Counseling and Testing Center services are intended to help clients deal productively with concerns, issues, or problems confronting them. Sometimes simply sharing your thoughts and feelings in confidence with someone who is objective and a good listener can be helpful when you have a decision to make. At other times, counseling involves providing you with, or directing you to, certain types of information and then helping you to understand that information in relationship to your own situation. Included among specific reasons individuals seek counseling are the following:
-Clarify academic direction and goals
-Choose or change a major and/or curriculum
-Increase self-confidence
-Become more assertive
-Reduce loneliness
-Cope more effectively with stress
-Reduce feelings of depression
-Cope with the death of a family member or friend
-Clarify lifestyle and career goals
-Develop suitable educational plans
-Deal with concerns regarding sexuality
-Eliminate self-defeating behavior
-Deal with concerns related to eating disorders
-Address issues related to substance abuse
The University Counseling and Testing Center is thoroughly committed to the need for confidentiality in client-counselor communications. Therefore, confidentiality of client information is maintained in a manner consistent with professional standards of ethical practice and conduct and legislative requirements in the State of Michigan. Copies of the Center's Policy on Confidentiality may be obtained at the Reception Desk.
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The primary one-to-one services offered by the
University Counseling and Testing Center are:
Personal Counseling:
To assist individuals in better understanding themselves and the emotional conflicts that may interfere with their everyday lives as students, to help them become more aware of alternative means of coping with conflicts, and to aid them in developing more healthy, satisfying, and fulfilling lifestyles.
Career Counseling:
To provide students with the resources, skills and experience necessary for reasonable educational and career choices. The objectives here are to increase self-understanding including insights into one's interests, values, abilities, and skills; to learn how to access information about the nature of work, educational and personal qualifications, earnings, and opportunities in various career fields; and to learn to review choices periodically and make decisions accordingly which establish relevant goals and plans of action.
Click here for more information on Career Counseling Services.
Click here to see online career resources that are available.
Click here to see other WMU Career Resoures that are available.
Career Guidance Inventory:
The Western Michigan University Career Guidance Inventory (CGI), available at the Center, systematically addresses your career concerns. The inventory provides a unique, individual profile identifying personality characteristics, occupational values, vocational interests, accomplishments, and skills. Career counselors will help you use this information to make career and life decisions that meet your present and future needs. To begin the career assessment and counseling process, telephone (269.387.1850) or visit the University Counseling and Testing Center 8 AM to 5 PM Monday through Friday. WMU students are required to arrange for an initial interview in which a career counselor obtains information about concerns and background. At the end of the interview, you will receive a copy of the CGI, which can be taken home for a seven-day period. When the completed test is returned and the fee* paid, an interpretation session with a career counselor is scheduled. Any WMU non-affiliates simply need to telephone or visit the office to obtain information regarding taking the CGI. All test results, interpretations, and counseling are confidential. You will be given a copy of your assessment results. Ongoing records are kept for possible follow-up visits. As you gain more understanding about yourself from the CGI and test interpretation, goal-setting and career decision-making should become much easier for you.
Click here for more information on the Career Guidance Inventory (CGI).
To view testimonials from those who have taken the CGI, click here.
Educational Counseling:
To enable students to explore their academic progress and direction at the University. This would include an analysis of academic interests, choice of curriculum and major/minor combinations, and relating these interests and choices to potential careers. This service can also facilitate referrals to other University offices and services which would benefit the student. It is appropriate for all students experiencing uncertainty about their academic direction, as well as for nontraditional students wishing to explore degree options at the University. Often, students are undecided about their college major, curriculum, or future occupation. Taking the Career Guidance Inventory (CGI) and receiving career counseling provides students and non-students with insights, resources, and skills necessary to make reasonable educational and career choices.
Outreach & Consultation:
UCTC Faculty are available for consulting with students, staff, faculty, and other professionals in the University community. Such consultations often focus on planning special programs, studying problems in group dynamics and interpersonal communications, evaluating ways of improving student living and learning environments, and other issues having significant counseling dimensions.