A new resource is now available to all students on campus. The Counselor Education Department has created a clinic in Hartwell Hall, where Brockport students can speak with counselors on a variety of topics such as time management, managing relationships, etc.
The department held an information session on Sept. 24 where students could get more information on what the clinic has to offer.
The counseling clinic was launched by a group of Graduate students, but the efforts are overseen by New York State Mental Health counselors. The main focus of the clinic is to provide a resource for students, free of charge.
Raven Bielecki was one of the mental health counseling students on hand during the information session.
“Our emphasis is on the students here. It’s free for them to come in and we can talk about things like school, stress, depression, difficulty academically, just the whole gamut. We’re here for them,” Bielecki said.
Providing emotional support is the biggest goal and even if a student is doing well, the clinic can provide them with various benefits.
“We`re hoping that students can work through some of the things that they’re struggling with. Even if they’re feeling pretty good in life but they want to feel a little bit better, maybe they want to make more friends, or get involved in expanding their interests or their capabilities,” Bielecki said. “The idea is that we’re really here for the student population.”
Students can get a one-on-one session once a week that typically lasts around 45-60 minutes where any concerns students may have can be addressed. Treatment plans are available to students to help them address these concerns.
Students can get weekly sessions, but walk-in appointments are also an option depending on availability.
“We usually have walk-ins available at any time. It is possible that at that moment they might not have someone, but it’s usually within an hour or two that they can get in,” Bielecki said. “On the days we are open, we’re very responsive so when people reach out, we can usually get back to them within a day or so.”
Getting the word out and creating interest for students is a current focus of the program. The clinic is open from 4:30-9:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday in Hartwell Hall room 3A in the Counselor Education Wing.