Olivia DrakeMarch 23, 20111min
Dr. Philippa Coughlan, 75, director of Wesleyan’s Office of Behavioral Health for Students (OBHS), died March 17 after a brief illness. Dr. Coughlan founded OBHS in the early 1970s, and she coordinated and directed psychotherapeutic and counseling services at Wesleyan for nearly 40 years. Many generations of Wesleyan students benefited from her professional skills, diligent work, and caring support. Under her guidance, the office expanded to meet the substantial increases in both the number of students seeking assistance and the complexity of the issues those students present. Dr. Coughlan received her Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she worked…