Many people experience the following in counseling:

• You will be doing most of the talking.
• It is common to experience painful feelings before you begin to feel better. What you say to your counselor remains between the counselor and you.
• Your privacy is honored.
• Limits to confidentiality are provided at your first appointment.
• You will be encouraged to examine your behavior, feelings, and thoughts.
• The counselor will help in finding your path that fulfills your goals.

Counseling may be helpful if you feel concerned about:

• Feeling lonely
• Wondering what you are going to do with your life
• Choosing relationships that don't seem to work out
• Drinking or using drugs
• Hiding a secret that you would rather not
• Family problems
• Doing your homework and feeling as though you listen in class but the grades don't reflect the effort
• Grief and loss
• Feeling stressed out or anxious
• Feeling sad, low energy or depressed most of the time
• Trouble sleeping
• You don't seem to have the friendships that you would like
• Thoughts of suicide
• Either eating too much or too little
• Exercising compulsively
• Physical or emotional abuse
• Sexual abuse

In order to know whether or not something is a problem, you must examine the effects it has on your life. For example, most of us have times where we feel very sad or depressed. It is a problem if your sadness prevents you from doing your best academically - or - if it interferes with your relationships with other people. The same is true of other problems. Some people drink, but if your drinking causes arguments or you get a DWI, it may be a problem.

For more information or to make an appointment, call or stop by Health & Counseling Services in the lower level of Rotary Hall. On your first visit you will be asked to fill out some paperwork and visit with the counselor. Most people feel some anxiety the first time they come to see a counselor — after the first visit it gets a lot easier.

With few exceptions information shared in counseling including the fact that you have sought counseling is not released to individuals outside the Counseling Center without your permission. The exceptions to confidentiality include threat of harm to yourself or others, suspected abuse of a child or incapacitated adult, or a court order. If for any reason you want your counselor to contact someone outside the counseling center (e.g. parents, faculty, or staff member), you need to discuss this with your therapist ahead of time. In all cases you must fill out a consent form to release the information.

The counselor is available to meet with faculty or staff to provide an initial assessment and/or referrals to providers in the community to obtain counseling. Confidentiality, as outlined above, also applies to communication with faculty and staff.

No. Services are provided on a short-term basis at no charge to all students enrolled at Centenary. Students needing ongoing treatment will be referred to resources in the community.