Breaking The Mental Health Stigma with Dr. Patrick McElwaine ”Doctor Mac”

Ones college-aged years are a time of discovery and independence, but for a majority, it’s an anxious, confusing, difficult journey. In fact, a 2021 study found that 3 out of 5 college students meet the criteria for one or more mental health challenges. It is of the utmost importance here at Holy Family that we provide our students with easy access to resources and the tools should they need them to navigate difficult times.

Joining Dr. Prisco in this episode is Holy Family University Alumni and current Program Director for Masters of Counseling Psychology, Dr. Patrick McElwaine or “Doctor Mac” as he’s known on campus. Doctor Mac is a national leader in suicide prevention. He’s also a columnist for both Psychology Today and Treatment Magazine. He’s a Faculty Member at Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy, involved with NAMI and is also a Holy Family University Professor and Alumni.

In this episode, in addition to sharing all the mental health resources we have available for our students, Doctor Mac shares something very personal. He shares his own story of how a traumatic event in his childhood led to years of mental health issues and substance abuse, talk about how embracing his 13 year recovery not only saved his life, but led to it being a happy, successful and fulfilling life.

To learn more about Doctor Mac please visit holyfamily.edu

And if you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 any time of day, seven days a week to receive support for suicidal, mental health, and substance use crisis.