Anne Lantey, Counselor

"It's been especially helpful to my English language learners."

"So how Alongside is helping my students? The big thing, it's giving them an opportunity to vent, just, you know, say what's in their minds without somebody judging them or interrupting them or trying to give them advice. I think it's been especially helpful to my English language learners who when they come to counseling, usually I need to have a translator there. And sometimes it may not necessarily flow, but this gives them an opportunity to just say what they need to say and for them to just vent without being interrupted.

It makes me think of a student who came in the other day and we talked of course with translation, and then I introduced her to the app, and later on that afternoon she had made a suicidal outcry. And for me, I found so much value in that because throughout that conversation she was able to fully express herself, you know, in a way that she had not been able to, you know, using the translation.

But this gave her an opportunity to just say what she needed to say and then I was able to step in and give her the additional help that she needed. So, absolutely valuable for all students, but especially for students who may not necessarily want to come to the counseling office because they feel there's a barrier."