Making the transition from high school to college brings with it many challenges and opportunities…it is a time for changes, growth and reflection. Below you will find information about:
The transition from high school to college marks an important milestone along the path from adolescence to adulthood. It's a big step for students and their families. Your child is exploring fuller independence and, the nature of your relationship is also changing. How much support does your son or daughter need? How will you communicate once they are gone? When will you know it's time to step in and help? Everyone needs time to adjust to find out how to support your child’s mental and emotional needs through the transition year.
Often overlooked is the fact that the college experience is a significant transition for the parents of college students. As parents, you may experience feelings of happiness, excitement, and pride when your children leave for college. At the same time, you may feel a sense of sadness and pain and have many understandable fears and concerns about your children’s future and well-being. You may worry about your children’s safety and ability to care effectively for themselves. You may fear “losing” your children as they begin to function more independently and forms deep attachments with peers. You may be concerned about how your children will deal with choices and temptations they face. You may also wonder how your children’s performance in college will reflect on you as the parent.
CTX Counseling Services provides free confidential service for enrolled students, including brief individual, walk-in consultations; and psycho-educational outreach programming.
Students may seek counseling for a variety of reasons, including relationship concerns, difficulties with roommates, isolation, loneliness, emotional stress including depression and anxiety, disordered eating, and identity issues. Typically these issues are related to the adjustment and students will recover quickly; however if the intensity persists and makes it difficult for your student to function effectively, or if your student is experiencing suicidal thoughts or feelings, it is recommended to encourage your student to come to Counseling Services immediately. It is more effective if your student takes the initiative in accessing services-your son or daughter may be less likely to follow through if you make the appointment for them.
Counseling Services provides consultations to parents concerned about their students. Such consultations can focus on a range of issues, including how to assist a student experiencing a difficult situation, how to refer a student to services, or how to locate appropriate mental health treatment for student. To secure a consultation, call Counseling Services at 512-331-5032. The counselor will not acknowledge or discuss treatment of your student unless your student has given written consent to do so.
Confidentiality is essential to the process of counseling. Counseling staff are required to adhere to the ethical standards of their profession and to state and federal laws relating to confidentiality. These standards prevent us from speaking with concerned parents about their students contact with Counseling Services unless we have the student’s written consent. Unless your student gives us written consent we cannot acknowledge whether your student has been seen or is making progress in counseling. The only exceptions occur when a student is clearly and imminently suicidal or homicidal, when we learn of ongoing child abuse, or when we are ordered to release confidential information by a court of law.
Please contact Annie Ferrera if you have any questions. 512-331-5032 or ann-marie.ferrera@concordia.edu
Please feel free to select the links below to familiarize yourself with the helpful services and activities that you and your students will be involved with or will utilize.
*Used by permission from Abilene Christian University’s Counseling Center