Please click on the links below to find detailed information on each area. Thank you!
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Individual Counseling
Eligibility
Counseling services are free to current students who are enrolled in a degree-seeking program. Services available to distance-learners may be limited due to geographical location and other concerns, though students in these programs can contact the center for further information.
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What is Counseling?In counseling, you have the opportunity to discuss your concerns with a caring objective professional who will consider your needs, values, and unique situation as he or she assists you. Counseling can help you to clarify your thoughts and feelings, identify concerns that may be interfering with day-to-day living or with enjoyment of life, and develop a plan of action to get things back on track when they have gotten derailed. Counseling can promote personal growth and positive change through greater self-awareness. It provides support and understanding, which can be a relief in and of itself.
When you first begin your counseling, at the initial appointment, you will start by getting some basic information about our services and then filling out a brief form that requests your demographic information. The initial appointment continues with you sharing your concerns about yourself or situation with the counselor. The counselor may ask a variety of questions to get a clearer sense of what is happening and may ask questions about all different aspects of your life to ensure that you are being understood in the context of your whole life. You and your counselor will define the goals that you wish to work on in your time in our office. As your counseling progresses to subsequent sessions, you will continue to establish with your counselor a collaborative, working relationship that will help you reach your goals. At times, you may be encouraged to take steps towards your goals that occur between your counseling sessions. The more actively involved and invested that you are in your counseling and growth, the more effective it is likely to be.
The counseling that students receive from Concordia Counseling Services is generally short-term in nature, though the amount of time spent in counseling varies from person to person and according to the nature of their concerns. If longer-term, more specialized, or more intensive help is needed, your counselor can help you arrange for other services through your insurance or in the community. Counseling sessions usually last between 45-50 minutes in length. It is common for students to start out meeting with their counselor on a weekly basis and then, as they make progress towards their counseling goals, to taper off counseling until they are ready to end. Different arrangements can be made with your counselor as well, as appropriate.
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Common Concerns about Counseling
CONCERN: My problem can't be that important. I don't want to take time away from others who might need it more.
RESPONSE: Any problem is valid and worthy of attention.We can be a supportive, confidential listener to help you sort through your problem, however big or small.
CONCERN: I'm too embarrassed and ashamed to discuss my problem.
RESPONSE: While these feelings are common across cultures, they can prevent us from getting the help and support we sometimes need to function at our best. Counselors provide caring, non-judgmental assistance to help you through your emotional struggles. Students tell us that often what is most helpful is the opportunity to talk things out with someone who knows how to listen and who cares about their well being.
CONCERN: If I just had enough strength, discipline or faith, I should be able to handle my issues on my own.
RESPONSE: Most of us will experience some degree of emotional distress during our lives, regardless of the strength of our faith or our self-discipline. Seeking out resources at a time of need is a sign of maturity, courage, and wisdom.
CONCERN: I don't have time to deal with my feelings right now!
RESPONSE: The possibility that talking about personal issues will stir things up and make it harder for you to function must be balanced against the negative consequences of ignoring them. Sometimes personal issues that we don't address can come back to haunt us in the form of increased anxiety, irritability, dysfunctional relationships, panic attacks, and so on. There may never be an "ideal" time to work on your issues.
CONCERN: I don't want anyone to know that I met with a counselor.
RESPONSE: All information related to counseling--even the fact that you've met with a counselor--is confidential with a few exceptions. You choose whether or not to disclose information regarding your counseling.
CONCERN: I'm nervous about making an appointment and talking to a stranger about personal matters.
RESPONSE: Some initial discomfort is common, but our staff is experienced with putting you at ease and helping you through the process.
(Adapted with permission from DePaul University Barat Campus Counseling Services, with special thanks to Alexandra Dellutri, MSW, LCSW, BCD.)
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Crisis Intervention
At times, students may become overwhelmed to the point where they are in a personal crisis and are unable to function and cope as they normally would. Crises can include intense emotional distress as a result of mental health issues or situational problems, suicidal ideation and/or intentions, and violent ideation and/or intentions. In such instances, it is helpful for a student to be seen by a counselor as soon as possible for the purpose of assessment of safety and immediate intervention. When a student is seen for crisis intervention, a counselor will utilize strategies to focus and calm the student, to assess functioning and safety risks, and to begin to put a plan together to address the immediate, short-term, and long-term needs of the student. Often, when a crisis is attended to in such a manner, the student will feel better able to cope and will be able to move forward in a positive manner.
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Assessment
At times, clarification—beyond what can be gleaned by talking to a counselor— may be needed about the concerns with which a student is facing. At those times, additional objective assessment (sometimes called “testing”) may be utilized. Assessments completed in Counseling Services can include brief psychological tests that screen for concerns such as depression and anxiety. Assessments may also be more in-depth, such as the case with testing for a wider range of mental health and personality characteristics or for alcohol/drug abuse concerns. The most common testing instruments used in Counseling Services includes the Beck Depression Inventory-II, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2, and the Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory, among others. Students can initiate assessment for specific concerns. Recommendations for assessment may also be made by a counselor who is seeing a student for counseling in our office.
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Referrals for Community Resources
Students may find themselves in need of a wide range of services from the community. Counselors can assist students in finding services for things like off-campus counselors or specialized forms of treatment, social services or medical assistance, legal aid assistance, and so on. Requests for community resources can be made in person at our office or via email or phone.
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Consultation for Students, Staff, and Faculty
Consultation for Students
Consultation is a way for students to gain specific information from the Counseling Services counselors. Information typically sought out by students includes: Tips for helping a distressed peer or family member, information on mental health topics for classes or projects, information about the field of psychology, and resources for a variety of community services (which can include mental health services, chemical health services, chemical health services, crisis programs, food/shelter/other basic needs, and others). Consultation can be done in person by appointment or by telephone or email (though email is not a secure way of communicating and care should be used when sending sensitive or identifying information in this manner). Consultations are not confidential, like personal counseling, unless requested.
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Consultation for Staff and Faculty
Consultation by staff and faculty is an excellent way to connect with the Counseling Services counselors about a number of topics. Most frequently utilized is consultation for the purpose of discussing students of concern. In those conversations, staff and faculty can discuss the referral of a student to the center, receive strategies for working with students of concern, and be provided information on mental health issues that affect students. Staff and faculty may also consult with a counselor about resources in the community that could be provided to students. It should be noted that counselors cannot reveal anything about a student who may or may not be coming to our office, unless the student signs a Release of Information form for information to be disclosed about them. However, counselors can always discuss general concerns and strategies and can take information from you (that can be utilized in the care of the student if that student comes for or is already in counseling). Additionally, if a student reveals that he or she has been referred to Counseling Services by a staff or faculty member, or if a staff or faculty member informs Counseling Services about their concerns about a student, counselors will attempt to get a written release from thee student so that consultation can take place. Please note that consultations with counselors are not confidential, like personal counseling is, unless requested. Consultation can be in person, by telephone or email, or in a group format (such as when a variety of staff or a faculty department are all concerned about a particular student or about a particular issue).
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Education Programming and Outreach
Counselors are available to provide a variety of different educational programming and outreach experiences to students and, at times, to staff and faculty. These experiences can be at the request of professors, staff or student groups (like with speaking in a class, in a club or at an event). Counselors may also offer a variety of outreach experiences that are not a part of a request from a particular person or group but that can benefit students (e.g., Eating Disorders Awareness Week and De-stress Zone events). At times, counselors, also assist student groups, like the Resident Assistants, and provide training on crisis intervention, basic helping skills, and the like. Examples of programming topics include, but are not limited to: Information about Counseling Services, building healthy relationships, dealing with mental health issues like depressions or anxiety, working in the field of psychology, and so forth.
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For the Canine Connections program, faculty and staff bring in their dogs each month to meet with students to help
them de-stress, lower their anxiety, and feel more connected to the campus.
