Counseling & Wellness Center

The Counseling and Wellness Center works to provide inclusive, individualized, collaborative care and support to the students of Norwich University in a safe and confidential environment.

Through education and advocacy, we provide the entire Norwich community with the tools, resources, and skills necessary to understand, accept, and promote mental health and wellness. Focusing on strengths and resiliency, we foster opportunities for growth in which students will thrive, personally and academically.

Our primary purpose is to provide psychological support to students as they pursue their academic and personal goals, enhancing the student experience at Norwich. The Counseling and Wellness Center is primarily intended for assessment and short-term counseling, with referrals to local private counselors for longer term treatment or psychological testing, if necessary.

The Center is funded through the University Health Services Fee and there are no additional charges for services. Although we follow a short-term intervention model, the number of sessions varies and is discussed as part of the initial intake process.

Students come to the Counseling and Wellness Center for many reasons, including adjusting to college life, relationship difficulties, grief, family problems, academic stress, issues around identity development, depression, anxiety, eating and weight concerns, substance abuse, and sexual and physical abuse and harassment.

The Counseling and Wellness Center at Norwich University follows privacy and confidentiality guidelines set forth by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the American Psychological Association, and the American College Counseling Association.

Some limits to privacy exist. With few exceptions involving safety and legal issues, information is not shared outside of counseling sessions without the student’s written permission.

Clinical files are safeguarded and DO NOT become part of the student’s medical or military record. Seeking services through our center will not negatively impact a cadet’s standing. We are a non-medical facility.

Meet the Counselors

Nicole Krotinger is a graduate of University of Vermont’s undergraduate and graduate degree programs, with a Master of Science from the Mental Health Counseling program in 2002. She has been a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor for adults, children, and families in Vermont for the past 15 years working in a variety of school, clinical, and private practice settings. She was the founding therapist and director of Hannah’s House, a nonprofit community mental health center in Waitsfield, Vt. Now, as the director of Counseling and Wellness for Norwich, she works on program development and prevention for mental health support and resources on campus.

Melissa Marcellino has been providing individual, couples, family, and group therapy to adolescents and adults since 2007. She has worked in community mental health agencies, residential settings, schools, and homes across Franklin, Grand Isle, Washington and Chittenden Counties. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from St. Michael’s college in 2005, received a Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling from University of Vermont in 2008, and is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor. She has completed intensive training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and her work is strongly informed by Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Solution-Focused Brief Treatment. Melissa enjoys presenting workshops and trainings and is passionate about working with our college population.

Kate Morris is a graduate of Davidson College (Davidson, N.C.) and St. Ambrose University School of Social Work (Davenport, Iowa). She has served in a variety of therapeutic roles, including as a spiritual and bereavement counselor to hospital and hospice patients and their families at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and, most recently, as a college counselor at St. Ambrose University. Kate is a Licensed Social Worker and Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor and leads groups on body image and intuitive eating.

Meghan Albrecht is a graduate of the Smith School for Social Work. She is a Licensed Social Worker and a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor. Meghan has worked in a variety of settings including an acute crisis center, inpatient, college, high school and most recently outpatient substance abuse and mental health counseling at Behavioral Health and Wellness in Morrisville, VT. She received her certificate for trauma studies in 2017 through the Justice Resource Institute of Boston.

Noah Goss-Woliner is a graduate-level intern for the University of Vermont’s Masters in Mental Health Counseling Program. He is a graduate of Middlebury College with a degree in psychology. Before working at Norwich, Noah was employed as a behavior interventionist for the Howard Center in Burlington, Vt. Noah is also a soccer coach for youth in Vermont.
About WellTrack

WellTrack is an online resource for reducing stress, anxiety, and depression.

The Counseling and Wellness center (CWC) has added a new tool to help with emerging concerns prior and in adjunct with counseling and talk therapy, to add to the many therapeutic options currently offered at Norwich University.

Students, faculty, and staff of Norwich now have access to WellTrack, on online resource for stress, anxiety, and depression reduction. WellTrack is a secure and anonymous way for users to assess their personal well-being and quickly gain access to resources tailored to meet their individual needs. Students and staff will be able to use self-guided tools designed to help them adjust their thoughts and behavior, as well as improve their moods. So far from the apps send off at Norwich, 75% of all users have reported that their moods have improved. Users have improved 57% on stress, 46% improved on anxiety, and 43% of all users have improved on depression.

WellTrack is available online at “welltrack.com;” access has been paid for by the CWC. Access cards, posters, and other marketing materials are posted across campus. The mobile app provides users with a quick and easy way to check in on their mood while on the go. It is available for free on the Apple App Store and Google Play for the Android.

WellTrack originates from the work of Darren Piercey, a psychology professor at the University of New Brunswick. Piercey’s laboratory research investigated Computerized Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CCBT) for depression, stress, and anxiety.

The CWC serves Norwich University students and, in support of their well-being, provides support through counseling services with the staff and faculty. The purchase of a campus-wide license for WellTrack comes with access not only for students, but for the faculty and staff too.

The more knowledgeable Norwich becomes with these resources, the easier it will be to introduce the student population to them. The campus community is encouraged to look in to WellTrack.

The total amount of users on Norwich is 188, and their average mood within the last 30 days was scored as “fine.” There is a steady trend of bad moods, though normal moods are rising throughout the weeks. People are improving on their stress, anxiety, and depression levels with each passing day.