Personal counseling is a process of self-discovery and growth. It can help increase self- confidence, improve relationships, solve problems, achieve educational goals, and make good decisions for emotional, intellectual, physical, and spiritual well-being. Most people, at one time or another, can benefit from counseling. The SCS provides individual, group, and couple counseling for personal concerns that are common among undergraduate and graduate students. Common concerns that students face include relationship difficulties (e.g., romantic partner, roommate, family), depression, anxiety, stress, dealing with change, fear of failure, career uncertainty, and coping with feelings such as loneliness, sadness, shame, anger, guilt, etc.

Sometimes psychiatric consultation is needed in order to provide the most effective help to students seeking assistance from the Student Counseling Service. Your psychologist or counselor may want a second opinion about how best to help you, or it could be that medication may help correct an underlying or contributing neurobiological problem. Medication does not "cure" emotional aches and pains, and is not a substitute for making progress in counseling toward resolving psychological concerns. Whether or not medication is prescribed is a decision you and the consulting psychiatrist will make together. Two physicians who are Diplomates in Psychiatry, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, provide psychiatric services.

Also provided are specialized services such as anger management, biofeedback training, couple and human sexuality counseling, alcohol and substance counseling, and services for minority, international, and disabled students.