Counseling Services - FAQ's

What is counseling?

Counseling is generally concerned with helping normal people cope with normal problems and opportunities. It is a process through which you have a chance to talk confidentially with someone, to really be heard and understood, to better understand and accept yourself, and to learn some new ways to handle and cope with positive and negative life circumstances. Many students benefit from a few sessions (3 - 6 sessions). Longer-term counseling is also available for those concerns that warrant further exploration of relational and emotional issues. In the beginning stage of counseling your counselor will ask you about your concerns to gain a better understanding of you and your goals. As counseling proceeds, trust between you and your counselor builds and a working partnership develops to help you explore your feelings, make decisions, and resolve your concerns.

The Center is staffed by professional counselors who provide individual psychotherapy, crisis intervention, and workshops and consultations on specific topics, such as conflict resolution, eating disorders, enhancing self-esteem, and stress management.

What do I do if I am experiencing a mental health emergency?

• If it is during Counseling Center office hours (Mon 8:30am - 7pm; Tues - Thurs 8am - 5pm; Fri 8am - 4:30pm), please call or come to the Counseling Center (Cohen Health Center) or
• If it is not during Counseling Center office hours, please contact Mercyhurst College Department of Police and Safety (824-2304) or
• Call:
  • Crisis Counseling Services (456-2014)
  • Rape Crisis Center (455-9414)
  • Hamot Medical Center Emergency (877-6139)
  • Saint Vincent Health Center Emergency (452-5555)
  • Emergency 911

Who are the counselors?

The Counseling Center is staffed with councelors with training and experience specific to working with college students.

• Judy Smith, Ph.D.
  Licensed Psychologist
  Director
• Michelle Tobin, MSW
• Renee Patton, M.S. LPC

Why do people come to the Counseling Center?

A person may come to the Counseling Center for many reasons. Most of these concerns are related to normal life transitions such as leaving home, becoming an adult, and developing healthy relationships. Please note that severe emotional problems are not a prerequisite for coming to the Counseling Center. Students can avail themselves of professional services to enrich the quality of their lives. Common concerns addressed in counseling include:

• Confusing, distressful feelings
• Low self-confidence and self-esteem
• Stress
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Relationship issues
• Adjustment to social and academic pressures of college life
• Homesickness
• Feelings of shame or guilt
• Disordered eating or body image distortion
• Alcohol and other substance abuse
• Self-harm behaviors
• Thoughts of suicide
• Feeling that I just need to talk with someone confidentially

Confidentiality - what is it?

What you talk about with the counselor is confidential. Your professors and parents will not be informed about your attendance in counseling or about what you discuss during the sessions, without your written consent. There are some limits to confidentiality, which will be explained and given to you in writing on your first visit.

Please note that e-mail is not an appropriate medium for counseling. Mercyhurst College reserves the right to monitor our e-mail usage and therefore your privacy is not guaranteed. Additionally, we may not be able to respond to your concern in a timely fashion via e-mail.

If you would like to contact us about a non-counseling question or concern, feel free to email us. If you are a Mercyhurst College student, faculty or staff member and are interested in counseling, please call the Counseling Center at 824-3650 or stop by our office in Cohen Health Center to set up an appointment.

Where is the Counseling Center?

The Counseling Center is located on the second floor of the Cohen Health Center near the campus bookstore. You are welcome to come in and have a seat in the waiting room.

How do I make an appointment?

If you would like to learn more about counseling at the Counseling Center, please call or stop by. You may schedule an appointment by stopping by our office (2nd floor, Cohen Health Center) during our office hours or by calling us. Our office hours are Mon 8:30am - 7pm; Tues - Thurs 8am - 5pm; Fri 8am - 4:30pm. You may reach us by phone at extension 3650

The counseling services are available to you during the academic period (you must be enrolled in school to use the services). On your first visit, you will be asked to fill out some paperwork to help begin the process of exploring your concerns and your goals. Most students feel a little anxious the first time they see a counselor, but once you make that initial appointment, it becomes a lot easier!