How do I know if I should seek counseling?

Maybe you are wondering, "Is this problem significant enough to get help?" You do not need to have a serious problem in order to seek services. For instance, you may simply want to strengthen your skills for handling stress or talk over a dilemma or question. Here are some tips to help you decide whether to make an appointment with one of our therapists:

It is a good idea to seek services if:

• you are feeling sad, anxious, overwhelmed, angry or otherwise distressed and those feelings are interfering with your ability to focus on school
• you are thinking of suicide or of hurting someone else
• you feel sad or hopeless frequently, or for many days in a row
• you feel your alcohol or drug use is more than you would like or is interfering with school, your relationships or making plans for your future
• thinking about eating, not eating, or becoming or staying thin absorbs a great deal of your time
• you are having trouble making friends or fitting in; or being in social settings makes you nervous
• you have been taking a medication for a psychological condition such as depression, but it is either not working, giving you a problem or you are thinking of not taking it
• you have recently experienced a loss, i.e., a death of a family member or close friend or a significant break-up

If counseling is not for you at this time, but you are still in need of guidance, please use these additional resources available for you at the university: