The Counseling Center: Helping Students Reach Their Personal, Academic and Career Goals

By Alyssa Martin

Many students struggled with personal issues prior to COVID-19, and with COVID-19 continuing to be an up-hill battle, it poses an even greater risk of interfering with students’ abilities to achieve success in college and in their personal life.  Adjusting to college via an online platform could be difficult, and for some, not the college experience they always dreamed of. That coupled with keeping family relationships healthy while stuck at home together, the difficulties of making friends online, and feeling depressed can be quite the stressor.

The Counseling Center is here for you. Meeting with a professional counselor is a great step to help guide you in exploring your concerns and issues. Through short term counseling, they will work with you on building positive coping strategies to face and overcome the barriers in your life.  They can also provide referrals to other agencies as needed.

The Counseling Center provides workshops to assist students in many of their interests and/or concerns. Topics covered are beneficial, take place on specific dates, and vary in subject. Some highlighted topics covered on their websitevThe Counseling Center Presents: Workshops (cuny.edu ) include: 

Date: 4/30

Topic: Attitude to Altitude: Changing Your Perspective During Difficult Times

Stress Awareness Month- Offers Positive Psychology and CBT Self-evaluation for students right after recess to finish the semester strong. 

Where is your motivation that you had in the beginning of the semester? Perhaps you got lost in your journey this semester and need to recharge your motivation. Boost your focus back to your goals that you in the beginning of the semester. This workshop will cover the power of changing your attitude and the way you think to reach new heights and bring back positivity and hope.

Date: 5/6

Topic: A Hopeful Future: Looking to a Transition Post COVID-19

This workshop will shed light on hopes and aspirations for better days as new improvements and better safety precautions are under way. Students will discuss healing and plans to increase positivity, happiness, and connection.

The Counseling Center website features a “Frequently Asked Questions” section, where common questions and concerns are answered and explained in detail. Such as: What is Counseling? What can I talk about with a Counselor? If I meet with a Counselor, will my professors or family members be informed? Does it cost anything to get counseling services? How do I make an appointment to meet with a Counselor? What other services does the Counseling Center provide? I have other questions that are not listed here.  How may I go about getting more information?

In an email interview with the head of the Counseling Center Department, Dr. Wilma Fletcher-Anthony, she had some tips on navigating the website, “I encourage you to check out the tabs on the left of the screen for the full scope of services and resources that we provide. It is best for students who would like to meet with a counselor to send an e-mail to counseling@qcc.cuny.edu”.

Dr. Fletcher-Anthony also stated, “The licensed mental health professionals at the Counseling Center are here to support your wellness and the achievement of your goals.  Seeking help is a sign of strength and courage.”