Q. How can I arrange to see a counselor?
A. Call or come by Counseling Services. Students will complete a brief intake form and schedule an appointment to see a counselor.
Q. Where is Counseling Services located and how can I contact the staff?
A. Counseling is in Kranitz Student Center. Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday. 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Fridays Our phone number is 602-787-6540.
Q. What do PVCC counselors do?
A. Counselors at PVCC teach personal development and career and college success classes, assist students with personal, career and academic questions or issues, provide adult re-entry services, provide leadership training, work with students to define major for the student, help students get internships, and assist students with their resume or interviewing skills.
Q. How can I tell if I need counseling?
A. There is no single answer to this question.
In general, most people can handle most of life's problems on
their own or with the help of family/friends. There are times, however, when we "get stuck" or
can't figure out the solution on our own. Also, many times college
students find that they are a long distance from their friends/family... they don't have their usual
support network to turn to. These are the times when counseling
may be helpful. There are also times when people develop problems
of sufficient severity that professional assistance is really
needed even if one has friends/family who are available and willing
to help. Here is a list of some signs that counseling might be needed. The list is not comprehensive,
but it contains some of the more common signs:
- Feeling "down in the dumps" most of the time Thoughts
of harming yourself or others
- Feeling fearful
- Irritability, not getting along with people, or having more arguments than usual
- Fatigue or sleep problems (sleeping too much or not enough)
- Having a hard time paying attention or concentrating
- Binge eating or drinking
- Feeling lonely or sensing that nobody understands you
- Poor appetite
- Feeling hopeless... like there is no hope for the future
- Not enjoying things that you used to enjoy
- Engaging in any type of self-destructive behavior
- Feeling nervous or jittery
- Sudden changes in personality
- Feeling out of control
Q.
Do students really have to be mixed up to see a counselor?
A. The vast majority of the students who come to Counseling are
average people with problems typical of their age and environment.
If an issue is a concern to a student who may be dealing with more
severe issues and concerns, Counseling can help as well.
It is common for students to come for a talk with a counselor. Being
in college entails many normal developmental changes and challenges:
leaving home, choosing majors, negotiating intimate relationships,
and moving on when graduation approaches.
It is common for people to want to find someone to talk to while
dealing with some of these complex issues. And, of course, other
students may have additional concerns, such as depression, anxiety,
eating concerns, self esteem issues, sexuality, family illnesses
and trauma. The Counseling Center staff tries to be sensitive to
the broad range of concerns that students talk to us about.
Q.
What will I get out of coming to counseling?
A. The benefits of counseling can be invaluable: to be truly understood,
to experience trust and openness with someone, and to learn how
to counsel yourself. Seeing a counselor won't make all of your problems
magically disappear. But if you have the desire to understand yourself
and to change, then you've just taken a powerful step towards that
goal.
Q.
How long and how often are counseling sessions?
A. Counseling sessions are normally scheduled on a weekly basis
depending upon the nature of the problem. Sessions are typically
45 minutes long.
Q.
Will the information that I share in counseling be kept confidential?
Will it become part of my school record?
A. The records of the Counseling Center are kept separate from other
university records. Counselors at the Counseling Center do not normally
share information about their clients with anybody outside of the
Counseling Center staff. There are, however, a few exceptions to
the rules about confidentiality. The most common exception is when
a client requests that we share information. If a student wants
us to share information, s/he will usually have to make the request
in writing. Infrequently, situations arise where a counselor may
be required by law to disclose information whether the client consents
or not. These situations usually involve cases of child abuse or
neglect, court orders to release information, or situations where
the client is a
danger to self or others. Please feel free to ask your counselor
for more detailed information about confidentiality and its limitations.
Q.
Do many students use the Counseling Center?
A. Yes, about 600-700 each year
Q.
What happens if I have a problem after hours?
A. Call Value Options at 602-222-9444 or 800-631-1314. They have
professional counselors available at all hours, seven days a week.
Q.
Where can students get help with choosing their career and what
kinds of testing are there?
A. Counseling provides a variety of services to help students
choose their major and career. We offer career classes (traditional
and online), one-on-one consultation, computer-aided services,
and internships. We also offer testing such as The Strong Interest
Inventory and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. We offer inventories
to help you assess your interests, skills, and personality preferences.
Q.
Is Counseling Services open when school is not in session?
A. Typically, Counseling is not open when school is not in session
and not on the weekends. However, we are available after the end
of Spring semester and during the summer. We are closed on official
holidays (e.g., Christmas Day, New Year's Day, 4th of July, etc.),
Winter Break and Spring Break.
Q.
Do I have to be a student to obtain counseling services at PVCC
Counseling?
A. We welcome non-student members of the community who are perspective
students to use our counseling services.If you're interested in
talking with a counselor please call Counseling Services (602-787-6540)
or drop by Kranitz Student Center to make an appointment.
|
