Counseling Support
Schedule a counseling appointment
Counseling Support Services are designed to assist students with making decisions and adjusting to college life. Our goal is to promote personal growth and development.
Sessions are free and confidential:
For Immediate 24/7 Support
Call the 24/7 Support Line (833-646-1526) for:
- In the moment support for mental health issues
- Connections to next steps
- Limited no-cost telehealth treatment sessions, provided by a network of licensed clinicians.
Immediate 24/7 Support provided by Uwill.
Jump to: Frequently Asked Questions
Personal Counseling
We all face many challenges in life and at some time find it difficult to sort through our options or make decisions. Supportive counseling allows you an opportunity to talk over what is on your mind with an objective person who can help you learn new skills and ways of looking at situations. Once one learns to solve new problems on their own they are better adept at doing so in the future.
Typical reasons given by students seeking personal counseling:
- Manage stress and anxiety effectively
- Clarify values and priorities
- Improve relationships
- Cope with grief and/or loss
- Explore issues of sexuality
- Overcome feelings of depression
- Resolve problems related to alcohol/drug use
- Learn more effective coping strategies
Group Counseling
Groups generally have 5-8 members, and they meet weekly for 1-1/2 hours. Confidentiality is an important issue in group and is one that is addressed in the first group session and reiterated throughout. Group members are asked to respect each others privacy and agree not to divulge details that would identify others outside of the group.
Students participating in group counseling sessions gain a range of insight and support from the professional counselor’s and peers within the group. Groups can be general in nature (personal growth issues) or can be more targeted (substance abuse education, stress management, time management, academic performance, etc.). Students are referred to a group when it is deemed appropriate by one of the counseling staff members and when there are enough students interested to form a group.
Although not to be used as a substitute for face-to-face counseling, we have provided some online information to some issues of concern to students.
Uwill – Student Mental Health and Wellness
The GHC Student Support Team has partnered with Uwill, the leading student mental health and wellness solution, to offer GHC students free immediate access to teletherapy, direct crisis connection, and wellness programming through an easy to use online platform.
Uwill also provides students free access to on-demand wellness programming through its easy to use online platform. Select wellness from the left navigation and relax and recharge your mind and body with a wide range of wellness such as yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and more!
Uwill is Private. Secure. Confidential.
If a student is experiencing a mental health crisis, help is available 24/7/365
Call 833.646.1526
If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911.
Academic Counseling
The transition from high school to college, or work to college, is a difficult one for many students. Typically, high school students are not accustomed to spending long hours studying. They are used to cramming for tests and “getting by”. Once in college, particularly after the first semester, students quickly realize that they may lack some of the skills necessary to succeed in college.
Below are some links to web sites that we think may help you to become a more successful student. The Tutorial Center provides support to students in many subject areas, so please plan to visit it. Student Support Services also offers individualized assistance with these topics, so you may find it important to schedule an appointment. Good luck with your studies!
Although not to be used as a substitute for face-to-face counseling, we have provided some online information to some issues of concern to students.
Time Management
Learning Styles
Student Online Readiness Tool
Survival Strategies for Taking Tests
Goal Setting
Math Anxiety
Faculty/Staff Outreach and Consultation
Our staff is available to present workshops/seminars for campus organizations/groups, and to classes. Topics generally range from personal growth issues, academic performance enhancement, stress management, to career development and job search related areas. Programs may take a variety of forms such as: classroom presentations, workshops for organizations/groups, and/or co-sponsorship of an event open to the campus community.
Counselors are also available for consultation with faculty and staff of GHC who are concerned about specific situations or individuals, or about their own needs.
Many students initially seek assistance from Faculty or Staff, since you are often the people they interact with most on campus. That makes your role crucial in identifying and helping students find available resources. Expressing your concern and listening are very important things you can do. However, knowing when and how to make referrals is an essential role you play in helping students regain the balance they need to cope and get back on track.
Student Support Services staff are happy to talk with you about your concerns and provide resources and referrals for students
Behavioral Clues that may suggest a student could be in distress:
- Excessive procrastination and poorly prepared work
- Infrequent class attendance; excessive tardiness
- Marked changes in personal hygiene or dress
- Repeated requests for special consideration or accommodations
- Inability to stay awake in class or difficulty concentrating
- Social withdrawal or inability to interact with others
- Disruptive, aggressive, or threatening behavior
- Expressed or written work with reference to self harm
- Bizarre behavior that is inappropriate for the situation
Counseling FAQs
We certainly believe so, if the conditions are right. A willingness to change and to take risks is critical to the success of the counseling process. Unfortunately, by the time many people do decide to seek counseling, their problems have often existed so long that it has become habitual. This makes reversing it difficult. The familiar becomes comfortable and non-threatening. Problems do not surface overnight, nor do solutions. Give counseling a chance to work.
Any issue that causes you concern is appropriate to bring to counseling. Examples of concerns which students bring to Student Support Services are:
- Low self-esteem
- Feeling overwhelmed or completely stressed out
- Problems with balancing school, work and/or family
- Self-defeating behaviors
- Concerns about grades
- Examining career options
- Studying more effectively
- Eating or sleeping problems
- Coping with loss
- Exploring their sexuality
- Understanding their professors
- Anger management
- Transferring to a senior college or university
Services are available to all students who are registered for classes during the current term. Students who have graduated from Georgia Highlands College during the past year may also avail themselves of the services offered. Services are free and confidential.
We are available to any Georgia Highlands College student or recent graduate, regardless of which campus they take classes. Whenever possible, we schedule appointments at all sites. Just check with your campus staff or contact us directly for times we are available.
Appointments for individual counseling sessions are usually 30 minutes to one hour in length. Students are asked to contact us if you need to cancel or reschedule a session. You have the right to discontinue counseling at any time; however, we feel it best that you discuss your intentions with your counselor so that appropriate resources may be suggested. If you feel uncertain about whether counseling is for you, we suggest you make an initial appointment to discuss your reservations with a counselor. There is no obligation to continue.
