Counseling Services

The counseling services offered at Saint Louis University in Madrid are aimed at helping students enhance their academic and personal well-being. Students are provided with the opportunity to explore concerns within the context of a confidential relationship and are supported with resources to make positive changes.

WHAT IS COUNSELING?
Counseling is an interaction between two people: in this case, you, the student, and a professionally trained person who will listen objectively and in a nonjudgmental way to help you explore those issues of importance to you. This process facilitates the development of skills that will effectively help you confront and cope with difficulties.

WHY SEEK COUNSELING?
New challenges and significant personal and social changes often characterize the college years. This can be demanding, especially when you take into consideration the fact that you're doing all of this in the unfamiliarity of a different culture far away from your everyday support system (family, friends, etc.). Trying to adjust to all of this can affect academic performance, career plans, personal lives or relationships, and as a result, students usually seek help from others.

WHO GOES TO COUNSELING?
Students usually seek counseling for themselves or for friends when having problems with:

• homesickness and culture shock
  
• relationships (friends, family or significant other)
  
• making decisions or resolving specific problems
  
• poor study skills
  
• time management
  
• concentrating while studying or taking exams
  
• anxiety
  
• sleeping and eating concerns
  
• physical, sexual or emotional abuse
  
• drinking too much or taking drugs
  
• feeling helpless or hopeless or thinking about suicide
  
• experiencing a crisis or stressful event (death in the family, divorce, etc.)
  
• loneliness
  
• sexuality issues
  
• normal support systems have been exhausted or are unavailable

Students from all cultures, languages, races, religions, gender and sexual orientation are welcome.

OFFICE HOURS AND COUNSELING EMERGENCIES
Counseling office hours are Monday through Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
To contact Counseling Services, please call 915545858 Ext. 230 or send an e-mail to vandrew1@slu.edu.

For counseling emergencies, please call 609.269.323.