Health Care Services

Individual and group counseling; – without limitation on the number of sessions. The purpose of this service is to work with students whose personal circumstances, concerns or problems are threatening to interfere with their healthy academic, career and personal/ social development. Specific issues some students face include low self esteem, depression, anxiety, stress, attendance, relationship conflicts, eating disorders, and issues stemming from/related to family of origin. As a result there is continuing need for individual counseling, small group counseling, consultation and referral. Personal counseling is designed to assist the student in learning coping skills that will help them function positively in the academic environment. Personal counseling is an active process requiring participation by the client, both in and out of sessions.

Academic counseling- exists to assist students with issues that affect their ability to encounter in this area. The Counselor can assist you in learning strategies to overcome test anxiety as well as develop better study habits/test taking skills learned. Embedded in the academic strand are three critical aspects: self efficacy, attribution and empowerment. Self- efficacy refers to each student’s belief in his or her ability to set and attain goals. Attribution refers to the individual’s belief that his or her own behaviour and efforts can directly impact success and or failure. Empowerment refers to the educational system equipping the individual with the skills and tools necessary to achieve goals throughout their lifespan. Students are taught to recognize the need for academic assistance, and that assistance is available and accessible to all students. Students will also learn that transitions are a part of life. To learn how to anticipate transitions and what is expected in the coming phases of academic life will make transitions from level to level easier. Understanding expectations of instructors and requirements of subject areas are important information that will help students understand the personal changes transitions require.

Career exploration (in co-ordination with Careers Department) Career Guidance- The over-arching purposes of learning and understanding within the Career Development Strand are; to help students develop an awareness of the world of work; to understand the role and meaning of work in our lives and society. Specific skills and understanding include: individual planning processes, knowing and using sources of career information, employment readiness skills and personal skills that lead to job success. Underlying themes include dignity and necessity; the role of one’s preferences and skills in overall job satisfaction, the inter-relationship of all parts of ones’ life such as family community and leisure. The real test of effective learning and understanding is getting and keeping a job. The focus on personal character to develop individual skills of: responsibility taking, dependability, punctuality, integrity, self-management and effort. Employment readiness skills include appreciation and respect of other’s differences and the ability to work effectively as a team member to accomplish the goals of the organization. These are the skills set that contribute to work performance and add value to one’s contribution in the classroom and in the workplace.