Counseling

All Western students, both undergraduate and graduate students who are currently enrolled, are eligible to receive Counseling Center services.

NO FEES

Call or Visit the Counseling Center to set up your appointment.  You will be asked to fill out a confidential personal data sheet to help your counselor quickly get to know you and your chief concerns.  If we are closed when you try to contact us, please leave a message on our voicemail system.

The Counseling Center staff has a strong commitment to assure that all information is kept confidential. In addition to our own professional commitment to insure confidentiality, national privacy acts for students legally require it. All counseling information is confidential unless a written release is given by the student, or unless the individual is a danger to self or others. (An exception to the privilege of confidentiality is that a counselor must legally disclose information if it is deemed necessary for protection from imminent danger.)

The staff at the Counseling Center may confer with university personnel in order to improve services provided for students. For example, these consultations may help a faculty member or residential life staff member understand better ways to work (in general) with a student problem or circumstance. Never do these consultations reveal the content of students’ counseling sessions. Nor do we tell others whether or not a particular student is being seen for counseling.

CANCELLATIONS

In the event of a cancellation, please notify us 24 hours before the appointment. We will be happy to schedule another appointment.

INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING

The Counseling Center offers individual counseling to all currently enrolled students. Counseling is a process in which individuals are helped to understand their feelings and behaviors, their relationships with others, insight into their particular situation, and greater clarity regarding choices and decisions. Discussion and exploration of relevant issues enable students to change behaviors, attitudes and beliefs, to increase self-awareness and to gain insight. Counseling leads to more informed decision making and enables individuals to grow towards greater freedom in making mature choices and taking responsible action with themselves, relationships, family and studies.

STUDENT ISSUES

Often students have concern about themselves or others or with

situations in which they find themselves. They may:

· have trouble getting along with a family member, roommate, friend or romantic partner.

· want to belong and be included

· feel lonely or isolated or experience depression or anxiety that keeps them from doing what they want or need to do

· need to learn how to work more effectively and productively, and better manage their time and stress

· worry about their relationship to food and their own body image

· be overwhelmed by grief or loss

· have difficulty with alcohol or other drugs

· wonder where they are headed in life

· feel stuck or split about an important decision

· experience "panic" attacks

· seek academic counseling and/or advising

· feel unsure about career choice

· need referral to a psychiatrist

· be experiencing a personal or family crisis

· be questioning sexual orientation or alternative lifestyles

· want to resolve or strengthen social relationships

· be suffering from low self esteem or feelings of inadequacy

· want to know about entrance requirements and process of gaining graduate education.

The Counseling Center staff possesses knowledge and expertise in a broad range of problems that university students typically and frequently encounter including relationship problems with romantic partner, roommates or friends, family problems, grief and loss issues related to relationship break-up or death; also low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and uncertainty about choice of academic major or career. These are just a few of the problems and concerns that the staff is well-trained in helping students to understand, change, and cope with more effectively. Personal concerns may also include family, peer and work relationships, difficulties or emotional issues related health or mental health. A consulting psychiatrist is available when medication may be needed. What is also important for students to know is that the counseling services are free. Our office is opened Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. as well as evenings by special appointment.

CAREER COUNSELING

Career Counseling is the process of helping a student to develop and accept an integrated and adequate picture of himself or herself and of his/her role in the world of work.  The student then needs to test this concept against reality, and to convert it into reality, with satisfaction for himself or herself and responsibility to society. Inventories of personality and interests may be used to help the student become aware of his/her interests and how they can relate to occupations, identifying possible fields and level of work, and selecting an educational program that can lead to a satisfying career. The use of personality and interest inventories can also help students get a better, more comprehensive and organized picture of themselves. Education and academic advisement can then be an essential next component of career counseling.  The Counseling Center works in conjunction with the Career Development Center and academic advisors to help the student find the best personal route through school and into the world or work beyond graduation.

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