Prioritizing mental health with NSU services

By Alia Yiskis •

Rebecca Fazio, senior graphic design major, entered her sophomore year feeling the stress of college more intensely than ever. Her freshman year was online during Covid-19. Sophomore year was her first in-person experience at NSU.

She found relief by regularly attending counseling sessions at the Center for Student Counseling and Well-Being

Fazio appreciates the objective insight the counselors offer.

“It helps to have someone with an outside perspective to listen to things going on. It’s a good place to vent, even if it’s not something major,” she said. “They are also physically on the college campus, so they can give more specific advice regarding Nova.”

NSU, in partnership with Henderson Behavioral Health, offers counseling to all students at the Center for Student Counseling and Well-Being, located on the third floor of the Student Affairs Building. It provides talk therapy with licensed therapists as well as psychiatric services.

Dr. Myron Burns, associate professor at the College of Psychology, said school-offered counseling is similar to therapy at a private practice.

“University students who are away from home for the first time can have a hard time adjusting, especially out-of-state students,” he said. “Your parents are not there to tell you what to do, so it’s up to you to make sure you adhere to your schedule and stay out of trouble. [There’s] new independence, time management, grades, relationship issues, roommate issues, etc.”

He also said mental health is just as important as physical health, and mental health checks should be done regularly to maintain a healthy mindset.

“Getting counseling is very similar to getting checkups with a primary care physician,” he said.

The Center for Student Counseling and Well-Being offers 10 free counseling sessions, either in person or over Zoom, every calendar year. Students can then get one free session per month for the majority of the school year.

Psychiatric services, with no session limit, are available for a small fee covered by most insurance plans. Students can also be referred to community service providers, transitional services, or re-engagement at the center if services were stopped before the 10 allotted sessions.

Suzelle Guinart, director at the Center for Student Counseling and Well-Being, believes counseling helps students get to know themselves better and learn how to assess the warning signs of stress when they appear.

“Some level of stress is inevitable, but there are ways to manage it, so it doesn’t become debilitating,” she said. “Counseling is a way to create a sense of connection, to remember that you’re not alone,”

Guinart recommended all students look into it.

“Give it a chance,” she said. “It’s all about having a one-on-one conversation with someone who will be in your corner.”