| The Counseling Center at Trent |
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Association President's Message Honorary Degree for James Orbinski '80 It's not just books anymore: The New Information Commons Helping students deal with stress Bronze Medal for Trent's virtual tour Tim Holland '76 - Working for Change
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by Nicole Lees '92 Five years ago if you went to see a counselor at Trent you would see the same individual whether you were seeking information on admissions to a masters program or if you were suffering from depression. Today, in keeping with the needs of its students, Trent offers specialized services for Careers, and for Counseling. Betty Gutman is the newly hired coordinator of the Trent Counseling Center. In speaking to her recently I was impressed with the level of service that is available to Trent students. The counseling center is run by Ms. Gutman, who is a seasoned clinician with a Masters in Social Work and twenty years experience in the field. In addition the center has the services of five Peterborough area credentialed counselors through a contract with Peterborough Youth Services, and these five individuals are all very experienced counselors and members of the community. They each spend one day a week at the University making two counselors available to students every day. The counselors see between five and six students per day on average, but always keep a spot open for crisis appointments. One hundred sixty-eight students
received counseling services from the center between September
and December 2000. The reasons for their visits are varied. Students
cited the following reasons for visiting the center from September
to December 2000: High stress times for students include the months of September and October when the stress of being back at University or newly arriving builds. Many of these students are experiencing the added stress of recently leaving a complicated family situation which compounds their ability to adjust. The month of November brought the center the most number of student visits, which Ms. Gutman attributes in part to the stress of the upcoming holiday season. This time of year can in fact be very difficult for many individuals who find themselves seeking support from the counselors. A high percentage of the students seen are in their first year of University. Many of these are students who have moved away from home in order to attend Trent. Ms. Gutman describes this time in an individual's life with great empathy. It is a time when we all become individuals searching for autonomy and struggling to become less dependent on our families and other supports. The need for self-sufficiency is very high and there is a lot of pressure that comes along with it. The responsibilities of paying bills, buying groceries, and making it on your own can be heavy, and can be compounded by difficulties associated with the relationships with people that are still at home, whether these be with family members or partners. Often students will return home for Thanksgiving to find that relationships have broken down and may return to Trent very distraught. In addition students often face new academic expectations. This new phase of life often has students realizing that University is not at all like high school. There are increased demands to contend with in addition to the need to fit into a new community, to make new friendships, and deal with peer pressures. These are all times when the staff at the counseling center lend their support. The Counseling Center provides services to undergraduate and graduate students, and helps international students who may be dealing with the added stress of cultural issues. In addition to the short term counseling offered, the center also follows students as needed throughout the year with the support of local doctors, psychologists, psychiatrists, and community services. Many students are referred to one or another of the many services offered at the University, including: The Academic Skills Center, which provides support for student's academic work, and The Special Needs Center, which provides support for students with specific needs including learning disabilities and Health Services. Ms. Gutman, as coordinator of the Center provides support and takes referrals from college dons, senior tutors, college heads, and university faculty. The changes that have occurred at the Counseling Center are helping to address the emotional needs of students at Trent and will continue to do so in the future. Emotional health is an integral component of wellness which in turn promotes academic success.  |
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