8 Alcohol and Drug Counseling

The Oberlin College Counseling Center provides counseling and support for students concerned about alcohol and drug use. This is a good place to start when looking for direction or help. Students in need of a court ordered assessment or treatment for dependency, will be referred to Alcohol and Drug Services certified by the state, located in Elyria, or to an agency near a student’s hometown. The Lorain County Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services (LCADA) located in Elyria provides a full range of rehabilitation services for alcohol and drug abuse and dependence. They can be reached at 440-323-0860.

Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon meetings are held on campus and in the local community. Click here to see a schedule of meetings, or call 440-246-1800.

Another excellent resource is the Virtual Pamplet's alcohol and substance use section.

8 Individual Counseling

If individual counseling is the service that is most appropriate for you, you will ordinarily continue with the staff member you meet with initially. Occasionally you may be referred to another counselor whose expertise can better meet your needs. The maximum number of individual sessions that a client may have in the academic year is eight, although most problems can be resolved in fewer. The number and frequency of your sessions will be determined by your counselor and you.

8 Group Counseling

For many issues and problems, group therapy is the treatment of choice. In groups, students have the advantage of speaking with others who have similar concerns and experiences, significantly lessening the feelings of isolation often accompanying the problem. Sharing personal experiences with a small group of peers can feel difficult at first; it can also bring with it a profound sense of relief. Many times people feel shame or guilt about their experiences that diminish as they find that they are still liked and accepted for who they are after they have told what may have been secrets for a long time. Groups can also be a place to give and receive feedback from peers, as well as a place to try out new ways of being with others in a safe, supportive environment. The group can be thought of as a kind of microcosm of the outside world, where members both recreate and can create anew their way of being in the world. Group members make a commitment to keep everything talked about in the group confidential. This deepens feelings of safety in the group, which is also given by group structure (meeting at the same time in the same place, starting and ending on time, seeing the same people every week,) and the presence of the group co-leaders. Unlike classes or structured workshops, therapy and support groups are relatively unstructured. Group members are free to talk about whatever are their concerns in an atmosphere that is as free, supportive, empathic, and as nonjudgemental as possible. It is always important to remember that the benefits of group therapy, like any form of therapy, reflect an individual's investment in it. While group members are not pressured to participate beyond their level of comfort, the group will encourage its members to be as active as they feel ready to be. Readiness is key; sometimes it's a good idea for students to do a piece of individual counseling work before joining a group.

Groups offered for spring semester are Circle of Hope Bereavement Group and Interpersonal Empowerment.

To talk to us about joining a group, contact Cheryl Switalski at x58470. For most of our groups, we'll want to meet with you before deciding, with you, if the group is the right place for you at this time.

8 Student Insurance

Oberlin College offers a Sickness and Accident Insurance Plan as a supplement to your individual or family policy, or for students who are uninsured or underinsured. We strongly encourage participation in this insurance plan, even though you may be included on your family's plan. All undergraduate students are automatically included in this plan, and will have an annual charge included on the first semester term bill--unless a signed waiver is returned to the Student Accounts Office declining this coverage. The plan provides protection against the expense of sickness and accident, both at Oberlin and off-campus. A consultation and referral by the Oberlin College Counseling Center is required in order to access mental health benefits. The benefit provides up to $1,500 maximum coverage, paying 80% of preferred allowance for in network providers, and 60% of usual and customary charges for out of network providers. Additional information may be obtained by contacting Academic Health Plans at (888) 308-7320.

Training is provided for general relaxation or as an adjunct to medical treatment for psychophysiological disorders.

The Counseling Center is stocked with brochures and other literature which address a wide variety of topics. Some of the better self-help books and audio tapes on a range of topics are also available in the Center. They include self-help materials for dealing with depression, anxiety, procrastination, eating disorders, and alcohol problems, as well as for developing appropriate assertive behaviors and relaxation procedures. This material is available and free of charge, or to borrow on a limited basis, to Oberlin College students, faculty, and staff. In addition, the following is a list of web sites which contain a wealth of information.

The Student Counseling Virtual Pamphlet

American Psychological Association's Self-Help Brochures

Herb Stockley's Mental Health Resource List

Area Support Groups

While maintaining confidentiality, the staff is available to consult with faculty, staff, and administrators about issues with direct or indirect impact on student development and well being.

Referral Guide

Students may call or stop in to make an appointment to see a counselor. Appointments are scheduled Monday - Friday at 9:00, 10:00, 11:00 a.m., and 1:30, 2:30, 3:30 p.m. In most cases, initial appointments are available within a few days of the students' requests. At those times in the semester when the Counseling Center has the most demand for services--October and November, March and April--the wait may be slightly longer.

Walk-in appointments are available to students when scheduling prohibits them from seeing their regular counselor, when they feel the wait is too long for an initial appointment, or when they feel a pressing need for a brief consultation. Students are seen on a first-come, first-served basis. The Counseling Center staff rotates walk-in coverage throughout the week. Walk-in times are:

Mondays and Tuesdays 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon

and

Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.

There is a maximum of 8 individual sessions per year with no limitations on other services. All services are offered at no charge to students. The Center offers individual and group counseling, referral for long term work, biofeedback training, psychological and vocational testing, educational workshops, and consultation with faculty and staff.

8 Outreach

If you would like to suggest an educational program, please contact us.

Oberlin College has contracted with University Hospitals of Cleveland to provide psychiatric services for Oberlin students. Farah Munir, D.O. is a board certified psychiatrist with a strong interest in working with the college-age population, and holds office hours in the Counseling Center part time during the academic year.

At Oberlin the psychiatrist works in conjunction with staff psychologists in the Counseling Center and medical staff in Student Health Services to provide a holistic approach to treatment. It is our goal to provide quality mental health care and services by assessing each student’s individual needs, and determining the best way to meet those needs. Students expressing a desire to meet with the psychiatrist will initially be scheduled to consult with a professional staff member in the Counseling Center for an assessment, regardless of past or current treatment. All students utilizing the services of Dr. Munir will also be required to provide evidence of a psychotherapeutic relationship with a licensed mental health provider in the Oberlin/Cleveland area. In some cases, this relationship will be with a psychologist in the Counseling Center. In others a referral will be made to a private practitioner in the Oberlin area for ongoing support and psychotherapy. Please schedule an appointment with one of the Counseling Center staff psychologists to discuss your interest in meeting with the psychiatrist.

What to expect from a visit to the psychiatrist:
A visit to the psychiatrist is often focused upon determining a diagnosis and consideration of the possible role of medication in treating the problem presented. An initial visit takes usually 40-45 minutes. If you have been referred, the psychiatrist will often have received preliminary information about your presenting problem from your referral source, including visits with a psychologist at the college Counseling Center. This may help the psychiatrist focus more efficiently on the role of making a diagnosis. Typically follow-up visits with the psychiatrist are brief (10-15 minutes), and focused on an evaluation of the effectiveness of medications prescribed to treat your condition.