Partnership provides free online access to more than 150 self-guided interactive digital sessions on anxiety, depression, substance abuse and more through the NSU’s counseling center
CLEARWATER, Fla. – January 24, 2022 – TAO Connect, a digital platform designed to make behavioral health therapy more accessible and effective, today announces its partnership with Nova Southeastern University (NSU). All NSU students, faculty and staff now have 24/7 access via mobile app or Web browser to TAO Connect’s suite of evidence-based, self-guided mental health and wellness exercises through the NSU Center for Student Counseling and Wellbeing by Henderson Behavioral Health.
“Access to mental health services is an obstacle that many college students face, especially as pandemic-related closures, isolations and general uncertainty prevail for yet another semester,” said Sherry Benton, Ph.D., ABPP, chief science officer and founder of TAO Connect. “TAO Connect’s mission from day one has been to increase accessibility to mental health care to those that need it most, and we are thrilled to partner with Nova Southeastern University to care for their students.”
Since the pandemic, NSU has seen an increase in counseling services among students but has faced challenges with scheduling availability to meet the growing demand. Now, NSU students, faculty and staff at all university locations have 24/7 access to TAO Connect’s V3 platform, which contains more than 150 interactive sessions on anxiety, depression, sleep, sexual violence, substance abuse and more. The partnership also includes access to the platform’s various mental health exercises, such as a library of mindfulness meditations, exercises and journal prompts. Users can also access TAO Connect’s AI chatbot, TAO Assistant, which guides them through the platform to find a plan specific to the individual’s mental health needs.
“NSU’S Center for Student Counseling and Wellbeing is proud to integrate TAO Connect and its evidence-based digital programming to the university’s comprehensive mental health and wellness offering to our staff and student population,” said Suzelle Guinart, Director, Henderson Student Counseling Services at Nova Southeastern University. “The value of our students and faculty having 24/7 access to an online library of mental health resources that can be accessed in the palm of their hands, whenever they need and wherever they are is a priceless component of any full-service mental health and wellness support plan. TAO Connect compliments this strategy perfectly.”
Designed similarly to how users choose movies or series on streaming platforms, TAO’s Learner Dashboard is customized to offer specific titles by category, special interest, or by learning what the user has previously selected, giving users a more familiar and highly personalized experience. Some of TAO’s more popular titles are topics like Understanding Depression, Sources of Wellbeing and Getting Stuck in Our Thoughts.
NSU students can register for TAO online (https://us.taoconnect.org/register). To learn more about TAO and its technology, please visit www.TAOConnect.org.
About TAO Connect:
TAO Connect is a virtual platform committed to reducing behavioral health disparities by bringing affordable, effective, and accessible treatment to people who have limited access. The online program provides therapeutic educational resources for common behavioral health problems using a comprehensive platform of virtual tools for therapists and clients. The tools provide information about client education, interaction, accountability, and progress assessment to facilitate effective results. TAO’s tools can be used as self-directed, minimally supported help with peer counselors or case managers, custom group support, brief psychotherapy sessions, traditional (50-minute) psychotherapy, or as a transition from inpatient back to the community.
About Nova Southeastern University (NSU): At NSU, students don’t just get an education, they get the competitive edge they need for real careers, real contributions and real life. A dynamic, private research university, NSU is providing high-quality educational and research programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree levels. Established in 1964, the university includes 15 colleges, the 215,000-square-foot Center for Collaborative Research, the private JK-12 grade University School, the world-class NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale, and the Alvin Sherman Library, Research and Information Technology Center, one of Florida’s largest public libraries. NSU students learn at our campuses in Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Miami, Miramar, Orlando, Palm Beach, and Tampa, Florida, as well as San Juan, Puerto Rico, and online globally. With nearly 200,000 alumni across the globe, the reach of the NSU community is worldwide. Classified as having “high research activity” by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, NSU is one of only 59 universities nationwide to also be awarded Carnegie’s Community Engagement Classification and is also the largest private institution in the United States that meets the U.S. Department of Education’s criteria as a Hispanic-serving Institution. Please visit www.nova.edu for more information.