Our Services
Personal Development and Counseling Services is located in the Wellness Center and is open Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm. All services offered through the PDC address aspects of wellness. Wellness encompasses physical, social, emotional, occupational, intellectual, and spiritual facets of your life. Our services promote lifelong learning, provide you with the appropriate skills and encourage you to be well-rounded citizens and live healthy lifestyles. The following services are available to all Northwest students regardless of age, sex, race, or ability. University faculty and staff may come in for emergency and referral assistance.
Counseling Sessions
- Individual counseling is offered for a variety of personal, educational and vocational choices.
- Relationship counseling is conducted with another person participating, such as a spouse, parent, boyfriend or girlfriend.
- Group counseling is offered around a variety of topics such as a stress management, body image, positive psychology, and building relationships. There are generally about 6 participants in these groups.
Consultations
- Consultations are available to all members of the University community to assist in problem solving, intervention and conflict resolution.
Workshop/Presentations
- Presentations are available to the campus and to various organizations concerning stress management, relationships, assertiveness, team building, leadership, communication, and body image. Additional programming is developed and offered in response to current needs.
Peer Education
- The Wellness Center provides training opportunities for peer educators to grow in the areas of teamwork, leadership, public speaking, program development and network-building.
What is Counseling All About?
Students often come to PDC with the kinds of concerns listed below:
- adjusting to university life
- how to build healthy relationships
- depression and anxiety
- concerns about diversity and culture
- sleep habits
- stress reduction
- questions about personal values/beliefs
- how to be more positive
- developing one's identity
- body image and eating habits
- test anxiety
- sexual concerns
- death of a loved one
- speech anxiety
- concerns about a friend
- death of a loved one
- coping with traumatic events
- sleep habits
- overcoming procrastination
We want your experience with PDC to be a positive one, so we are providing the following information. Many people wonder just what it is that we hope to accomplish with students. The following will briefly highlight some of what goes on in a counseling session.
Therapeutic Relationship
- Unbiased Opinions - Many students express that they want an "unbiased opinion" or "unbiased person" to listen and give feedback. We do offer that, but more importantly, we try to help YOU develop that unbiased person within yourself.
- Defense Mechanisms - We all need defense mechanisms. Unfortunately, most are developed in response to childhood situations and don't apply or work well in adult situations. We work with students to eliminate defense mechanisms which are no longer necessary and to update or "re-frame" others.
- Feelings - One common defense mechanism is to deny that we have feelings, especially the "bad" ones like anger and hurt. However, without feelings, both positive and negative, we are incomplete humans. Counselors assist students in "getting in touch" with their feelings and accepting them as an important part of self.
- Choices - We assist students to increase their ability to make responsible, healthy and informed choices based on their individual needs and goals.
- Strengths - It is easy to become frustrated with the daily stressors of college, work, family and peers. As situations become overwhelming, we sometimes have a tendency to focus on our negatives. Another role of the counselor is to challenge the student's blind spots and help each become re-acquainted with personal strengths.
- Homework - We don't want students to be dependent on the counseling relationship. Therefore, we may encourage homework in between sessions so that what is learned in the sessions is integrated into a positive self-image.
How to Make an Appointment
- Appointments may be made by calling 562-1220 or by coming to the Wellness Center. Because the counseling center staff believe so much in the value of face-to-face relationships, we do not counsel through e-mail.
- Counseling Sessions generally last about 45 minutes for individual therapy. An intake is the first appointment scheduled with the PDC. During this session, the counselor and student assess the concerns, needs and goals presented and explore avenues for resolution.
After Hours Emergency
- Campus Safety (660) 562-1254
- St. Francis Mental Health Services (660) 562-2227 or 1-800-841-3866
- Sexual Assault Hotline (660) 562-1972