Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) welcomed Melissa Grinslade, MSW, LCSW, as the new Campus Counselor. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in Social Work from Indiana University. She is also a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.
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Grinslade comes to The Woods with over a decade of experience in the counseling field. She served as a counselor at Indiana State University for 10 years. She then took a hiatus from Higher Education and took part in serving the community through public counseling services through a local agency.
In addition to her work, Grinslade is a proud mother of two children, a certified yoga instructor and an art lover. She is excited to incorporate personal interests and practices into the counseling center at SMWC. “I have a lot of pieces in me that fit together, and I think all of these will be a great fit for being at The Woods,” she said. Grinslade is excited to present new ideas and events for students to enjoy, including yoga and art.
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In addition to expanding programs and events that the Counseling Center sponsors, Grinslade is looking forward to making the Counseling Center a comforting place where students know they are always welcome. “I think something important to remember is that college is rough. Of course, because of the curriculum, but also because there are so many transitions happening. It is so valuable to have a resource like this [the counseling center] on campus,” Grinslade said.
As the academic year starts to kick off, Grinslade looks forward to meeting more students, faculty and staff of The Woods community. “It really is like coming home when pulling onto campus. It’s just reassurance that this is where I’m supposed to be.”