Parry Barren, B,A. Dir/Housing NickyBoyd,Ed.D. Dir/CarrerCenter EddieCampbe1i,M.A.T. Counselor KalhleenCrouch PostOjflCeManager PhiJDixon,J.D. Dir/PlamlcdGijts CariaKearbey, B.B.A. Controller KeithLarey,B.S. Dir/HumanResources JoniMackey,M.S.W. Counselor Rowan McLeod, B.A. DirlOfficeSystems&Staff Denise MiIler,J.D. Dir/Coop.Educ. Counseling Center aids troubled students, strives to help more people Harding University has always provided many resources useful for assisting students in their collegiate experience and pro-fessional future. One very important and helpful resource that has often gone unnoticed by a large percentage of the Harding populat ion is the University Counseling Center. The center provided services for students, faculty and staff and helped those who took advantage of the available services to benefit more from their Harding experience. The Counseling Center provided a wide range of serv ices, from premarital counseling to assistance with test anxiety. "Often, students just need a safe place to come and talk," Dr. Sherry Pollard, one of the counselors, said. "If they have a specific problem, like anxiety disorder or depression, there are specific steps we can use to help themwork through that. But often they already know the right thing to do. They just need someone who will listen, who won't jump in and try to fix it all for them, who will trust that person's own timing about when to act. " Many people at Harding fe lt uncomfortable if the Counseling Center was suggested as a step to solving their problems. "No one fee ls comfortable going to counseling," Dr. LewMoore, director of the center, said. "Counseling is a matte r of timing. It is just a question of when you encounter it. " From dealing with homesickness the first semester away from family to severe depression and anxiety, everyone faced difficulties at some point. "Seeking counseling is not a sign t® 52 Academics of weakness, but rather of strength ," Pollard said. 'Just like with a car, you don't wait until it is completely wrecked to take it to the shop. When you need a tune-up, you take it to a professiona l. Your life doesn 't have to be a wreck to seek counseling; it only means that there is an area in which you wou ld like to see improvement. " Located discreetly on the third floor of the McInteer, it was as easy [0 visit as the Career Center, Student Services, or any of the other services offered by Harding. Staffed by five professional psychologists, three with docto ra l degrees and two with master's degrees, the Counseling Center offered profes sional confidential assistance. Counselors in the center dealt with all facets of life at Harding. Physical , mental , vocational and spiritual concernswere all potential problem areas in the lives of Harding students. Any student , faculty or staff member at Harding could take advantage of the Counseling Center without charge. They needed only to call or go by the center and make an appointment. "Most people here are unaware of the counseling center," Moore said. U\Ve encourage referrals from faculty, dormmanagers, resident assistants and any other studems." All services provided by the University COllOseling Center were strictly confidential. Conflicts with violations of rules of conduct in the Harding University handbook were also dealt with in a confidential manner. "If someone comes [0 us so convicted in their heart that they need to change, that is the kind of Dr. SherryPol/mod, oJthe UniversilyCounseling Center, explains the rules oJ the Not-50-Newlywed game, a chapel skit stressing the importance offamily. The program was presented duting the week of Governor Mike Huckabee's Conference on the Family, which was held on Harding's campus. Photo by Kristi Burns. person we want here," Moore said. The Counsel ing Center existed to help students overcome their problems and to he lp them heal and grow, not to intimidate or punish them. Every problem had solutions, and the University Counseling Center existed to help find those solutions. - Remie Beaulieu
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