Student Wellness

Our goal is to cultivate an environment that promotes, advocates for and supports the individual and collective wellbeing of our students. We offer a range of services and resources both on and off campus to help foster life skills for a healthy emotional and mental outlook.

Mental Health Counseling

UNH Manchester has partnered with The Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester (MHCGM) to offer counseling services, including:

  • Free, confidential screening and consultation with a licensed mental health therapist
  • Referrals to mental health or substance misuse treatment
  • Assistance in understanding how to afford additional treatment (with or without insurance) as well as identifying free services

If you would like to connect to counseling services directly, contact MHCGM at (603) 668-4111.

Cathy
Cathy Main, LICSW
Watch Cathy's introduction video  

Cathy Main is a graduate of UNH with a BA in Psychology and a minor in History. She received her Master’s in Social Work from Boston University. She has worked for over thirty years at The Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester in several capacities including therapist, case manager, supervisor and manager. She is a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist and has been on Dialectical Behavioral Team for over twenty years. This is her second year back at UNH and she is very excited to be assisting students in meeting their academic and personal goals and working on anything that may be getting in the way. Appointments are available Tuesdays 8am-5pm and Thursdays 1pm-5pm 

Schedule an appointment

Tara Rousselle
Tara Rousselle, (she/her/hers), MA, LCMHC, LMADC candidate

Hi, I’m Tara. I have worked for The Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester for 8 years, initially starting with Rapid Response (formerly, the Mobile Crisis Response Team) and now as a counselor at Bedford Counseling Associates as well as working with students at Manchester Community College. Before that, I worked in outpatient mental health with many diverse populations and residential treatment for incarcerated youth with substance use and mental health issues.  I am an LGBTQI+ ally and practice from a trauma-informed perspective and am trained in CBT, DBT, SFBT, risk assessment and crisis management. 

I am a graduate of Keene State College with a BA in psychology and received my master’s in counseling at UNH Manchester and Durham. I enjoy music and play French horn with the Nashua Chamber Orchestra, Merrimack Valley Philharmonic, and flute with the Merrimack Valley Flute Choir. I have four fur babies: 2 cats and 2 dogs.

If you’re struggling with stress, mood swings, transitions, or any other kind of mental health concern, I can help you learn how to manage your symptoms and keep your goals on track. Or even just provide a safe space for you to talk. Thank you and I look forward to being a part of the UNH Manchester community.

Schedule an appointment


Wildcats for Recovery

Wildcats for Recovery is a UNH campus initiative to support students with substance use challenges. Wildcats for Recovery is a community open to any UNH students, individuals in recovery, and recovery allies alike. We encourage any UNH student looking to explore their relationship with substances, with loved ones who struggle with substance use, or individuals simply looking to connect without the influence of alcohol or other drugs, to check out our peer support group, or attend one of our programming or tabling events throughout the semester.  UNH Manchester will be offering weekly Wildcats for Recovery peer recovery meet ups on campus open to all students. No preregistration or fees are required to attend Wildcats for Recovery peer groups and events. 

Mental Health Resources

More than 80 percent of college students feel overwhelmed during the academic year, according to statistics from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Anxiety, depression and other mental illnesses are increasingly common on college campuses—and seeking help when you need it has never been more important.

At UNH, wellness can help you achieve academic and personal success while at school and in your future. 

Wellness is the key to many aspects of our overall well-being, including:

  • Academic achievement 
  • Personal growth and confidence
  • Career fulfillment
  • Social connection within the UNH community

In other words, the better your wellness, the better your ability to thrive at UNH and beyond!

UNH Wellness Resources

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Mental Health Crisis Resources

  • New Hampshire Rapid Response: Call/Text 1-833-710-6477 – If you or someone you care about is experiencing a mental health and/or substance use crisis, you can call and speak to trained and caring clinical staff. You’ll be served by compassionate providers from mental health centers in your community who can help you access vital resources in an emergency.
  • 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. (Chat option is also available at 988lifeline.org).
  • The New Hampshire Addiction Crisis Line provides 24/7 free, confidential support by Certified Recovery Support Workers for substance use-related crises. Call 844-711-4357.
  • The Veterans Crisis Line: Veterans and their loved ones can call 988 and Press 1, or send a text message to 838255 to receive confidential support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
  • Crisis Text Line offers free, 24/7 support for those in crisis. Text HOME to 741741 from any-where in the U.S. to text with a Crisis Counselor, volunteers who are trained to support people in crisis. It usually takes less than five minutes to connect you with a trained Crisis Counselor.
  • The SHARPP Center for Interpersonal Violence Awareness, Prevention, & Advocacy provides 24/7, free, and confidential services to UNH-CPS (Manchester & Online) students, staff and faculty impacted by interpersonal violence (sexual violence, relationship abuse, sexual harassment, childhood abuse, & stalking). An advocate is on campus on Mondays during the school year, available to meet 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Call our 24/7 helpline at 603-862-SAFE (7233) or stop by Room 471 on Mondays.
  • The Trevor Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential crisis intervention and support services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ+) young people. Call 866-488- 7386 or text START to 678678.
  • The National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) is dedicated to supporting individuals and families affected by eating disorders. Call 800-931-2237 from 9 a.m.–9 p.m. (ET) Monday through Thursday; and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (ET) Fridays. For 24/7 crisis support, text ‘NEDA’ to 74174.
  • REACH: Advocates promote emotional support and information for survivors of domestic and sexual violence in the Greater Manchester area through 24/7 support. Call 603-668-2299 or text 603-836- 9620, Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
  • The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline provides free 24/7 confidential support, resources and referrals to pregnant and postpartum mothers facing mental health challenges (and their loved ones). Call or text (833) 852-6262.
  • UNH Incident Report Form at UNH is a place to report incidents of discrimination and discriminatory harassment, bias and/or hate crime, retaliation, or sexual harassment and/or violence directed at members of the UNH community and our guests. If you have observed or experienced such an incident, please report it by contacting the Civil Rights and Equity Office UNH.civlrights@unh.edu or (603) 862-2930 Voice | 603-862-2930.

It's important to take good care of your body and mind each day, but it's not always easy. Here are some self-care tips to help keep you healthy and resilient. 

  • Sleep. Turn off all electronics at least 30 minutes before bedtime to help increase healthy sleeping habits.
  • Eat healthy, balanced meals. Eat breakfast daily to rev up your metabolism, pack healthy snacks and drink a lot of water to keep your body hydrated.
  •  Exercise. Take advantage of the student discount at the YMCA, as exercise helps reduce stress.
  • Take breaks when you need them. When writing a paper or studying, take time to regroup and rest if you start feeling overwhelmed.
  • Set realistic goals. Setting both long-term and short-term goals can help you stay on track without the anxiety.
  • Lean on friends and family. Spending time with loved ones and getting involved on campus can reduce stress and enrich your college experience
  • Make time for yourself. Schedule "you" time to do something you love. Making time to do activities you enjoy helps reduce irritability and refocus priorities.

Detailed self-care guides for health, illness, nutrition, wellness and more are available online here.

With mental health needs growing in both number and severity on campus, faculty and staff have a shared responsibility to respond to students with care, compassion and concern for their personal well-being and academic success. UNH Psychological and Counseling Services offers some helpful resources to aid students who are in distress or may benefit from professional counseling.

Faculty and Staff FAQs Helping students in distress

Wildcat Cupboard

UNH Manchester’s Wildcat Cupboard, located in Room 437, helps alleviate food insecurity for the campus community in need by providing access to free, nourishing food. The food cupboard is available to all UNH Manchester students by appointment.

Learn more about the Wildcat Cupboard

Food Assistance
Unemployment and Financial Resources

If you have additional questions or are concerns about financial hardship during this time, please contact Financial Aid at unhm.fa@unh.edu or 603-641-4189.