University Counseling Services was where I wanted to remain. To me, the importance of mental health within the college population cannot be understated. College is such a pivotal time in the lives of students and working within Student Affairs grants me the opportunity to provide a level of assistance and support through that time. I also greatly enjoy the ability to collaborate with other departments within Student Affairs to prioritize the overall and holistic wellness of students. I think it is extremely beneficial to be able to provide so much toward student wellness from so many different areas under the Student Affairs umbrella.
Q: What do you wish others knew about the resources/programs you work with?
A: While individual counseling sessions are often the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of UCS, I would love for others to know that we provide a myriad of other resources as well. In addition to individual counseling sessions, we provide campus outreach events and presentations (which can also be requested on our website) such as our National Depression Screening Day outreach, group counseling opportunities such as the Melanin and Mental Health group (shameless plug), and various workshop opportunities such as the Mental Health Series. While attempting to identify underrepresented populations and various presenting concerns, such as social anxiety, we look to provide a wide spectrum of resources that can cater to, advocate for, and show acceptance of everyone.
Additionally, we empathize with and understand the difficulty of coming into the counseling office to seek services. Doing so can bring about some difficult feelings, which are absolutely understandable. Our intention is to provide a space to not only explore those feelings, but also feel comfortable acknowledging them in a safe and private setting.