Reasons to Seek Counseling

Students seek counseling different reasons. Some students are simply seeking the opportunity for personal growth. Some desire an adult perspective and a confidential opportunity to talk with someone besides a friend or parent. For others, they may be experiencing homesickness, difficulty connecting on campus, loneliness, conflict with a friend or partner or anxiety about the future and deciding what degree/career to pursue.

Some students experience depression, anxiety or even thoughts about suicide and seek out counseling to assist them in addressing their concerns. Some students are exploring gender or sexual orientation and would like a safe place to navigate this journey. On occasion, students experience the death of a loved one while at college and seek a counselor's support to help them balance the grief amidst the multiple demands of the college environment.

Although college is a rewarding and fun opportunity, it can also be stressful. At times of significant stress, those things that had once seemed manageable can become overwhelming. Talking with someone, such as a college counselor, can assist in reducing stress and increasing one’s ability to tap into their own knowledge and skills.

Each student’s experience is varied, and what brings one person to counseling may not be the same that brings another. If you are experiencing one or more of the following, it may be an indication that counseling could be a place to receive additional support:

• Lacking motivation, feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness or not being able to enjoy activities that you used to
• Low self-esteem or confidence
• Withdrawing from friends, family and peers
• Declining academic performance
• Feeling emotionally numb
• Change in your sleeping habits
• Feeling anxious more than usual
• Thoughts about death or suicide
• Feeling like you can’t control your emotions
• Using drugs, alcohol, food or sex to cope
• Feeling like you’re “not yourself.”

If you are wondering if counseling is right for you, please reach out to us or stop by the office so that we can answer any questions that you may have.