South of Seoul Public Health (SOS Public Health) thanks everyone who participated in the SOS Public Health Mental Health Access Survey on Incheon Global Campus (IGC). Information collected has helped identify potential resources that students, faculty, and staff would like to access on or near campus.
South of Seoul volunteers are working to compile such resources and make information available to Incheon Global Campus. As the SOS Public Health team works to compile more information on these resources, we would like to share some of our recent survey results with the community.
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Why Research How Mental Health Resources are Accessed?
Mental health resources are tools that students, faculty, and staff can use to manage mental health challenges. Resources for mental health may have great significance in improving the lives of students, faculty, and staff. Research regarding student and staff perceptions of access to mental health resources on Incheon Global Campus may support such things as the improved distribution of information regarding mental health.
SOS Public Health understands the difficulty of navigating mental health in an international setting. Through researching access to mental health resources at IGC, SOS Public Health plans to provide mental health information and resources that the Universities can share with their community.
Who Participated in the Survey?
SOS Public Health aimed to survey students, faculty, and staff currently affiliated with the five Incheong Global Campus universities:
Of the five universities, SOS Public Health received responses from students, faculty, and staff at two Incheon Global Campus universities: George Mason Korea and Utah Asia Campus (UAC).
As a result of such findings, SOS Public Health hopes to network further with all five universities in future mental health initiatives implemented at IGC. Additionally, SOS Public Health aims to begin outreach earlier in the initiative implementation process to improve networking possibilities.
A Brief Look into the SOS Public Health Mental Health Survey
The SOS Public Health Mental Health Survey showed that respondents tended to know where to access mental health resources on-campus more than off-campus. While 58.6% of respondents said they knew where to access on-campus resources, a large number of respondents did not access the on-campus resources, as shown in Graphs 2-4 below.
Results from the SOS public Health Survey also revealed that a majority of respondents never access on-campus mental health resources.
Several reasons for not accessing on-campus mental health services exist. Some reasons could include individuals:
- not knowing about on-campus mental health resources (as shown in Graph 2 above)
- needing more specialized mental health services (trauma counseling, sexual abuse counseling, etc.) that are not offered on-campus
- having a preference for off-campus mental health support
- feeling uncomfortable receiving on-campus mental health support
- not needing mental health support
Additional research and analysis are required to further understand the lack of access to on-campus mental health resources. More information on this topic will be shared as the SOS Public Health team continues the analysis of the survey.
When can we see more results from the SOS Public Health Mental Health Survey?
Over the coming months, SOS Public Health will continue analyzing the Mental Health Survey. Prior to providing IGC universities with a comprehensive list of mental health resources, a deeper dive into specific mental health providers is necessary to learn more about the specific services provided.
As new information arises, SOS Public health will create focused blogs to share with the IGC community. The IGC community is welcome to share these blogs through university-wide email, Kakao group chats, and social media.
A Limited List of Resources for Accessing Mental Health Services
Compiling information on available resources on- and off-campus may take some time. While SOS Public Health works to compile this information, below are some tools to help you find off-campus mental health counseling centers near you.
Mental Health Access Resources for the English-Speaking International Community
1. Gidep (기댑)
Gidep, a mental health app, allows individuals to search for mental health counseling centers near them within Korea. The app also has additional features such as a mental health self-assessment, iJournal, and Wellness Workshops.
For best mental health counseling search results, download the Gideb app from the App or Google Play Store.
After downloading, update your filters to reflect your preferred language and location. To learn how to do this, follow the screenshots below:
2. Naver Maps or Kakao Maps Search
Naver Maps and Kakao Maps are often the best tools for finding places in South Korea. Using these maps can be challening at first. However, with some practice, they become a useful source of information. To learn how to use Korean maps read the “Navigating Korea: Using Naver Maps” blog.
You can use Naver or Kakao to search for mental health and other services near you. For Naver and Kakao Maps, using Korean terms often gives you the best search results. The tricky part is knowing which terms to search. To help navigate Naver and Kakao Map searches for mental health services SOS Public Health, through the amazing help of Pyeongtaek Korean Tutors Jennifer Cho, has provided some mental health terms to use in your search. To search for these services copy and paste the Korean term listed below into Naver or Kakao maps:
- Mental Health Counseling – 심리상담
- Mental Health (General services – depression, anxiety, etc.) – 정신건강
- Trauma Counseling – 트라우마 상담
- Sexual Abuse Counseling – 성폭력 상담
- Couples Counseling – 부부및가족상담
- Adult Women’s Counseling – 성인여성 상담
- Addiction Counseling – 중독상담
- Adult Family Counseling – 성인 및 가족영역
IMPORTANT NOTE: These search terms will pull different Korean mental health counseling centers. To find out if the establishment provides English or other language services, we recommend calling ahead to double-check. Contact 1330 for help if you need someone to confirm information for you.
Mental Health Access Resources for the Korean-Speaking Community
For our Korean or Korean-speaking community on or near campus, the two websites below (provided by IGC Mental Health Counselor, Jan Lee) offer a directory of mental health counseling professionals and organizations.
1. Korean Counseling Psychology Association
The Korean Counseling Psychology Association website has a list of licensed mental health professionals. Through this website, individuals can find specific mental health services. See the screenshots below to learn how to use the directory. The mental health professionals on this website may be contacted either by email or by phone.
If you know what type of counseling you would like to receive, you can do a direct search using the search bar.
2. Korean Clinical Psychology Association
The Korean Clinical Psychology Association website also provides a list of mental health professionals and organizations. However, the site doesn’t offer a list of specified services. In order to learn more about each organization, you will need to click into the website homepage (if the link is provided) of each organization.
Incheon Global Campus Mental Health Counseling Center (ON-CAMPUS)
For those in the community who feel comfortable receiving mental health counseling on campus, the Incheon Global Campus Health Center provides general counseling services for students, faculty, and staff. The IGC Health Center website offers information on where to seek medical services, mental health counseling, and sexual violence counseling.
Each IGC university has a webpage (UAC, Mason Korea, Ghent) that details the IGC Mental Health Counseling Center’s information as listed below.
- Location: Incheon Global Campus Support Center (Multi-complex bldg.) 3rd-floor #3052
- Operating Hours: Monday – Friday 9:00 am – 5:30 pm
- Each university has different office hours listed. Call ahead to double-check that the hours listed are current.
- Counseling Format: In-person and Online
- Languages Spoken: English, Korean
- Mental Health Counseling Services Include:
- Depression Screening
- General Counseling
- To book a session:
- Call: Jan Lee at 032-626-6142
- Complete an Online Form
A Few (Paid) Online or In-Person Mental Health Counseling Options (OFF-CAMPUS)
Songdo is a fairly newly developed area which means that mental health counseling may be difficult to find close by. To overcome this challenge, some individuals have accessed online counseling options. The organizations listed below offer online mental health counseling for those unable to attend an in-person session.
The organizations listed below also offer in-person counseling. One organization is located in Songdo. For those who don’t mind traveling outside of Songdo, options have locations outside of Songdo.
1. Light In-U International Counseling (Light In U 심리상담센터)
- Location:
- Korean Address: 인천 연수구 하모니로 158 타임스페이스 B동706호
- English Address: Time Space Building B-706, 158 Harmony-ro Songdo-dong, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, South Korea
- 20-25 minute walk from IGC
- Operating Hours: Monday – Friday: 9:30am – 8:30pm | Saturday: 10am – 8pm
- Counseling Format: In-person and Online
- Languages Spoken: English, Korean
- Mental Health Counseling Services Include:
- Adjusting at School
- Bullying
- Addiction
- Depression
- Eating Disorders
- Suicidal Ideation
- Managing Emotions
- Obsessions and Compulsions
- For a complete list of services, visit the Light In-U website
- Contact Light In-U for Rates and Fees
- To book a session:
- Call: 010-2464-5979 or 032-832-5979
2. Couchology
- Location: Seoul (10-20 minutes from Hongdae, Itaewon, and Myeongdong)
- NOTE: Address and directions given upon confirmation of appointment.
- Operating Hours: Wednesday – Sunday 2:30 pm – 9:30 pm
- Counseling Format: In-person and Online
- Languages Spoken: English, Korean, Mandarin
- Mental Health Counseling Services Include:
- Anxiety
- Coping Skills
- Couples/Marital
- Depression
- Multicultural Issues
- Stress Management
- Trauma
- For a complete list of services, visit the Couchology Website
- Contact Couchology for Rates and Fees
- To book a session (no-walk ins):
- Call: 010-7380-9903,
- Email: jiaying@couchology.com
- Complete an Online Form
3. Seoul Counseling Center
- Location:
- Seoul Branch (4-minute walk from Sinsa Station (신사역))
- Korean Address: 서울특별시 강남구 강남대로158길 35 (신사동) 7층
- English Address: 7th Floor, 35, Gangnam-daero 158-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea, 06034
- Pyeongtaek Branch
- Korean Address: 경기도 평택시 팽성읍 신흥북로 29번길 40-15, 104호
- English Address: Suite 104, 40-15, Sinheungbukro29beon-gil, Paengseong-eup, Pyeongtaek-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea, 17977
- Seoul Branch (4-minute walk from Sinsa Station (신사역))
- Operating Hours: Monday – Friday: 10am – 9pm | Saturday: 9am – 7pm | Sunday: 10am – 7pm
- Counseling Format: In-person and Online
- Languages Spoken: English, Korean, Hebrew, Spanish
- Mental Health Counseling Services Include:
- Suicidal Thoughts
- Sleep Problems
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Trauma & PTSD
- Autism
- Cultural Identity
- Work & School
- For a complete list of services, visit the Seoul Counseling Center Website
- See Rates and Fees Here
- To book a session:
- To ask questions about counseling services offered:
- Call: 02-542-5553
- Email: support@seoulcounseling.com
How can the Community Stay Updated on Available Mental Health Resources?
Follow us on Instagram or Facebook to stay updated on SOS Public Health Initiatives. If you have questions about healthcare in Korea, visit the Health and Wellness in Korea Facebook Group, or feel free to message SOS Public Health with any questions or concerns.
Apply for an SOS Public Health Practicum Opportunity
Are you a graduate student looking for practical experience in public health? Apply for a an SOS Public Health Practicum! Click below to learn more about the SOS Public Health Practicum Program.
Research Design & Implementation Team
UX/UI Supervisor & Editor
Lanae Rivers-Woods moved to Korea in 2011 where she lives in the countryside with her family, friends, and puppies. She holds a BSSW (Bachelor’s of Science in Social Work), a MAIT (Master’s of Arts in International Teaching), and registered by the Pyeongtaek Korean Times with the Korean government as a Cultural Expert.
Ms. Rivers-Woods used her 15 years experience as a social architect, UX/UI designer, and technology consultant to found South of Seoul in 2015. South of Seoul is a volunteer organization that leverages technological tools to mitigate cultural dissonance in multi-cultural communities.
Through South of Seoul, Ms. Rivers-Woods works with independent volunteers, non-profit organizations, businesses, local & federal government, universities, and US military organizations to develop solutions to support English speaking international residents in rural South Korea.
Additionally, Ms. Rivers-Woods founded the South of Seoul smart phone app available for Google Play and iPhone. The app provides information a resources for those living and traveling in South Korea.
When she isn’t in South of Seoul development meetings or working her day job, Ms. Rivers-Woods loves to be outside at skate parks, the beach, or playing in the mountains.
Research Compliance Supervisor & Editor
Ms. Peck graduated from the University of Utah Asia Campus (UAC) in Incheon with a Master’s in Public Health and her Certification in Public Health (CPH). Ms. Peck also holds a Bachelor’s Degrees in Linguistics and one in International Studies with a Global Health emphasis.
Ms. Peck is Korean American and speaks both English and Korean. She has moved between the US and Korea since childhood, finally settling in Korea after graduating from UAC.
In 2021 Ms. Peck founded the South of Seoul Public Health Program which focuses on research and initiatives regarding the health and wellness of multinational residents in South Korea.
Additionally, Ms. Peck oversees the SOS Public Health Graduate Student Practicum Program which provides mentorship and training for Master’s in Public Health students. The program works with two students a semester with a focus on ethical UX research design, survey development, and initiative implementation.
University of Utah Public Health Intern & Author
Colton Johnson is a current student at the University of Utah, completing his Master’s in Public Health. He holds a Bachelor’s in Public Health as well, from Brigham Young University – Idaho.
Earlier in his graduate program, Mr. Johnson participated in a semester study abroad at the University of Utah Asia Campus (UAC) located in Incheon, South Korea. While studying in South Korea, he became interested in research focused on the mental health of international university communities.
Because Mr. Johnson developed a passion for supporting his fellow international university community, in January 2022, he applied for a Public Health Practicum with South of Seoul Public Health (SOS Public Health). Through his practicum with SOS Public Health, he has begun developing an initiative to increase access to mental health resources on Incheon Global Campus (IGC), a campus that houses five separate universities, including UAC. Mr. Johnson hopes to apply what he has learned from his practicum to his future career in Public Health.
