Counseling Resources

The Counseling Center has many resources related to the field of counseling. These resources may be helpful to SRU students, perspective students, SRU staff & faculty members, parents of SRU students and generally can provide information and resources for those with questions regarding personal or collateral psychological or counseling concerns.

Parent Information

Dear Parents,

The college experience can be exhilarating, fearful, bittersweet and confusing to both parents and students. We hope you find the resources on this page helpful. Should you have any concerns or need additional information, please do not hesitate to call our office at 724.738.2034. Any one of our professional staff will be happy to help you.

Keep Lines of Communication Open

Stay in touch
Show interest
Be a good listener
Have an open mind
Be encouraging
Don't push

Encourage Independence and Responsibility

Learn to provide support and a listening ear but don't try to control the student's life via long distance.

Encourage independent thinking. Help them sort out their thinking process and avoid making decisions for them.

Respect Boundaries

It might not be the best idea to just show up at the student's dorm room on a Friday afternoon. Always call first and arrange time to visit them in their new home.

Try to keep a balance between consistent contact with the student and demanding an e-mail every day or phone call three times a week.

Be Realistic

Beginning a college career can bring with it many academic challenges. Be realistic about your expectations of grades and achievement.

Discuss the student's new financial responsibilities. Establish limits and guidelines that fit both your needs and encourage responsibility.

Keep the student informed about what is happening with family and in the community. Students typically appreciate it when parents communicate this information and often resent it when parents withhold unhappy news, such as a family illness or the death of a grandparent, in order to not upset them.

Students love to receive a touch of home. Send "care packages" but don't just send cash!

It is important to make the most of home visits and to maintain a space for the student when they comes home.

Be Flexible

Allow some room for growth as you negotiate changes in what your expectations are with what the student's expectations and needs are.

Be Informed

Know the campus resources and encourage the student to take advantage of the services available to him/her.

Get involved when tearful calls outnumber the others or when other behaviors arise such as frequent illness, excessive fatigue, non-beneficial changes in behavior or appearance, or talk of hopelessness or lack of purpose.

Coping Strategies for Parents

Recognize that ambivalence is normal.

As the student leaves for college you may feel a mix of emotions. You may feel nostalgic about the "early years" or apprehensive about the upcoming separation. At the same time you may be looking forward to more peace and quiet at home or to spending more time with other family members. All of these reactions are normal.

Feel the emotions.

Don't pretend that you are unaffected by the transition of the student leaving home. A healthy approach is to talk about your emotions with family, friends, or whoever is a support to you.

Pay attention to staying healthy.

Exercise, a healthy diet, and adequate sleep are important to your health, especially during stressful times. If you feel good, you will be able to provide support to the student. Remember that you are a role model for the student who may be experiencing a lot of stress in the upcoming year. If they observe your healthy lifestyle, they may replicate it.

Acknowledge the importance of this milestone.

You have just spent 18+ years guiding and teaching the student to become a productive member of society. Now, it is time to put into practice all that you have taught him or her. Remember that by providing the student an opportunity to go to college, you have given him or her a priceless gift. Take pride in this accomplishment.

Find an outlet for yourself.

Remember, it is normal for the student to become active in a life separate from the family. Don't take it personally when the student does not have the same time for you, and you have more time on your hands. Consider exploring a new hobby, making new friends, or completing an unfinished task. Engaging in activities that provide new challenges can help you re-channel the energies previously spent on the student.

Websites for Parents

Alcohol, Other Drugs, and College: A Parent's Guide

Parents, Families, Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)

Sample Parent Resource Books

Don't Tell Me What To Do, Just Send Money: The Essential Parenting Guide to the College Years, by Helen E. Johnson & Christine Schelhas-Miller

Empty Nest...Full Heart: the Journey from Home to College, by Andrea Van Steenhouse

Let the Journey Begin: A Parent's Monthly Guide to the College Experience, by Jacqueline MacKay & Wanda Ingram

Suicide Outreach & Warning Signs

The Student Counseling Center at Slippery Rock University supports and promotes the psychological, academic and holistic health of Slippery Rock students.

Every 15 minutes, someone dies by suicide. More than 32,000 people in the United States die by suicide every year, making suicide the 11th leading cause of death in this country. Though suicide attempts are not reported, it is estimated that close to one million people make a suicide attempt each year. Research has shown that 90 percent of people who die by suicide have a diagnosable psychiatric disorder at the time of their death, most often unrecognized or untreated depression. Suicide can be prevented. While some suicides occur without any outward warning, most people who are suicidal do give warnings. Prevent the suicide of loved ones by learning to recognize the signs of someone at risk, taking those signs seriously, and knowing how to respond to them.

It's OK to ask for help.

Know the Warning Signs

Early Warning Signs

Withdrawal from friends and family
Preoccupation with death
Marked personality change and serious mood changes
Difficulty concentrating
Difficulties in school (decline in quality of work)
Change in eating and sleeping habits
Loss of interest in pleasurable activities
Frequent complaints about physical symptoms, often related to emotions, such as stomachaches, headaches, fatigue, etc.
Persistent boredom
Loss of interest in things one cares about

Late Warning Signs

Actually talking about suicide or a plan
Exhibiting impulsivity such as violent actions, rebellious behavior, or running away
Refusing help, feeling "beyond help"
Complaining of being a bad person or feeling "rotten inside"
Making statements about hopelessness, helplessness, or worthlessness.
Not tolerating praise or rewards
Giving verbal hints with statements such as: "I won't be a problem for you much longer," "Nothing matters," "It's no use," and "I won't see you again"
Becoming suddenly cheerful after a period of depression-this may mean that the student has already made the decision to escape all problems by ending his/her life
Giving away favorite possessions
Making a last will and testament
Saying other things like: "I'm going to kill myself," "I wish I were dead," "or "I shouldn't have been born."

If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide, know that the pain you are feeling, while intense, is temporary and that help is available.

Concerned about someone else?

If you know or suspect that someone you care about is having thoughts of suicide, do not hesitate to contact any of the emergency contacts listed above.

If you believe the person in crisis needs immediate assistance, call the University Police at 724.738.3333 or call 911 if off campus.