Grambling State University offers assistance to students needing help while away from home. The Student Counseling Services (SCS) at GSU is here to improve students’ personal development and to promote mental stability. Hours for the Student Counseling Services are Monday thru Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., by calling (318) 274-2222.
“You are able to make an appointment, although walk-ins are welcome,” said Dr. Colleen Speed, director. She said students may call and receive 24 hour access to a counselor in case a problem arise.
“The counseling center seeks to provide individual, group counseling, crisis intervention, outreach, and referral services to GSU students,” said, Dr. Speed.
She has been with center for almost four years.
SCS offers educational workshops, early intervention training, consultation, prevention strategies to faculty, staff, and the campus community, seeking to impact the campus with knowledge and sincere concern.
Students who are currently enrolled at GSU are eligible for services at no cost, and SCS adheres to a very strict confidentiality principle.
“Generally our individual counseling sessions are scheduled on the hour and last up to 50 minutes. The counseling sessions are based on a time limited model, which means that students are allowed up to 15 individual sessions per year,” Speed said.
Being able to engage in counseling can be an opportunity to share concerns with an objective person who can help the individual develop skills and view situations in ways that may empower them to be more successful in managing life’s challenges.
The effect Speed feels the SCS has on the student body is having a mental impact helping students to focus on their mental stability giving them a place to relax and talk openly about themselves. Furthermore she said that the counseling service offers free mental health counseling that in general would be offered for fees of a hundred dollars and up.
The popularity of the counseling center has tripled within the past year. There has been an upsurge of people due to the stressful times we are going through as a nation. In turn, these students have excelled in academic success, making better decisions, focusing more on their education, and most importantly leaving out better than what they came.
Last fall, the center featured a talk show entitled Love & Lust, how to differentiate from the two. Which featured a panel of students who openly described their opinions of the two topics, SCS was there to clear the air and openly discuss how to tell the difference between Love & Lust. SCS also features a student ran organization TFL or Tobacco Free Living starting a college coalition for an 100 percent smoke free campus year around.
Campaigning as well as sign-ups will begin in the fall for all students who are interested.