Phi Kappa Psi fraternity members launched the Bridge to Wellness Foundation, a nonprofit that provides free counseling and reintegration resources to underserved Texans. The organization welcomed its first client into counseling on Sept. 3.
“What this program is, it’s a godsend,” said Dr. Charles Nemeroff, a professor in psychiatry at Dell Medical School. “It’s an attempt by Texas students to help provide mental health care to those most in need. … It’s a great first step.”
The organization collaborates with the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless and Synergy eTherapy, according to the website. Bridge to Wellness Vice President Owen Sullivan said the organizations they partnered with deliver six weeks of free online counseling. This is followed by connections to job placement, housing and addiction recovery programs. By partnering with other nonprofits, Bridge to Wellness works to address root causes of instability while ensuring clients have long-term support after therapy ends.
“We are a nonprofit that is actively trying to branch nonprofits around Austin together,” said Blake Gonzales, president of Bridge to Wellness and a government and international relations sophomore. “Not one nonprofit organization can ever fix poverty, homelessness, but the more nonprofits we have working together, the more we’ll be able to increase the accessibility and help around Texas.”
Lisa Lovelace, founder of Synergy eTherapy, a nonprofit that offers therapy online, will help unhoused community members with deeper, long-term problems like anxiety, depression or substance abuse. The organization decided to collaborate with the fraternity because they have a similar mission, she said.
“What they’ve done here is just remarkable,” Lovelace said. “It could be very much a blueprint for other students in high school, college and beyond to realize the impact that they’re making by connecting people with the right resources.”
Nemeroff said it is difficult for people to maintain employment or daily responsibilities when facing mental health struggles. Owen Sullivan, vice president of Bridge to Wellness, said the organization hopes it can assist with this issue.
“We’re really trying to bridge the gap where they can get accessibility to it, so they can get back on their feet and live more productive lives,” said Sullivan, a mechanical engineering and Plan II sophomore.
Gonzales said one of the organization’s clients began the program this month and secured a job interview. Ryder Maraquin, secretary of Bridge to Wellness, said he was excited about this.
“It’s spectacular to see the effect of all the work that we’ve been putting in come to fruition,” said Maraquin, an architectural engineering sophomore. “Seeing the dedication, commitment and just her overall enthusiasm about getting into this program and doing her first session, it made me really proud to be a part of this.”
During this trial period, Gonzales said the organization is working with one client at a time, but plans to expand to multiple clients within six months. Drew Noonan, treasurer of Bridge to Wellness, said the nonprofit hopes to expand across the state in the future to continue serving the unhoused community.
“We want to have an impact on as many people as possible,” finance sophomore Noonan said. “If we have a solution that is tried and true and tested, we want to share that solution for as many people as possible.”
