• Group Counseling
• Individual Counseling
• Couples Counseling (at least one member of the couple must be a Purchase College student)
• Crisis Intervention (including sexual abuse and/or assault)
• Victim's Assistance Workshops (including procrastination, stress management, diversity, relationships, etc
• Referrals to Community Mental Health Care Providers
• Informational Brochures & Handouts on Various Topics
• Internet-Based Self-Help Information
• Consultation Services for Faculty, Staff, and Residence Life

Location

The Counseling Center is located in The Mod on Lincoln Avenue across from the Campus Center North parking lot (N2).  The telephone number is (914) 251-6390.  Our hours of operation are Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m..

What is Counseling

Counseling takes many different forms depending on the roles of the people involved. Friends counsel and support each other through advice-giving, listening, and providing whatever assistance is needed. Counselors in EOP, Career Development, Academic Advising, and other University offices routinely provide counseling on issues that are important to the student's life, academics, future, and well-being. Faculty and professional staff working directly with students often are the first to know that a student is struggling academically and/or personally.

The counseling that is offered by the Counseling Center is provided by doctoral level psychologists (and graduate students closely supervised by the staff psychologists) who are highly skilled professionals trained in the science and practice of human behavior. When a student meets with a Counseling Center staff person, he/she is meeting with someone who has had years of experience helping students deal with a wide range of personal and academic difficulties. Counseling Center staff work with the student to help him/her identify strengths, locate support resources, and to begin a process of change and growth. This work may occur one-on-one with an individual counselor, or in one of the Center's popular groups where 6-10 students meet together with one or two counselors. Whatever the format, a student coming to the Counseling Center is treated with respect and is seen as an individual with unique strengths and limitations.

Why Students Come to the Counseling Center?

Students at Purchase College are wonderfully diverse. They come from many different backgrounds, cultures, states, and families. They cannot be type-cast as simply "a student" since that is but one aspect of their lives. Students come to the Counseling Center for help with concerns such as academic performance, test anxiety, poor concentration for course-work, interpersonal relationships, career decisions, and low self-confidence. They also come for help with issues related to their families, suicidality, past sexual or physical abuse, current physically abusive relationships, drug/alcohol abuse, eating disorders, rape/sexual assault, life-threatening illnesses, and intense grief over losses such as the death of a parent, child, or close friend. Over the course of their education, students go through numerous changes and pressures. During these times of crisis or stress, talking with a counselor at the Counseling Center may be a beneficial option.

Your Role as a Faculty/Staff Member

Faculty and staff members on campus have the unique opportunity of having ongoing, direct contact with students and are in the position to identify students who are struggling. Faculty and staff members should determine for themselves their personal comfort levels with becoming involved with student problems. Becoming the main source of support to a troubled student sometimes can be overwhelming, frightening, and/or tiring. It is important that you know your own limitations in providing assistance to students and that you are aware of times when the best option is a referral.