1. When should I seek personal counseling services?
There are many situations that cause emotional stress that may interfere with your ability to perform at your best while you are studying here at FAU. These may include a death in the family, relationship difficulties, alcohol or drug abuse, a physical illness, sexuality issues, depression, anxiety, family difficulties, study problems, eating concerns or other challenges. In short, anything that gets in the way of you getting the most out of your experience at FAU or your life in general may be explored in counseling.
2. Sometimes you need to talk with someone who can help. How can you tell if it's time to ask for help?
- When you feel like you are too alone
- When you feel trapped, and can't get out
- When you worry all the time, and never seem to find answers
- When you are in a relationship that is stressing you out but you can't leave it.
- When the way you feel is affecting your sleep, your eating habits, your job, your relationships, your classes, your everyday life.
- When you are down and hopeless
- When it's not getting any better
- When you feel hurt and can't make the hurt go away
"I have tried everything I know and things keep getting worse. I am not sleeping well, my relationships are suffering, and I am not going to class regularly."
3. How does counseling work?
Counseling works by helping you objectively look at behaviors, feelings, and thoughts in situations that you find problematic. It helps you to learn more effective ways in dealing with those situations. Counseling is a collaborative effort. You and your personal counselor will identify goals, what you want to happen, and agree on how you will know when you are making progress. Progress and change can happen. Nine out of ten Americans surveyed by Consumer Reports who had participated in counseling said that counseling had helped them.
"My counselor helped me to understand and deal with my feelings and thoughts more effectively...Life is slowly getting back in balance for me."
4. What about confidentiality?
Your privacy is important to you. Your counselor will not disclose any information about you to others without your written permission except as required by law. That means that your family, professors, administrators, or classmates do not have any access to what you discuss in counseling. However, sometimes you may decide to sign a release of information for the purpose of coordinating your care with specific individuals. Any counseling records kept will be separate from all records kept by the University.
To assure the privacy of client information, our counselors do not use e-mail to communicate with clients.
5. Is there personal counseling available to FAU students on campus?
As a registered student at FAU you can receive free personal counseling sessions at the FAU Counseling Center. The service is located in the Student Services Building (2nd Floor - above the breezeway cafeteria). The hours are from 8:00 a.m. until 6:00pm., Monday and Thursday and 8:00am - 5:00pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Appointments usually last approximately 50 minutes. Counseling services are for currently enrolled FAU students on any campus. Faculty and staff are not eligible for counseling services in the center and should seek assistance through the EAP - Employee Assistance Program. EAP Website Horizon Behavioral Health (1-800-865-3200) Login ID: Florida Atlantic University Password: EAP or through your health insurance coverage.
To make an appointment call 561-297-3540.
6. What can I expect during my first visit to The Center?
After you arrive, you will check in with the receptionist. You will be asked to fill out a brief background information sheet and will be given some information to read about counseling and confidentiality. At this time, you will be scheduled for a 30 minute intake appointment. During thisintake appointment, you and a counselor will explore issues you would like to focus on in counseling and you will be asked some brief assessment questions. after this intake appointment, you will be assigned a counselor and called to schedule your first counseling appointment. Once you meet with this counselor, you may set up weekly appointments or some other frequency that will be most helpful in achieving your counseling goals. You will discuss these issues with your counselor.
7. How do I cancel or reschedule an appointment?
Call 561-297-3540 at least 24 hours before the appointment to cancel and/or reschedule the appointment so that others can use that appointment time.
8. How many sessions do I get?
Effective July 15, 2009, currently enrolled FAU Students initiating counseling services are eligible to receive 12 counseling sessions per calendar year. Students that were receiving counseling services as of July 15, 2009, will discuss with their counselor their remaining number of sessions. Students who exhaust their 12 sessions, will work with their counselor to determine their current needs and explore other services both in and outside of The Counseling Center. Please know, that any student in need of crisis counseling services will not be turned away due to session limitation policies.
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