Counseling and Psychological Services

The counseling mission at Medgar Evers College, CUNY is to motivate and assist students in their pursuit of higher education objectives and personal development for self-actualization. Counseling is a collaborative process which involves the development of a unique, confidential helping relationship. The counselor acts as a facilitator in helping the client to understand more accurately about him/herself and the world around them. Mental Health Counselors provide individual and group counseling in the psycho-social areas, such as self-esteem, domestic violence, bereavement/grief, strengthening family relationships, anxiety, and depression. Burke and Stefflre (1995) stated that “counseling is designed to help students to understand and clarify their views of their life space and to learn to reach their self-determined goals through meaningful, well-informed choices and through resolution of problems of an emotional or interpersonal nature”.

The primary function of Counseling Services is to help students cope with academic, career, and personal problems that may interfere with their ability to achieve academic success and actualize their human potential. The counseling philosophy at Medgar Evers College is “to motivate and assist students in their pursuit of education, career, and personal/social empowerment for life-long self-development.”

Counseling and Psychological Services facilitates workshops for students, staff, and faculty about issues around sexual assault, psychological distress, campus violence, tobacco cessation, PTSD, and other mental health issues. In addition, Counselors utilize their skills to assist students and clients in achieving objectives through the explorations of a problem and its ramifications, examination of attitudes and feelings, consideration of alternative solutions, and decision-making.