Counseling Services
Immaculata University’s counseling services are free to all undergraduate and graduate students taking at least one credit.
Learn more about the services we offer below. If you are a current student, please visit us in the Bruder Center, or learn more about our services and hours of operation in myIU under Student Life.
Counseling is a helping process that takes place in an atmosphere of acceptance, respect, and trust. Counselors work with students to help them understand themselves, their behaviors, feelings, and relationships. The purpose of counseling is to help students identify their personal strengths, succeed academically and develop ways to achieve their full potential.
- managing anxiety
- coping with and reducing stress
- difficulty adjusting to college
- adjusting to loss (death, relationships, job)
- increasing self-understanding
- making difficult decisions and clarifying choices
- assertiveness training
- relaxation techniques
- resolution of personal issues
- eating concerns
- drug/alcohol issues
- self-esteem
- academic concerns (test anxiety, study skills)
- improving communication (with parents, faculty, friends, roommates)
- gender issues
- coping with incidents of sexual assault or other trauma
- uncertainty about life after college
Students can participate in individual counseling sessions, group counseling, or can visit during the daily walk-in clinic hours. Counselors can provide consultation, referrals and suggest local resources.
Individual Counseling is a cooperative venture between the client and the counselor.
The focus is on clarifying the concern, exploring options that may become evident to address the concern, and formulating realistic goals that can provide direction to students. Students typically come in once per week for a 45 to 50-minute session, but may be seen more or less frequently depending on individual needs. The approach of the Counseling Center is generally short-term and problem-focused.
Group Counseling is a powerful venue for growth and change.
Not only do students receive tremendous understanding, support, and encouragement from others facing similar issues, but they also gain different perspectives and ideas on those issues. Most students, though somewhat apprehensive at first, report that the group experience was helpful far beyond their expectations.
Walk-in clinic from 1:00 -2:00 pm, Monday-Friday.
Students can come into the Center without an appointment and see a counselor on a first-come, first-served basis. During a brief assessment interview, students can talk with counselors about their issues or problems, and a decision is made about the most appropriate follow-up to help resolve those problems.
Immaculata’s Counseling Center has an emergency on-call professional available for immediate intervention during normal business hours. If you are a student in crisis during a time when Counseling Services is closed, please call Campus Safety at ext. 5555 if on campus; if off campus, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. Some additional crisis resources are:
- Valley Creek Crisis Intervention, 469 Creamery Way, Exton, PA 19341, 610-280-3270 (open 24hrs/day)
- Crisis Text Line (text ‘home’ to 741741)
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-talk)