For Parents

Introduction

Welcome to the Utah State University Counseling Center Parents webpage. Our goal is to provide you with information about issues, concerns, and other important information that will assist you in supporting your son or daughter while they are a student at Utah State University.

The Counseling Center at Utah State University is part of the Division of Student Services. We offer a variety of services including personal counseling, crisis intervention, support and therapy groups, consultation services, and educational outreach programs to students and other members of the university community. The Counseling Center is accredited by the International Association of Counseling Services, Inc.

Philosophy

The transitions and stresses of university life affect all students to some degree. Handling the normal issues that students face at times may require the help of a qualified professional. The counseling process is aimed at helping students resolve personal difficulties and acquire the skills, attitudes, abilities, and knowledge that will enable them to take full advantage of their college experience

Professional Staff

Our professional staff consists of 7 licensed psychologists, 3 doctoral interns, 2 doctoral graduate assistants, and 5-6 doctoral graduate practicum therapists-in-training. The staff is comprised of people from diverse backgrounds, disciplines, theoretical orientations, and approaches to counseling.

Eligibility

Eligibility for our services extends to Utah State University students currently enrolled in 6 or more credits on the Logan campus. Spouses of currently enrolled students may also be seen in couples counseling. All counseling services are free of charge

Psychoeducational Assessment

The Counseling Center conducts psychoeducational assessments in conjunction with the Disability Resource Center (DRC). Students who believe they may need such an assessment should contact the DRC at 797-2444. The DRC is located in room 101 of the University Inn. The DRC charges a nominal fee for the extensive assessment. The assessment will be conducted in the Counseling Center.

Confidentiality

As a parent, it is completely understandable that you would want to know specifics about the therapeutic content and/or services that your student might be participating in at the Counseling Center. However, confidentiality in the mental health arena is a professionally and legally complex issue.

Treating information confidentially means not releasing it to anyone outside of the Counseling Center without written consent, including parents. Our staff keenly recognizes that this may be difficult for some parents; however we are legally and ethically required to maintain these standards of confidentiality.

Often, the best source of information for parents about the counseling process is the student themselves. We encourage you to talk to your student about your concerns. What may also be helpful to know is that in some instances, students are interested in signing a release of information that would allow the therapist to discuss their situation or concerns with their parents. However, for any number of personal reasons, some students will not be interested in signing a release of information. In these cases, as difficult as it might be for parents to accept, the main exceptions to breaking confidentiality arise only if the student is a danger to self or others, in situations involving child or adult abuse or neglect, court orders or the subpoena of records by the court.

Changes You Might Expect in Your College Student

Most parents report the experience of sending a son or daughter to college as one filled with anticipation, anxiety, confusion, and hope. By opening day of the freshman year, many changes have already begun to happen: The student becomes more independent, gains competence in new areas, and learns to develop healthy peer relationships. The college years are a time for a student to continue maturing and learning how to manage oneself and life in general. What does that mean for you as a parent? Here are some of the messages you may hear:

"Help!"/"Don't help!" It is sometimes frustrating for parents to go through the growth process with their students, not knowing how to be helpful and receiving messages which are unclear or incomplete. Students may add to the uncertainty by changing rapidly-rejecting your help on Tuesday and actively seeking it on Wednesday. We've often heard about parents in great distress because their student predicted a poor outcome on an exam, but forgot to provide an update when the results were better than expected.

As a parent, it can be difficult to know when to help, when to step back, and/or how worried to get. Usually a parent's best guideline is to provide a steady, supportive home base while recognizing that there will be ups and downs in a students' needs and expectations, Try to follow the leads of the student and encourage them to work through a problem with you acting as the coach or cheerleader. Help them balance their thoughts and emotions to make their best decisions. Let them know that you respect their right to make decisions and that you will serve as an advisor when asked. Remind yourself to notice and appreciate their new skills as they develop; students often want their families to recognize their progress toward becoming adults.

"So whose decision is it anyway?" Most parents have a high investment in their student's decisions. Problems arise, however, when parents are more invested than students. It can be hard to lessen involvement in a student's decisions out of fear that the student won't assume responsibility. The irony is that students often don't step up to the task of being responsible until parents step back.

Taking a step back as a parent can be uncomfortable, because there is no guarantee that students will assume responsibility or that they will make the same decision as you would. You don't have to walk away disinterested-consider providing a concerned voice and remind yourself that you are helping by working with your student on developing his or her own decision-making skills.

"College is different than I thought it would be." For many students, their early college experience involves learning that academic expectations are more rigorous than in high school, that they may have to work much harder to earn top grades in college, and that the study skills they used in high school are not adequate for high academic achievement in college. Coming face-to-face with new challenges is common in college. Finding support in dealing with these challenges is equally important. The university has many resources to address students' needs. Parents can remind students that asking questions and using available resources reflects maturity. At the same time, parents and other family members can serve key roles in providing the support needed. Students tell us that it is important to know that their parents will offer consistent support as they venture out to meet the world.

Common Signs of Distress

Students who are under distress often show outward signs. Here are some common symptoms of distress that may indicate that counseling is recommended. If you are concerned that your child is exhibiting one or more of these symptoms, talk to them about your concerns and recommend that they speak with a professional in the Counseling Center:

  • Significant changes in personal relationships, such as death of a family member of friend, divorce or separation, pregnancy, or abuse.
  • Significant changes in mood or behavior, such as withdrawal from others, asocial activity, spells of unexplained crying or outbursts of anger, or unusual agitation.
  • Increased irritability.
  • Uncharacteristic changes in academic behavior such as missing classes and tests.
  • Loss of motivation; lack of enjoyment in activities that were once enjoyable.
  • References to suicide or expression of intent to harm self or others.
  • Anxiety and depression.
  • Alcohol and drug abuse.
  • Eating and body image concerns.
  • Career choice concerns.
  • Concern about academics.

Common Questions and Answers

My daughter is a first-year student and is coming to USU already diagnosed with depression. She needs medication monitoring. Where does she go?

Your daughter can make an appointment with a counselor to discuss referral sources for ongoing psychiatric support and medication monitoring. Appropriate referrals will be suggested given a variety of factors, i.e. insurance plans, financial needs, etc. It is important that your student does not run out of medication prior to being evaluated by a psychiatrist. We often recommend that students participate in individual counseling while taking medication as well.

What can I do if I suspect that my daughter or son could benefit from professional help and support?

We recommend that you express your reasons for concern in a straightforward and supportive way. It might be helpful to say something like "I am worried about you. You just don't seem to be yourself lately. Have you thought about going to talk to someone about your concerns? I think it would be really good for you to talk with an objective person who can help you sort out whatever is bothering you. Will you make an appointment at the University Counseling Center?"

Does the Counseling Center provide walk-in services?

Yes. Emergency consultation and crisis counseling is available to students. If a student is dealing with an urgent situation or crisis during regular business hours, they can come into the office and request to be seen by a counselor as soon as possible. They can also call ahead to make a consult/crisis appointment: 797-1012.

For emergency help during evening or weekend hours, students should call Campus Police: 797-1939.

If I have concerns about my student, can I talk to a counselor in the Counseling Center?

Yes. You can call the Counseling Center during regular business hours and request to speak with a counselor regarding your concerns about your son or daughter. However, if your student is a client of the Counseling Center, please remember that counselors can only talk with you in general terms without the student's written consent.

How does my son make an appointment at the Counseling Center?

To set up a first appointment, he will need to call our office at 797-1012 or come into our office in the Taggart Student Center, room 306 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday- Friday. If he is not certain that he wants ongoing counseling, he can set up a one-time consultation appointment with one of our counselors to discuss his options. If he is certain that he would like to begin ongoing counseling, he will need to complete the confidential intake information first. Once his paperwork is completed, he will be scheduled for a 30-45 minute intake appointment with one of our counselors to discuss his objectives for therapy and gather information necessary for assigning him to an appropriate counselor.

Additional Resources

We would like to express appreciation to our colleagues at the following universities for allowing us to use their websites as a template for this section: University of Michigan CAPS, the University of Delaware Center for Counseling and Student Development, Virginia Tech Department of English.

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