By Nicole Acevedo, Assistant Editor
Western New England University’s Counseling Services has expanded with their newest addition to the office, Naarah Macklin! Macklin was born and raised in Boston, but has been in the Springfield area for some time now. She obtained her Master’s Degree from Springfield College, where she simultaneously worked as a Resident Director.
Macklin has always been a big fan of working with the college population as it is “a crucial time in a young adult’s life; you’re trying to juggle it all.” Following Macklin’s time as an RD at Springfield College, she moved over to Central Connecticut State University to continue the role.
Her devotion to helping others doesn’t stop at college campuses. For about three years, Macklin worked for South Bay Community Services, a community outreach program that centers around mental health in the surrounding areas of Springfield and Holyoke. During her time with the program, she worked diligently to bring individuals the help and counseling services they needed but often could not afford. As many members of the communities suffer from financial struggles and may be unable to travel for sessions, Macklin would bring the program to them.
Flash forward to today, and Macklin has been a Clinical Counselor going on six years, and she specializes in Art Therapy. While she believes that “art is a good tool” and can be beneficial as it “incorporates the counseling aspect and the art aspect,” she does not use this method for every one of her patients. However, given that we’ve all spent the past year living through a global pandemic, “people are by themselves more and learning skills they never even had,” and trying out a new form of counseling could be a step in the right direction.
Macklin reassures her patients that she’s “been on the other end as well” and understands that “it can be daunting and scary,” but wants them to know that coming to see her for the first time is “a big step.”
As Macklin settles into her new home here on campus, she has some strong goals for the semester: “I’d like to accomplish building up the community, put my influence and offer my creativity to help the students, and inspire them as well – I want to be more visible,” says Macklin. She’s devoted to collaborating with organizations and clubs on campus to further reach the student body, and open the doors to a healthy and creative atmosphere for our Golden Bear community.
With the Spring semester in full swing and a global pandemic still raging, it’s important now more than ever to check in with ourselves. Give your mind a break when needed (and yes, that means even when you’re on a deadline for a paper, exam, or project.) Your well-being must be the top priority right now, and if you ever find yourself looking for someone to lean on, there are people here for you.
Check out the contact information for Counseling Services below, and don’t be afraid to shoot Naarah or any of the other counselors an email. They’re here to help!
Stay safe and take care of yourselves.
To make an appointment with Counseling Services, please call 413-782-1221.
