Counseling Services
Personal Counseling
Psychologists and counselors at the Counseling Center provide an opportunity for students to explore freely any personal problems or concerns they may not wish to share with family or friends. At your first appointment, you and a counselor will discuss the issues that led you to schedule an appointment. The counselor will talk to you about how the Center is best able to provide the kind of assistance you need and which staff member would be most appropriate for you.
When the Center is unable to provide the type of service you need or request, we will refer you to an appropriate outside agency and assist you in obtaining services there.
View the Counseling FAQ »
If you're interested in receiving personal counseling, please call the Counseling Center 412-648-7930 or drop by 334 William Pitt Union to make an appointment.
Group Counseling
Each semester the Counseling Center offers a variety of groups to help meet the needs of both undergraduate and graduate students. Groups usually have about 6 to 10 members who meet weekly with one or two therapists to talk about their concerns and problems. Students usually commit to attendance for one semester at a time, and also commit to confidentiality within the group. Some groups are structured to meet for only one semester, and some are structured to run in a more ongoing way.
In a group you can:
- Learn more about how you are perceived by others.
- Experience a sense of acceptance and belonging.
- Discover that you are not alone in the difficulties you are experiencing.
- Hear ideas from others which enhance your ability to make decisions and solve problems.
- Benefit from the experience of being helpful to others.
- Learn to constructively express your feelings and ideas to others.
- Gain encouragement by observing the successes of others.
Confidentiality in Group Counseling
Group sessions are confidential. Every member of each therapy group at the Counseling Center is required to sign an agreement to adhere to the rules of confidentiality. In signing this agreement, each group member makes a personal pledge that nothing occurring in the group, including names of other group members, will be shared with anyone outside of the group. These rules are critical to the development of a safe, respectful, and trusting atmosphere which allows individuals to openly share their feelings.
| Examples of Groups Typically Offered | |
| Therapy Groups | Connections (Coed) |
| Support Groups | Dissertation Support Group |
| Structured Theme Groups | Coping with Grief Group How to Catch Your Monkeys: Managing Anxiety through Mindfulness |
View the complete list and get more information about specific groups »
If you feel you could be helped by participating in a group, please call the Counseling Center at 412-648-7930 or stop by 334 William Pitt Union to arrange an interview.
Workshops
At the Counseling Center, we plan, develop, and deliver workshops to meet the needs of students and those who serve students. We can provide large scale presentations to entire classrooms and departments as well as programs for smaller audiences. Drawing on our expertise in psychological processes and group dynamics, we create workshops that are personally and professionally enriching. Workshops are designed to be informative, interactive, and enjoyable. Programs range from one hour in length up to a half a day, depending on your needs. Programs can also be scheduled during the day or in the evening with at least two week's notice.
Each year, we provide over 100 programs on topics of interest to various student organizations, student services providers, and academic departments. Most of our programs are customized to meet the specific needs of groups and organizations. Some examples of workshops offered include:
- Multicultural Diversity
- Stress Management
- Coping with Anxiety (Survival Skills & Test Anxiety)
- Eating Disorders
- Conflict Resolution (Verbal Self-Defense)
- Relationship Survival
Customize Your Workshop
In addition to our standard workshops, we can also work with you to develop an idea for your group or organization. By asking you some key questions about your objectives and goals, we can help you put together a program that is uniquely tailored to your group. Often a counselor/presenter will be assigned to you who has expertise or a special interest in the topic. He or she will work with you to:
- Assess any problems or issues
- Clarify you goals
- Create an idea and format
- Decide on a time and place
- Provide a follow-up plan, if necessary
Consultation
If You're Concerned About a Student:
Counselors are not normally the first people students turn to when they have problems. Students are in almost daily contact with friends, resident assistants, advisors, and faculty members, and they naturally confide in those closest to them when they are having difficulties. As a result, these individuals are in an excellent position to assist students in distress, and also to refer students to professional counseling when it may be helpful.
The Counseling Center provides consultation for University students, faculty, and administrative staff who are concerned about the unusual, problematic, or potentially harmful behavior of others. In person or over the phone, a staff member will explore your concerns and help you develop ideas for dealing effectively with the situation. If the circumstances warrant, we'll also help you with the process of finding professional help for the person, either at the Counseling Center or in the community.
Referring a Student to the Counseling Center
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Speak directly to the person about your concerns, preferably in private. People in distress are almost always receptive to an expression of genuine interest, caring, and concern.
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Be specific about the behaviors you've observed that have caused your concern (e.g., falling grades, drinking too much, crying a lot, withdrawing from friends, statements about suicide, disturbing emails or communications, etc.). Clearly stating your observations makes it more difficult for the person to deny that a problem exists and also lets the person know that you care enough to notice.
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Remember that, except in cases of emergency, the decision whether to accept a referral to counseling rests with the person. If the person refuses the idea of counseling, it's usually best not to push. Suggest that the two of you explore this matter again some time in the future.
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Don't try to deceive or trick the person into counseling. Attempting to fool the individual will only diminish his or her trust in you and in the counseling process.
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Educate the individual on the process of counseling:
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Let the person know that counseling is free and voluntary and that he or she can terminate the process at any time.
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Make sure the individual knows that counseling is confidential.
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Tell the person that counseling sessions are normally scheduled on a weekly or biweekly basis and that a typical session normally lasts for 50 minutes.
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Let the individual know that counselors work hard to understand students, to see things from their point of view, and to then collaboratively help them to figure out solutions.
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Assure the person that, if an appointment is made with a counselor and things don't work out, he or she can ask to meet with a different professional with whom he or she might feel more comfortable.
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Assist the person in making an appointment at the Counseling Center. If the person is really upset, or if you're worried that he or she might not follow through, suggest that the individual make an appointment now. If the person is still hesitant, offer to call for him or her. They will need to talk to the receptionist to actually schedule the appointment themselves, but it may be helpful that you made the first contact. Some faculty, staff, and friends have even brought students directly to the Counseling Center when that level of support has been necessary.
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People often mistakenly see coming to counseling as a sign of weakness. Reframing the decision to seek counseling as a mature choice suggests that the person is not running away from problems.
After the first meeting with a counselor, follow up by asking if the referral was helpful. If the person is ambivalent about continuing in counseling, some additional encouragement might be helpful. The counseling process is often most difficult at the very beginning, and your encouragement may help to get the person over this initial hurdle.