With new living situations, academic experiences and more, college is a time of seemingly ever-evolving changes. The wave of new experiences if often an exciting part of the journey. However, individuals may also face a wave of new internal and external challenges during this time as well.
Throughout confidential relationship counseling sessions, facilitators and students work together to explore challenges, identify solutions and build supportive skillsets to take with them into the future.
The interpersonal evolutions one experiences within themselves and through connections with others during college can lead to searching for additional resources and support. Simone Adams, LMFT, Barnes Center at The Arch assistant director of counseling, is working to inspire holistic health and wellness by nurturing the individual student experience within the strengthening of interpersonal relationships.
If students are questioning how to strengthen their relationships with others, or one notices a student may benefit from additional support, members of the campus community are invited and encouraged to share Relationship Counseling opportunities.
Why are our relationships important?
Taking the time to grow relationships often leads to positive outcomes for years following, including experiences of holistic health and wellness.
“[Investing in skill-building] can also impact generations ahead, as it allows us to pass down good relationship skills to others in our lives,” highlights Adams. “Improved relationships can also directly impact our long-term mental health and improve our overall quality of life.”
What is involved in relationship counseling experiences?
Throughout confidential sessions, facilitators and students work together to explore challenges, identify solutions and build supportive skillsets to take with them into the future.
Experiences are unique to those participating and relationship counseling may lead to faster change. “This is because both/everyone in the relationship/system is present and able to work on skills together instead of trying to create change in a relationship one person at a time in therapy,” explains Adams.
Psychoeducational and psychotherapeutic sessions encompass topics that include, but are not limited to, improving communication, stress management, conflict resolution, strengthening trust, adjusting to life cycle changes and navigating boundaries.
What resources are available to strengthen relationships?
A variety of resources are available to help individuals build their skillset and as a result strengthen relationships.
Under the Student Health and Wellness Fee, relationship counseling services are available at no additional cost, for both undergraduate and graduate students.
For the 2021-2022 academic year, highlights include the following. To begin, please call the Barnes Center at The Arch at 315.443.8000 to schedule an initial consult.
About the Supporting Student Wellness Series
Through a student focused lens of integrated health and wellness, this series explores a variety of Barnes Center at The Arch resources and services. In the pursuit of enhancing the student experience, topics empower faculty, staff, students, parents and families, as catalysts of health and wellness within their daily interactions.
