SEWANEE'S HOME FOR STUDENT WELLBEING

The Wellness Commons is the home of Counseling and Psychological Services, University Health Services, and FitWell. Our holistic and intentional approach recognizes that physical fitness, outdoor activity, fun, basic needs, and spirituality are essential components of mental and physical wellbeing. We offer comprehensive health services, individual and group counseling, group exercise classes, and outreach programs. 

What will I find at the Wellness Commons?

Counseling and Psychological Services

Students are welcome to visit CAPS for their mental health needs. 

University Health Services

Students are welcome to visit UHS for any medical concerns.

FitWell

The gym at FitWell is inclusive of all fitness levels, body types, and abilities. We offer strength and cardio rooms, as well as group exercise classes. 

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Outreach

The Wellness Commons offers a variety of outreach programs. We often partner with student organizations and other departments. Students are welcome to contact us to plan an outreach event with the Wellness Commons.

Newsletter

Stay up to date on the Wellness Commons by reading our newsletters. You can find our current issue and archived newsletters by clicking the button below. 

Resources for Faculty and Staff

Knowing how to recognize signs of distress, how to respond, and how to access resources will equip faculty and staff with the tools to support a student who needs help. Our staff has created this Purple Folder as a resource for employees to help students in distress. 

 

Wellness Leadership

Leigh Collins, LCSW

Executive Director, wellness commons/Director, Counseling & Psychological Services

With more than two decades of experience as a licensed social worker, Leigh is a skilled clinician, leader, facilitator, and writer. She is certified by the American Association of Suicidology as a College and University Suicide Prevention Specialist. She is also a mindfulness instructor, certified by the Mindfulness Institute of Emerging Adults (MIEA). She is a biofeedback practitioner and certified yoga and barre instructor with a strong commitment to holistic health and wellbeing. Leigh received her MSW from Tulane University and has experience working with students in higher education, secondary schools, and outpatient clinical settings. She specializes in cognitive therapies, including CBT, CBT-e, ACT, and DBT, and she primarily works with anxiety disorders and obsessive compulsive disorder. She is the author of Parenting Through Illness: Help for Families when a Parent is Seriously Ill (2016, Hohm Press). She enjoys hiking, yoga, and playing with her two dogs.

Elise Tarhan, LCSW

Director of Operations, wellness commons/Associate Director, Counseling & Psychological Services

A Saint-Andrew's-Sewanee School and University of the South graduate, Elise returned to the Mountain in 2020 after completing a 2-year Post-Master's Clinical Fellowship at NC State University Counseling Center. Prior to her fellowship, Elise earned her master's degree in Social Work, Social Policy, and Social Administration from the University of Chicago. Her areas of interest include anxiety, mood disorders, trauma, identity exploration (particularly with the LGBTQIA+ community), grief, and self-esteem. Drawing from mindfulness-based approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Elise cultivates a person-centered, eclectic therapeutic approach. She is committed to creating spaces that are strengths-based, inclusive, and trauma-informed. Elise has extensive training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy. She has also completed EMDR Basic Training. In addition to her clinical practice as a therapist, she is passionate about suicide prevention and positive systemic change. In her spare time, Elise enjoys long walks on campus and spending time with her family and friends. 

Mindy Holloway, ACNP-BC, FNP-BC

Director, University Health Services

Mindy joined the Wellness staff in 2017 after practicing for 10 years in primary care. She obtained her ASN from Motlow State Community College, her BSN from Middle Tennessee State University, her MSN from The University of Alabama in Huntsville, and her Post-MSN certificate from Austin Peay State University. Mindy holds dual NP certifications through the American Nurses Credentialing Center as an Adult Acute Care Nurse Practitioner and a Family Nurse Practitioner. She enjoys many aspects of acute and primary care, especially performing in-office procedures. Mindy and her husband, Nick, have two children that keep them busy year round on the softball, baseball, soccer, and football fields.

Alena Kochinski

INTERIM Director, FitWell

A proud alumna of The University of the South, Alena graduated in 2018 with a major in Theatre and a minor in Biology. Her experience as a Production and Design Intern from 2020 to 2024 in Sewanee's Theatre and Dance Department sparked her love for student mentorship and community engagement. She brings a blend of creativity, leadership, and a genuine passion for wellness to her role in FitWell. With a black belt in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), Alena is dedicated to fitness and personal growth. In her free time, she enjoys painting portraits, kayaking, and exploring feng shui.

Wellness Administrative Staff

Anna Palmer-Hosch

Wellness Commons Administrator

Anna is a University of the South graduate (C'17) with an immense love of the community here on the mountain. As a student at Sewanee, she was a Carey Fellow and a psychology major. As a Carey Fellow, Anna interned at Walrus, a boutique advertising agency in NYC, working on new business development. She previously served as the Sustainability Coordinator at Sewanee and as an Admission Counselor at St. Andrew's-Sewanee School. When Anna is not snuggled up with her two dogs reading a book, she can be found hiking the Sewanee trails or attempting to keep her many plants alive.

Evelyn Patton

MEDICAL OFFICE SENIOR PATIENT COORDINATOR

Evelyn joined the Wellness Center staff in 2017. She previously worked for Grundy and Franklin County 911 EMS services. She attended the University of the South EMT program and has been certified as an AEMT since 2005. She has also completed the Business Systems Technology program at the Tennessee Technology Center in McMinville. Evelyn is a long-time resident of Sewanee. She graduated high school from the Sewanee Academy and was even born in the old Emerald Hodgson Hospital, which is now a residence hall on campus!

Lindsay Venable

wellness commons administrative assistant

Lindsay received her B.S. in Bible and General Studies with a minor in Psychology from Columbia International University and her A.S. in Social Work from Motlow State Community College. With years of experience working in medical offices, Lindsay prioritizes offering safe and supportive environments as she connects with students with Wellness Commons resources. 

Donate Today

Interested in supporting student wellness at Sewanee? Contribute to the Wellness Commons general fund or be a part of a specific initiative like:

  • Outreach Programming
  • Substance Abuse Prevention
  • Faculty Education Around Student Mental Health
  • CPR Training for Students

 

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