Confidentiality and More
While there are limits to confidentiality, the fact that you are seeing a counselor does not appear on any academic records. Your right to confidentiality is protected by law.
As helping professionals, we are legally and ethically bound to report cases of
- child abuse,
- elder abuse,
- suicide,
- homicide, and if
- individuals are gravely disabled and unable to care for themselves.
In such cases, the counselor is legally required to make outside reports (where appropriate) of information obtained during counseling sessions. The counselor will inform the student that confidentiality will be broken and the reason(s) for doing so.
Privacy Practices
The detailed use and description of protected health information can be made available to you upon request.
Expectations of the Student
Students are expected to be committed to working on their concerns with their counselor, specifically:
- Students are expected to be open and honest.
- Students are expected to keep appointments and be on time, as individual sessions are 30-45 minutes in length.
Issues Requiring More Care
While the counseling center staff is trained and highly committed to the well-being of the community, should a student need additional resources, we will appropriately refer students to outside services such as a private practitioner, medical professional (e.g. psychiatrist, nutritionist), community support group, or facility that specializes in the student's problem.
Due to high demands for our services, there are limits to individual counseling appointments. However, PGCC Groups and Workshops have no limit and are highly encouraged in tandem with individual sessions to achieve maximum progress towards longer-term goals.
Our Philosophy
Our philosophy is to value the self-worth of each individual, respect and embrace human diversity, and provide services that aid in the development of healthy behaviors necessary for success.
You may be a little apprehensive about visiting a counselor, but you'll find it is actually a warm and safe place to discuss what might be worrying you personally, academically, or socially. Discussing your concerns with a counselor simply means you are asking for objective help with a particular aspect of your college life that may have become too overwhelming to deal with alone.
Our Mission
The mission of the Personal Growth and Counseling Center is to promote the mental health of CSUMB students in order to improve the quality of their lives and aid them in achieving academic success. We are committed to the development of the whole person: academically, personally, socially, spiritually, and physically.
We provide high quality crisis intervention, counseling, consultation, educational outreach programs, support groups, and referrals all designed to help students:
- Learn skills to optimize decision-making, problem-solving, communication, managing stress and resolving conflicts.
- Deal with problems stemming from personal life experiences, trauma, and situational stress
- Resolve life crises that threaten persistence in college
- Adjust to and cope with college life and pressures
- Enhance individual potential
- Develop personal growth and healthy relationships