Reposted from College of Health.

In today’s college environment, students face mounting pressures—from mastering rigorous coursework to building a new life away from familiar support systems. Anxiety, depression and isolation increasingly impact campus communities, and students nationwide find themselves waiting weeks or even months to access mental health support.

For Jamie Bennett, assistant professor in the Department of Occupational and Recreational Therapies (OT/RT), these growing wait times signaled a crisis that demanded action.

“From my vantage point as a faculty member, I’ve watched students struggle in silence,” she said. “They’re overwhelmed by mental health challenges that could be addressed with proper support. When students finally gather the courage to seek help, they can hit a wall of waitlists and bureaucracy. We’re failing them at their most vulnerable moments—and that’s simply unacceptable.”

To combat this problem, Bennett developed an innovative podcast designed specifically for college students navigating common challenges, from homesickness to academic pressure. With support from her doctoral chair Rhonda Nelson and funding from the National Council of Certification for Recreational Therapists, Bennett developed an evidence-based program to bridge the gap between crisis services and long-term counseling.

The eight-episode series, “Mental Health Pod Squad,” explores the recreational therapy process. Before developing content, Bennett surveyed 380 college students to find out what topics they wanted to hear about. The resulting episodes address the five human domains—physical, social, emotional, cognitive and spiritual—structured around the “Flourishing Through Leisure” recreational therapy practice model.

The podcast, co-hosted by Bennett and Sandra Negley, associate professor emeritus in OT/RT, transforms traditional mental wellness content into actionable guidance.

“Every episode serves as a catalyst for change,” Bennett said. “We don’t just want listeners to absorb information passively. We provide concrete tools and strategies they can implement immediately to strengthen their mental well-being.”

Bennett has initiated a study of nearly 50 student participants who completed the series to assess the program’s efficacy and so far the results are promising.

According to the findings that have been submitted for publication but have not yet undergone peer review, students reported significant improvements across all mental health indicators, including anxiety, depression, loneliness and overall well-being. Most importantly, participants consistently engaged with the suggested activities and noticed positive changes in their mental health and overall well-being.

The University of Utah offers crucial mental health resources, including the University Counseling Center Services and Crisis Line, Huntsman Mental Health Institute crisis line, Mental Health First Responders, and the Safe UT App. And the podcast provides additional support for students waiting for counseling appointments or seeking supplementary resources.

You can listen to the eight-episode series now on all major podcast platforms, including Apple and Spotify. Many mental health podcasts exist, but “Mental Health Pod Squad” stands out for its research-based, sequential program designed specifically for college students.

Bennett hopes to obtain more grant funding to support ongoing podcast development and involve college students in the recordings. They’ll use a national recruitment process to identify the best subjects for future episodes.

“Focused, evidence-based podcast programs like this could revolutionize mental health care,” she said. “Imagine a world where people everywhere have access to the support they need. We could foster healthier, happier societies, empowering individuals to reach their full potential.”

• Sarah Shebek College of Health communications manager
  ‭(801) 560-9178‬ sarah.shebek@health.utah.edu