It’s my opinion that everyone should go to counseling, even if there isn’t an urgent need for them to do so, and out of everyone, I think college students need counseling the most. I mean let’s face it, college students are constantly talking about how bad their mental health is. It’s understandable, especially when you consider all the factors that affect students’ mental health. Students have to worry about tuition, housing, grades, majors, social lives, and more. Each situation by itself is stressful, but the combination of these factors is even more so and can severely affect mental health. Not many people on campus know where they can get affordable counseling, and those who do are still hesitant because they haven’t heard great things about counseling on campus. There are two centers that people can go to for counseling, the Women’s Resource Center and the University Counseling Center. One center may be better for someone than another, but it could be hard to find out which, especially when you don’t have time to test it out. Luckily for you all, I know all about each center so I can help you find the one that fits you best!
The Women’s Resource Center
When people hear “Women’s Resource Center” they may think that only women can go there, but that’s not the case! Anyone can go get counseling there, regardless of gender or sexuality. The counselors are trained to help anyone who needs or wants it. They approach all their clients from a multiculturist feminist standpoint, so gender and culture are taken into account during the sessions but they’re never used against you. The counselors are available to students year-round, even if the student isn’t currently enrolled in any classes. The Women’s Resource Center also offers group, couple, and individual counseling, which is great for all types of people and their counseling needs. The one downside about that is that the group counseling is only for women and female-presenting people, so it’s not the best option for men. However, the groups are a great support system for women who want their voices to be heard in a safe space.
Another great part of the Women’s Resource Center is that they have a sliding scale for payment, which means they base how much you pay for counseling on how much you can afford to give. This means that if you are really struggling financially then you can just pay a quarter or less! Along similar lines, the Women’s Resource Center has an emergency fund that can be used to house homeless students without expecting anything in return, which is a great resource for students to have. They also offer many scholarships so be sure to check out their office or website to see if you can apply!
The University Counseling Center
The University Counseling Center is probably more well-known on campus (especially for counseling since the word is in the title). There are a lot of similarities between the Counseling Center and the Women’s Resource Center in regards to counseling. For one, they also have a sliding scale so it is affordable for all students. For another, they have three different types of counseling: group, couple, and individual. However, the group counseling option offered by the Counseling Center differs from that offered by the Women’s Resource Center in that anyone is allowed to join, regardless of gender. Another thing that is different, though not in a good way, is that there is a limit to how many counseling sessions you can attend. While the Women’s Resource Center offers unlimited counseling, the University Counseling Center cuts you off at 12 sessions a year and is only available to students that are currently enrolled in classes, which could be a negative thing if you want to be in it for the long run.
There are two things that are unique to the University Counseling Center that you should check out. The first one is the Mindfulness Center, which is a place where you can drop in to have a free 30 minute long meditation session. This is a great resource for people who are too nervous to talk to a counselor or just need a quick destressor during the week. The second thing is that the University Counseling Center has massage chairs outside their office that you can use for free. There’s nothing like a good massage to help you feel less stressed out.
Conclusions
Both counseling centers have great resources for students to access, but it’s up to you to decide which one sounds like the better fit. If you have decided which center you want to go to, check out their websites to find out where to go or make an appointment. I also recommend checking out the website for the Mindfulness Center to see when they hold sessions. Just remember, there is no shame in asking for help, and these centers are here for you to access when you need it.