Entering the 2023-2024 school year, the Rebecca M. Sykes Wellness Center welcomed its most recent addition to their staff. Timothy Corbitt, the new Director of Psychological Services, aims to integrate mental health awareness to all parts of campus through wider outreach and the recently established telecounseling.
As the Director of Psychological Services, Corbitt’s job includes overseeing work of the counseling department, providing support to counselors, and connecting departments around campus. Corbitt described his priorities in the position, mainly to connect with and establish the needs of the Andover community.
“Outreach is important. [For example,] getting out of Sykes and going to the classroom community more, collaborating with different departments, student groups, clubs, and organizations to learn specifically what the needs are, and try to meet those needs in an effective way that’s meaningful… [My goal is] expanding services, opening up accessibility, and making sure we are culturally sensitive to our students’ needs,” said Corbitt.
Dr. Amy Patel, Dean of Health and Wellness and Chief Medical Officer, conveyed her enthusiasm to work with Corbitt. Noting his acclimation to Andover, Patel mentioned examples of how Corbitt has interacted with Andover students and faculty.
“I’m really excited Mr. Corbitt has joined the Phillips Academy community. He was able to join us in the summer, and starting in the fall, he has been able to spend time with the rest of the Psychological Services team, meet with students, and the rest of our community. I’m really excited about the expertise and ideas he’ll be bringing to the Psychological Services team,” said Patel.
In expanding outreach, Corbitt also advocated for the newly-introduced telecounseling program operated through Uwill, which was established as another counseling option for students. The platforms helps students connect with licensed clinicians around Massachusetts for virtual therapy sessions. Commenting on the advantages of telecounseling, Corbitt expressed his approval for the alternative counseling method.
“The upsides are certainly for students who would not come in for support in person, because of their schedule, or because they feel nervous about it. Whatever the reason may be, there’s a percentage of students who would seek teletherapy as an alternative. I think providing that would reach that group of students, especially those we would not see here… It also offers a diverse array of clinicians, so students can really pick who they feel comfortable working with,” said Corbitt.
Similarly, Patel encouraged students to take advantage of the new resources, highlighting ways in which telecounseling could be beneficial.
“There is no stigma that should be attached to seeing a counselor. We can all use an impartial person to be able to problem solve with or be able to talk through concerns. For some, it might be a particular issue or problem that they want to talk to somebody about. For others, they might have symptoms that they are trying to understand or maybe even leading to a diagnosis… I would encourage individuals to seek care with a counselor if they’re interested and there’s not really any commitment that they have to continue to see a counselor on an ongoing basis,” said Patel.
After working in the mental health field for over 30 years and in a high school setting for six and a half years, Corbitt has expressed his excitement to work at Andover. Corbitt particularly noted his admiration for Andover’s student body and the current psychological help systems in place.
“This school really brings together so many elements that I really appreciate in education. The caliber of the school, the diversity of the student body, and the support that is offered to the students is really a model. I think something very special is happening at Andover and I want to be a part of that,” said Corbitt.
