For EMERGENCIES   
contact Campus Police   
201-216-5105  

About the SCPDS Center

What Is Counseling?

Counseling involves meeting with a trained professional who can help you cope with, work on, and resolve many different kinds of problems. Counseling can also help you learn about yourself, explore different career paths, and help you make difficult decisions.

TOP

What Services Are Available?

We offer individual counseling for a variety of personal, family, or relationship concerns, such as sadness, loneliness, anxiety, stress, relationship break-ups, and parental divorce.

We also offer academic counseling and career counseling, including an assessment of your interests, values, abilities, and personality factors. We also can provide referrals to outside mental heath specialists, drug and alcohol counselors, and psychiatrists when requested. 

All services are free and confidential. We hold in the strictest confidence information about whether you have seen and what is discussed. We do not retain a record of your contact with us on your permanent college records or transcripts. These services are provided without additional charges to all currently enrolled Stevens students.

Occasionally we offer structured workshops and groups on specific topics such as stress management, depression, assertiveness skills, healthy eating, and career issues. These events will be advertised on the Stevens web-site, around campus, and at the counseling center.

TOP

What Issues Do People Talk About In Counseling?

Here are some of the common concerns that students bring to counseling: 

• Academic and Career Concerns
  Stress and anxiety over schoolwork
  Academic struggles and disappointments
  Problems concentrating and focusing
  Questions about choice of majors and future career paths
   
• Relationship Concerns
  Roommate issues
  Difficulty making friends
  Anxiety in social situations
  Conflict in a romantic relationship or friendship
  Coping with relationship break-ups
  Family conflict
  Homesickness
   
• Drugs and Alcohol Concerns
  Concerns about alcohol use
  Concerns about drug use
  Advice on how to moderate drinking
   
• Difficult Life Events
  Adjustment to college
  Sexual or physical assault or abuse
  Witnessing or experiencing a traumatic event
  Parental divorce
  Death of a loved one
  Relationship break-up
  International Student transitions and concerns

Identity Concerns
Issues related to sexuality
Cultural and religious issues
Self-exploration
Self-esteem and self-confidence issues
 
• Some Other concerns
  Eating issues (eating too much, too little, restricting, bingeing, purging, dieting)
  Sleeping issues (sleeping too much, too little)
  Anger management
  Cutting or other self-injurious behaviors
  Thoughts of suicide or self-harm
  General feeling that something isn’t right and/or feelings of unhappiness
   
• Disability Services
  Exploring the reason for academic difficulties
  Accommodations
  Coping strategies
  Advocacy in the academic community

TOP

How Do I Know If Counseling Will Help Me?

There are times when everyone feels stressed, overwhelmed, depressed, and anxious. However, sometimes these feelings last for a long time or become difficult to manage. They may start interfering with your health, relationships, schoolwork, or social life. If this happens, counseling may help.

TOP

Myths About Counseling

Myth 1: Counseling is only for crazy or sick people.

People go to counseling for many kinds of problems and concerns. Going to counseling does not mean you are crazy, but rather is a sign of strength that you have insight into things you would like to improve. 

Myth 2: If I go for counseling all my professors will know my problems.

Your counselor will keep all information you share with him/herconfidential. This means that your counselor will not release any information, or even the fact that they have met with you, to anyone (including parents, professors, friends, or school administration) without your permission. Your counselor will discuss the limits of confidentiality as you begin sessions.

Myth 3: The fact that I’ve gone for counseling will become part of my academic  record and may hurt me in job or graduate school applications.

Counseling records are kept separately from academic records and are protected by law.

Release of any information is permitted only after a student provides written consent, or in certain legal situations involving a subpoena or court order.

Myth 4: Counseling doesn’t work. I’ve tried it already.

The counseling process looks different with each counselor, for each problem, and at each point in your life. Consider trying it again.

Myth 5: It’s too expensive and it goes on forever. I don’t have the time or money.

Counseling services are free to all Stevens students. Many students only come to counseling for a few sessions. Others choose to continue for several semesters. The decision is yours to make, and you will not be forced to continue if you decide to stop.

TOP

How Do I Make An Appointment?

You can come to our office, which is located on the 7^th Floor of the Howe building. You can also contact Dr. Terence Hannigan at (201) 216-5177. We will schedule an appointment at your convenience. We have daytime and evening appointment hours.

During your first meeting you and your counselor will explore your decision to begin counseling and will discuss your concerns. You will discuss the options for what help is available, including which staff psychologist will be assigned to meet with you regularly. You can express a preference either to continue counseling, not continue, or be referred to another source of assistance.

TOP