Counseling Center Services

The staff at the Samuel Merritt College Counseling Center knows that student life can be a difficult transitional period with increased pressure and stress. We try to help students understand this period, find ways of coping with crises and function more effectively in the college environment by assisting them in defining and accomplishing their personal and academic goals.

The Counseling Center approaches psychological issues from the perspective that psychological health and well-being is affected by one's personal history and current environment. The aim of the service is to assist students in developing healthy, fulfilling relationships and to increase enjoyment in productive working and learning.

AVAILABLE COUNSELING SERVICES

• Individual Counseling
• Couple's Counseling
• Crisis Intervention
• Mental Health Consultation
• Outreach & Presentations
• Health Screenings
• Local 12-Step Groups
• Off-Campus Referrals

Short-term personal psychotherapy counseling is available at no charge to assist students experiencing personal difficulties.  Individual sessions are available focusing on such problems as interpersonal relationships, identity, sexuality, dependence/ interdependence, study worries, examination anxiety, and stress management, as well as other personal problems. Short-term work focuses on resolving specific problems. Referrals to community resources are made as appropriate. 

CLICK HERE to Schedule an Appointment [1]

We also work with staff, faculty and other campus agencies to increase and help improve the quality of the learning and living environment at Samuel Merritt College.

COMMON STUDENT TOPICS OF CONCERN

• Academic Difficulties
• Adult Children of Alcoholic and/or Dysfunctional Families
• Addictive Behaviors
• Anxiety
• Career Planning & Decision Making
• Childhood Trauma
• Depression
• Eating & Body Image Concerns
• Family, Peer & Relationship Concerns
• Homesickness & Transition
• Life Balance
• Loneliness
• Parenting
• Sexuality - LGBTQ Concerns
• Rape or Sexual Assault
• Resolving Personal Problems
• Self-Esteem
• Shyness
• Stress Management
• Time Management

Confidentiality
The counseling center staff values the privacy of all clients and do not release information without the student's written permission, except in cases of imminent danger to self or others, child/elderly abuse, court order, or otherwise required by law. Counseling records are not part of academic records and no one has access to them except the counseling center staff.