Counseling and Personal Growth Center

Frequently Asked Questions

What is counseling?
Can anyone use the Counseling Center Services?
How do I make an appointment?
What if I need to see a counselor right now?
For what reasons do students seek counseling?
How do I know if I should see a counselor?
Will anyone know if I come to the Center? What about confidentiality?

What is counseling?

Counseling, as done at the MSUM Counseling Center, is a helping relationship in which one or a group of individuals seek assistance for personal growth concerns from a professionally qualified counselor. All of the counselors at the MSUM Center have extensive training, experience, and professional degrees or, if counselors-in-training, are supervised by staff who do.

Counseling is a method of exploration. It's a process by which you become more aware of your own unique set of interests, abilities, aptitudes, and personality characteristics. The process continues from awareness to decision making to action planning.

The Counseling Center at MSUM can be a resource for YOU!

back to top

Can anyone use the Counseling Center services?

The MSUM Counseling Center serves current and prospective MSUM students. The MSUM Employee Assistance Program has a contact with Lakeland Mental Health, (218) 233-7524, to provide mental health services to MSUM faculty and staff.

back to top

How often can I see a counselor?

The Couseling Center operates using a short term therapy model. Normally this would be 8 to 10 sessions. If a student needs more time or specialized care the Counseling center staff will evaluate each case on individual basis.

How do I make an appointment?

Stop by the Counseling Center desk, Bridges 260, or call 477-2227 to schedule an appointment. The Counseling Center is open from 8 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Thursday and 8 AM to 4:30 PM on Fridays.

NOTE: If you are having a medical emergency, call 911 for help.

back to top

What if I need to see a counselor right now?

The MSUM Counseling Center has a staff member designated to handle emergencies and crises at 3:00 PM each afternoon. It is helpful to call before coming to the Counseling Center in order to determine counselor availability.

Realizing that emergencies are not predictable, we will respond to emergencies which cannot fit into our posted emergency hours. When calling, be sure to tell the receptionist that you have an emergency and need to be seen at the earliest possible time.

NOTE: If you are having a medical emergency, call 911 for help.

back to top

For what reasons do students seek counseling?

There's really nothing you cannot come to talk about with one of our counselors! MSUM students often see a counselor for concerning:

major values
personal relationships
families
emotional and mental health
self-esteem
interpersonal communications
time and stress management
depression
eating disorders
other concerns

back to top

How do I know if I should see a counselor?

Here are some common reasons you might see a counselor:

When you have questions about yourself and your life that loom large and might benefit from supportive, objective input.
When the pressures and stresses seem too much and you know you're not handling things well. (For example: you're uncertain about a career or life direction)
When you're down and blue and/or fatigued and these symptoms just don't go away. Insomnia and poor appetite may accompany these symptoms.
When you can't concentrate or study very well continuously for more than a week.
If you know you're bingeing, purging, or eating very little.
When your current study habits and strategies just don't seem to do the job.
When you and your intimate other, special friend, or roommate are having problems with each other.
When you know you've had or are having family problems that are affecting you negatively now (For example: emotional, physical or sexual abuse and their effects)
When you know you don't communicate well in relationships, or, feel you need to be either more assertive or less aggressive than you are.
If you'd like to develop better relaxation, time management, and stress management skills or more constructive and positive thinking skills, effective study strategies, communication and decision-making skills than you already have.

back to top

What About Confidentiality?

Our counselors conform to the highest professional and legal standards regarding confidentiality. Any information you share with your counselor is considered confidential. There are several situations, however, in which we may be professionally and/or legally required to release information you give us. These include the following:

If there is cause to believe you are in danger to yourself or others or in cases where we learn of suspected child abuse, we are required to notify appropriate agencies.
If you are involved in certain types of civil or criminal proceedings, we may be required by court subpoena to release records and/or have staff testify.
If you were referred to the Counseling Center through a disciplinary process and fail to attend the prescribed service, we may be required to notify the referring person or agency.
In the interest of most effectively serving your needs, we may consult with relevant Student Personnel offices, unless you specifically refuse, in writing, such consultation.

Counselors-in-training will inform you during your first counseling session that they are under supervision of a professional staff person and may be discussing relevant information about your case with their supervisor in order to provide the highest quality services. All information shared between counselors-in-training and their supervisor will be kept confidential.

If you have any questions about our confidentiality policies, please feel free to ask your counselor. We also invite you, if you have any concerns about the services you are provided, to address these with the Director of Health and Wellness or the Vice-President for Student Affairs

If you have any questions about our confidentiality policies, please feel free to ask your counselor. We also invite you, if you have any concerns about the services you are provided, to address these with the Director of the Counseling Center or the Vice-President for Student Affairs.

Further questions can be addressed to the Counseling Center, 260 Bridges Hall, 477-2227.

back to top