Individual Counseling

Individual Counseling

Picture of University of Kentucky Counseling Center Staff.

You may be wondering if you are feeling "bad enough" to come to counseling. Or you may be wondering if we have been able to help others with problems similar to yours. These are often questions people consider before actually making an appointment to speak with a counselor.

Students come to counseling to discuss many different issues. For some students the problem is recent or related to a current situation. For others the problem has been present for a long time. Some students come to counseling not because they have a specific problem, but because they want to prevent problems in the future or want to engage in personal growth or discovery.

The most frequent issues students talk about when they first come to counseling are:

  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Relationship problems (with romantic partners, family, friends, roommates, coworkers, advisors)
  • Poor concentration, memory, inability to focus leading to decrease in academic performance
  • Uncertainty about choice of major or career

Other issues that students often discuss in counseling are:

  • Problems forming relationships
  • Lack of satisfaction with current relationships
  • Loss of relationships (through death, divorce, break-ups, moving away)
  • Family problems
  • Anger
  • Loneliness
  • Homesickness
  • Being different from others due to ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, race
  • Experiencing violence now or in the past
  • Problems related to alcohol or other substance use
  • Rape/sexual assault
  • Problems with eating or body image
  • Adjusting to college
  • Adjusting to a new culture
  • Wanting to learn to make healthier life choices
  • Having a general sense of "not feeling like myself"
  • Having a general feeling of unhappiness or unease
  • Confusion about identity, who or what you want to be
  • Procrastination
  • Test anxiety

Individual counseling is an opportunity to talk with a counselor about anything you choose and to work on particular issues which the two of you have defined. Sessions generally last about 50 minutes, one time per week.

Limitations for Treatment

The University of Kentucky Counseling Center: Consultation and Psychological Services can offer an initial assessment to all students eligible for services. However, the Counseling Center does not have adequate resources to treat all types of psychological problems. Certain students will require more specialized or comprehensive treatment than we can offer. Those individuals will be referred to resources in the community following an evaluation.

In addition to counseling on an individual basis, the staff provides assistance to couples who are experiencing difficulty, or wish to improve their relationship.

**We have recently changed our attendance policy in order to best utilize our clinical appointment slots and meet student demand for services. If a student does not attend an individual appointment (including an initial intake) and failed to cancel it by 4 pm of the prior business day, it will be counted as a no-show. When a person reaches 3 no-shows, he or she will be no longer eligible for ongoing individual services at the Counseling Center and may be offered other alternatives such as drop-in workshops and community referrals.

Confidentiality

Our records are separate from all other university records. We do not reveal any information about anyone using our services unless that person gives us written permission to do so or unless required by law. Sometimes it is in a client's best interest for information to be shared with a third party. If you would like for the Counseling Center to share information with specific individuals or offices, the release form Links to an external site. (Form is a PDF document.) must be completed, signed, and dated. It may be hand-delivered, faxed to (859) 257-3319, or mailed to the Counseling Center at 106 Frazee Hall Lexington, KY 40506-0031. If this form is faxed or mailed, we may require independent verification from the client that this release is authentic and should be acted upon. Please note if the release should come to the attention of a specific counselor.

 

For answers to other questions you may have about individual counseling, see our Frequently Asked Questions Links to an external site. page.