The short answer is "yes!" Any current student at AUD can make an appointment to see the counselor. You can make an appointment in person with the counselor, by contact through email or by going to the Administrative Assistant for Student Affairs in C322.
You may want to see a counselor for any personal issue that is concerning you and causing you some form of distress.
Counseling services are confidential.
The counselor at AUD helps students explore any academic or personal problems or concerns that they may be experiencing. Some common issues that bring students to AUD include adjusting to university life, time management issues, confusion about life or career goals, identity concerns, relationship conflicts, intimacy concerns, eating issues, addictions, anxiety, depression or dealing with grief and loss.
Our counselor is prepared to deal with a multitude of social, emotional, educational, or vocational issues or concerns and encourage students to identify personal goals, help them develop coping skills and generate solutions to current difficulties.
These two services work closely together within the same Office, because academic, and personal issues are often so closely intertwined. In general, you should make an appointment with the Academic Support division if your concerns are primarily academic (grades, writing papers, time management, exam skills, hiring a tutor, preparing for comprehensive exams, etc.).
You should make an appointment with the Counseling Office if your concerns are primarily personal (relationship difficulties, depression or anxiety, coping with a physical, learning or psychological disability, eating or body image, difficult life events or issues, sexual orientation, coping with a loss or trauma, culture adjustment, special needs accommodations, etc.). Both divisions are aware that students often have related concerns in more than one area, and hence collaborate together in order to identify the issues affecting your academic performance and devise a plan that will allow you successful go about your journey.
The policies of the Counseling office and the ethical principles of counseling professionals agree that it is important to protect the confidentiality of your conversations with a counselor. Your counselor will not speak with your parents, teachers, friends, or anyone else about your confidential concerns without your permission. There are very rare exceptions, in situations involving danger to life and safety or situations involving court-issued subpoenas. Minor students under the age of 18 who voluntarily seek counseling in their best interests are generally afforded the same confidentiality protection as an adult student.
The counselor does not prescribe medications. However, the counselor can refer you to a good psychiatrist in the community to visit for a medication evaluation.
Many medications work best in conjunction with counseling, not instead of it, so many students will see a psychiatrist and a counselor at the same time. Psychiatric care, like ongoing counseling and specialized services, are generally a student's private health care responsibility.
If you already have a prescription, don't wait until your prescription has almost run out to arrange for a refill. The first person to consider contacting for a refill is the health care provider who originally gave you the prescription. If that provider is not available, you can contact the Counselor at AUD for a referral to a local provider.
The counselor is available to see students by walk in or appointments Monday-Thursday, 11:00 am - 4:00 pm.
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