We Listen to Your Concerns!

 People today are worried all the time. Undergraduates have problems at school and in other parts of their lives. Relationship issues, educational issues, family issues, self-esteem issues and so on, as university students, these are some of the various problems that are encountered. Once a problem occurs, stress rises and bothers as psychologically. Some people are able to deal with problems well, but others can not. At that moment, there is a facility on campus that students can lean on. It is the Student Counseling Center. This center was established to provide professional help to students who are in a psychologically difficult situation and are confused. The Pharos introduces this center for students who are psychologically troubled and hopes to share their worries.

< Student Counseling Center >

Location: Suwon Campus (Students Building, Room 430, 4th floor)

Seoul Campus (Main Building, Room 1104)

Operation time: during the semester (weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

during vacations (weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.)

⁎ Lunch hour: 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.

Call: 031-249-9574~5 (Suwon) / 02-390-5025 (Seoul)

E-mail: counsel@kgu.ac.kr

Cost: All sessions, tests and programs are free.

The Student Counseling Center provides several programs:

- Personal counseling: When daily life or school life is troubled, a counselor consults with you one on one.

- Group counseling: A counselor and around ten students discuss certain topics once a week for 3 to 5 weeks. So far, the topics have included interpersonal anxiety, self-understanding, stress care, etc.

- Psychological testing: If you take a test outside of school, it is very expensive; however, here, you are able to have a test for free. Visit the center and fill in the form. Then a test is run. Later, interpretation counseling will be provided. Tests have many parts: a characteristics/adaptation part, an education/future path part, a mental health part and a drawing test part.

- Special lectures and workshops: Special lectures and workshops about suicide-prevention, depression, and self-esteem are held occasionally. The time will be announced on a notice board and the web site.

- “Dal-lae”: “Dal-lae” is a program in which peer counselors are selected from enrolled students and they help other students in general areas like school adaptation. Applications for students wishing to be peer counselor are received by the center at the beginning of every year. Peer counselors can receive benefits such as scholarships and KGU+ points. Whenever help is needed, it is available by calling the center, or sending an e-mail or Facebook message.

We met Cho Seong-yeon, a counselor at the Student Counseling Center, to get more accurate and useful information. We received information about the center, the services the center provides, and some things the center wanted to tell students.

Q1. What is the purpose of the Student Counseling Center?

The Student Counseling Center is a professional place that helps students grow and have a nice college life.

Q2. What has been the reaction of students to the counseling and programs provided by the center?

The center provides counseling on serious issues, but it also provides counseling on career problems and love affairs. In addition, it provides targeted consultation based on the results of various tests. We are also doing programs like “Lunch Together,” a program in which students listen to stories while eating together. This program makes it easy for students to share their stories. The students’ response to the center's programs has been good.

Q3. What would you say to some students who may have prejudices or misunderstandings about counseling?

There may be some students thinking that counseling is difficult. In addition, counseling can be mistaken by them as something that only a troubled student receives, but it is not. You can also get counseling to deal with daily worries such as career or your personality confusion. If you are interested or feel it is necessary, we would like you to visit the center anytime. All of these counselors are professionals who have trained for a long period, so students will quickly feel comfortable with them. In addition, the consultation sessions can be flexibly adjusted depending on the wishes and circumstances of the students, not just held during the regular sessions.

Q4. What problems does the center deal with and how does it help?

The areas that students worry a lot about are personality, interpersonal relationships and careers. In particular, students have a lot of worries about personality and relationships. The Student Counseling Center is helping through counseling, psychological tests, and special lectures. We gave a special lecture about depression last year. The reaction to this lecture was good, so we are planning to make a series on the same topic this year. In addition, we are looking for ways to provide the students with the help they need. For example, last year, the Student Counseling Center signed a MOU with a welfare center in Suwon to provide special lectures on topics such as suicide prevention education, and the Student Counseling Center connects this bigger center to the students who are not able to get counseling in campus. There are also psychiatrists there, so students can listen to the doctors’ opinions if they want to. In addition, if a hospital requests test results, the center sends the ones conducted by the center to the hospital to help students save money.

Q5. Last, what do you want to tell students?

A lot of depressed students have come to visit the center. Many of the students blame themselves and can’t tolerate even a small mistake. Therefore, they are constantly anxious because they think about their problems many times. Blaming yourself will make it difficult, and you will not be able to tolerate even a small mistake. Rather, I want to tell you to encourage and accept yourself. If it’s difficult, the center can help you, so I hope you can come to the center where we can solve your problems together.

Having a consultation never means that a client is a peculiar person. These days are full of worries for people, which means that sharing concerns and being honest are necessary for everyone. The center is always available to help students with both serious issues and less severe ones. If you do not want counseling, psychological testing, special lectures and programs like “Lunch Together” are provided, so don’t hesitate to visit the center. When you are suffering from emotional pain, why don’t you call out for help to Student Counseling Center?

71st Reporter PARK SINUI dean0305@naver.com
71st Cub Reporter KIM JIN coo0714@naver.com