University Counseling Center

Welcome Parents!

This guide has been assembled to provide information that may help you become more comfortable with your child's experiences at the University of Pittsburgh. The University Counseling Center exists to help students transition into the University setting, and support students as they deal with personal, educational, and career concerns. While we have created this guide for your convenience, please feel free to contact the counseling center directly during business hours at 412-648-7930. We are happy to be of assistance. We have found that parents often have questions about how to best help their child through tough times or academic concerns and uncertainty. These web pages have been designed to help you learn what services we offer and how students can access them; provide some basic information about common student concerns and some links to more in-depth resources; provide an extensive list of Questions Parents Frequently Ask; and offer advice on when and how to consult with counselors. Our goal is to assist your child in having the best collegiate experience in the nation. We always welcome feedback on how we are doing in achieving this goal both through our students and you, their interested parents!

How Our Services Work

The University of Pittsburgh's Counseling Center is maintained by a staff that consists of psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, licensed professional counselors and pre-doctoral interns. All students who are enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh are eligible to receive clinical services at the counseling center. There are no additional fees required from students for these services. Students are able to receive a variety of services as clients of the University Counseling Center. Individual, couples, and group therapy are offered, as well as seminars throughout the year dealing with issues such as stress management, healthy relationships, and career development.

The University Counseling Center is located on the 3rd floor of the William Pitt Union. Hours of operation include both daytime and evening appointments to accommodate the wide variety of student schedules. Your child is required to schedule his/her own appointment and is asked to arrive about 15 minutes early to the first appointment in order to fill out paperwork necessary to begin services. Appointments are scheduled for 50 minute time periods. Depending on each student’s needs, the counselor will start to meet him/her on a weekly, biweekly, or monthly basis. When a student has needs beyond the scope of our services, the student can be referred to area mental health agencies and/or clinics that can provide more specialized help. This might, for example, include students with chronic or severe mental health issues, and in those situations, our staff will work to facilitate the care that best serves the needs of each individual.

All case information is confidential unless a student has provided written consent for information to be shared with specific people. No one other than authorized University Counseling Center Staff will be permitted to see student information without informed consent. While it is understandable for parents to be concerned about their child's well being and perhaps be informed about his/her treatment, the counseling center is only able to share information regarding treatment with the written consent of the student. While consent may be granted, we still encourage students to directly communicate with their parents regarding their treatment plan, though we are free to directly consult with parents as needed about their child’s treatment.

Reasons for Seeking Counseling

There are various reasons why students might come to the counseling center. Students often have concerns with family, friends, or romantic relationships that can benefit from the guidance of a professional counselor. Additionally, students also come in to discuss struggles with depression, anxiety, eating disorders, career questions, drug and alcohol abuse/addiction, personal growth, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. After meeting with a counselor, a student might be referred to the staff psychiatrist if it appears that medication is a necessary part of treatment.

If your child has an emergency or is in a state of crisis, the counseling center is willing and able to be of service. Throughout the day, the center has emergency counseling appointments that are designated for students that require immediate or same-day interventions. The following are examples of some emergency situations that students might encounter:

having suicidal thoughts, feelings, or intent
experiencing severe feelings of panic or being overwhelmed
dealing with the news of the death or illness of a loved one
is the victim of sexual or physical assault or other traumatic experience

The caller should tell the receptionist that there is need for crisis counseling. Students will be seen as soon as possible by an available counselor or the counselor-on-call. After hours and on weekends, students are encouraged to call the Campus Police to reach the counselor-on-call: 412-624-2121 or 412-648-2121 or 811 on campus.

If a student has been sexually assaulted, the Sexual Assault Services Coordinator can be reached by calling 412-648-7930 (day) or 412-648-7856 (evening).

For tips for referring your child to the Counseling Center, please see our Consultation section or Questions Parents Frequently Ask.

The Transition to College: An experience for you and your child

From a parent's perspective, there are many questions that might arise regarding the transition of a son and/or daughter to college. It is a time that is filled with both ambiguity and excitement.
Your child is moving from a place of comfort and familiarity to a place where there is newness and expectation. While one can prepare for college, it is hard to know what to expect until actually arriving on campus. It is a time for making new friends, discovering one's own identity, and wrestling with the question of "what do I do with my life?" Your role as a parent is very important in supporting this transition.

It is possible that your child might experience some homesickness. It is challenging to move to a new environment, make new friends, and balance academics and social life. The familiarity and comfort of home can look very appealing. It is not uncommon for a new student to feel loneliness, concern, worry, and anxiety over whether the transition will be a successful one. You can help your child by being a source of comfort, and by listening non-judgmentally to all of his/her worries. Encourage your child to open up to new experiences and help him/her to see the possible benefits of getting involved in activities on campus. Parents and families have a wonderful role because they can help provide courage and strength to their child in this time of uncertainty. Concerns need to be heard and not minimized; the role of the transition is significant and needs to be recognized as a true challenge in the life of a student.

Most homesickness dissipates as a student continues with the semester. However, if your child is having continued problems and he/she feels their functioning is impaired; it might be wise to make a referral to the University Counseling Center.

Your child might also experience some challenges in regard to schoolwork. Students often have to work harder in college in order to obtain the A's and B's they obtained in high school. This might cause frustration, doubt, and insecurity in the student about his/her ability to succeed in college. As a parent, your role is to be your child's cheerleader and encourage perserverence. It is common to have an adjustment period the first semester as a student becomes acclimated to the workload. Things should become easier as your child adjusts.

While it is tempting to continue the same role you fulfilled for your child at home, this is a time to allow your child to learn to be independent. The role transition between parenting "at home" and parenting "at college" can often be difficult for parents. While children might not always voice it, there is a need for them to learn to assert themselves and start to discover a greater sense of autonomy. They need reassurance and comfort as they make decisions and grow in self-identity. While it is tempting to want to make decisions for your child, he/she is best served by learning to deal with the consequences of his/her own choices. The experience itself is often very educational.

Two of the most frequent reasons for students to come to the Counseling Center are to deal with depression and anxiety.

Depression: What is it?

Information gathered from National Institute of Mental Health »

People sometimes characterize depression as just "a case of having the blues." While it might be normal to experience a lower mood as one adjusts to the experience of college, if these feelings persist and cause your child to not function normally, there may be reason to see a counselor to talk about depression. Depression is a very real illness that can cause severe discomfort for those who are affected by it. College students are not immune from the illness and will need your support in order to move toward better health. Depression often causes decreased energy and/or a low mood that causes impairment in a student's life.

Depression can be caused by a number of different factors, including a death in the family, difficulty in adjustment, a loss of some sort, trauma and stress, family history of depression, and chronic low self-esteem. Depression does not make you "crazy" and it is not something that one can just "snap out of and feel better." The good news is that depression is extremely treatable and resources at the University Counseling Center are available to help. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), 80% of those with depression recover and for some, that is within a couple of weeks.

NIMH has compiled a list of stressors that might cause depression in college students. They include:

Greater academic demands
Being on one’s own in a new environment
Changes in family relations
Financial responsibility
Changes in one’s social life
Exposure to new people, ideas, and temptations
Awareness of sexual identity and orientation
Preparing for life after graduation

If you notice some of the following warning signs in your child, encourage them to go to the counseling center:

Slow speech and lack of energy
Irritability
Difficulty concentrating
Sadness
No interest in usual pursuits
Crying
Expressions of hopelessness or worthlessness
Isolation from friends
Not attending class or doing academic work

Anxiety: What is it?

Information gathered from College of Family Physicians of Canada »

Understanding anxiety can be a bit confusing. Anxiety is defined as a widespread sense of worry, a panicky reaction to stimuli, or fear of a certain situation or location. Anxiety is not "all" bad and is actually quite normal depending on the circumstances. Our bodies are wired with "fight or flight" systems that alert us to danger and let us know when we ought to take action. However, there are times when the "fight or flight" arousal happens in the absence of the normal stimuli, or to a stronger degree than situations warrant.

As parents, you may hear your child be concerned about anxiety and wonder what might be best for him/her. Your child might be discussing something that might be considered "normal" anxiety, like preparing for a test or for a public speaking event. In a more severe instance, your child may be telling you of anxiety that might interfere with his/her normal functioning.

The following are descriptions of some types of anxiety that your child might experience:

Generalized Anxiety is a form of anxiety where there is a pervasive sense of worry regardless of whether or not an actual stimulus is present. The worry is often "out of proportion" to the actual event and often manifests itself at random times throughout the day.

Panic Disorder often is diagnosed in instances where a person has recurring panic attacks. A panic attack consists of symptoms such as racing heart, sweaty palms, a feeling of "unreality", sweating, nausea, chills, numbness, racing thoughts, and feeling out of control. Attacks often strike without warning and leave the victim in a constant state of anxiety regarding the onset of the next attack.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder occurs when anxiety compels people to have rituals in order to try and relieve anxiousness and worry. Most individuals with OCD are bothered by their rituals and wish they did not have to have them. Some of the rituals might include repeated hand washing because of fear of getting germs, or checking the locks repeatedly for fear of someone breaking into your home. Some forms of OCD are obsessional only. Individuals who suffer from this form of OCD may fear that he/she has done something terrible or is convinced that he/she might do something terrible even though the very thought of that action is personally abhorrent.

A phobia is an intense fear toward a specific object or situation. Some examples include fear of meeting new people, heights, snakes, confined spaces, and being humiliated. Fear of public speaking is one of the most common phobias reported by college students.

While anxiety cannot always be prevented, there are tools that can make the experience more manageable. If you find that your child is struggling with any of these types of anxiety, a referral to the counseling center would prove helpful. Untreated anxiety can lead to avoidance, isolation, depression and social or academic problems. Counselors will attempt to teach coping skills that will improve the student's ability to understand and manage anxiety. If medication is deemed an important complement to this treatment, counselors will refer the student for a psychiatric evaluation (Link to Common Questions regarding psychiatric services). Our goal is always to decrease the frequency, intensity and duration of the anxiety so that students can return to their usual level of functioning.