糖心Vlog

About Individual Counseling

The staff of the Counseling Center can help with a wide variety of personal difficulties including, but not limited to, self-esteem, depression, anxiety, sexual and/or gender identity, relationship conflicts, academic concerns, sexual violence, traumatic experiences, and growing up in a dysfunctional family.

The Georgia Southern Counseling Center offers short-term, goal-focused, individual counseling sessions for Georgia Southern students. The Counseling Center provides services both in-person and via telehealth. Students do not need to be in vicinity of our campuses to receive telemental health services, however, they must be within Georgia as this is state law.

Individual counseling within a supportive professional environment can help you understand yourself better and gain healthy coping strategies. Individual counseling sessions typically last for 45-50 minutes are scheduled in frequency on a variety of factors including the nature of your presenting concerns, what stage you are at in the therapy process, and how busy the Counseling Center is (the mid-term and end of semester time periods tend to be busiest). You should always plan on arriving early or on-time for your scheduled appointments. Regular and on-time attendance of counseling sessions is critical for ensuring that you reach your therapy goals.

Myths & Facts

You have made the first (and most important) step in finding out about counseling and psychotherapy. Whether you came to the Counseling Center as a result of your own decision to seek help, or because someone else told you it might be helpful, it is likely that you have a lot of questions and mixed feelings about the counseling process. Many students have questions and concerns, such as “What should I talk about in my therapy sessions?”, “How long will I have to come for counseling?” and “When will I see improvement?”

Myth: Therapy is too expensive for me.
Fact: That鈥檚 true and not true! While the usual rate for a therapy hour is $100 to $150, the Counseling Center provides this service free of charge to students at 糖心Vlog.

Myth: You must be 鈥渃razy鈥� to go for therapy.
Fact: Only a small percentage of our clients have had psychotic experiences. Most clients come to work through some problem areas of their life. Instead of being 鈥渃razy鈥�, it is smart to utilize the resources which are available to you.

Myth: Going to therapy is a sign of weakness.
Fact: It takes a great deal of emotional strength to confront problem areas, seek help, and take responsibility for your life.

Myth: The counselor will tell me what to do and how to 鈥渇ix鈥� my problems.
Fact: Counseling is not a 鈥渜uick fix鈥� cure to your problems. The counselor is there to help you explore your feelings, thoughts, and concerns, to examine your options, and to assist you in achieving the goals you have set.

Myth: The counselor cannot understand me unless they have had similar experiences or is of the same background.
Fact: Counselors are trained to be sensitive to and respectful of individual differences, including the specific concerns of students regarding gender, racial/ethnic, cultural, religious, age, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic issues. Counselors seek to learn from each client how their unique experiences have impacted their lives.

Myth: All you do is sit in the counselor鈥檚 office and tell them your problems.
Fact: While talking about your problems is a part of the therapy process, it is not 鈥渁ll you do鈥�. For counseling to be effective, you will need to think about the issues discussed in therapy in between your counseling sessions and will need to follow through on making the changes you decide you want or need to make to reach your goals. In addition, your counselor may request that you do certain activities outside of your sessions (e.g., reading, journaling, recording your thoughts or feelings, practicing certain exercises) to make the most out of your therapy experience.

Relationship Counseling

Relationship counseling is available for students in important relationships if both/all are enrolled at Georgia Southern. These can include individuals in romantic relationships, roommates experiencing conflicts, teammates, etc.

Common concerns addressed in relationship counseling include:

• Effective communication
• Conflict resolution
• Interpersonal styles
• Sexual issues
• Trust building
• Problem solving strategies
• Self-awareness
• Parenting skills
• Stress management

If both/all members of the relationship are not enrolled as students at Georgia Southern, please browse our off-campus resources page for community providers, or contact us for more information.

On & Off Campus Referral

Need additional services on or off campus? Contact the Counseling Center to schedule a case management appointment to get connected with additional resources.