Counseling Services

A wide array of options to help you get through the tough times.

The Counseling Center offers an array of services to help you work through any trouble you might be having. Some examples of ways the Counseling Center can help are:

Group Support

The Counseling Center offers groups on a regular basis. Some of the groups which have been offered are:

  • Wellness Group - a safe environment where students can come together to learn life skills that help improve mental health and overall wellness.
  • Parents Group - a place of support and problem solving for students who are also dealing with the unique challenges of being parents.
  • SMART Collegiate Recovery Support Group - This group provides students that are in recovery from substance abuse with guidance and support to sustain long-term recovery. Participants find and develop the power within themselves to change and lead fulfilling and balanced lifestyles.

On-Campus Training Sessions

The Counseling Center offers mental health awareness, suicide prevention, alcohol intervention, bystander, and intimate partner violence prevention trainings for students:

  • Campus Connect - A Suicide Prevention Training for Gatekeepers- The 3 hour experientially based training is designed to enhance participant’s knowledge, awareness, and skills concerning college student suicide. Specifically, Campus Connect aims to increase participant’s knowledge about suicide statistics, risk and protective factors, warning signs, and referral resources; to increase empathic listening skills, communication skills, and the ability to ask individuals if they are thinking about suicide; and to increase self-awareness concerning the potential emotional reactions gatekeepers may experience when interacting with students in crisis.
  • Mental Health Awareness - Research tells us that suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students and that 11% of students considering suicide will seek counseling while 67% will tell a peer. This 50 minute presentation introduces the student to mental health, how to recognize when someone might be struggling with a mental illness and how to respond and get the person connected to treatment.
  • Resilience - This 50 minute workshop introduces the building blocks of life that a person can use to grow, succeed and thrive.
  • Sleep vs GPA - Insufficient sleep contributes to poor academic performance as well as risk-taking behavior, depression, impaired social relationships, and poorer health. Unfortunately, many college students are not getting good sleep. This 50 minute presentation will introduce the student to the benefits of sleep and how to achieve restful and adequate sleep.
  • Athletes and Mental Health - Students and student-athletes are affected equally by mental health challenges (one in five students) but the competitive nature of sports can cause some athletes to hide their problems. Seeking help in an athlete’s world might be considered a sign of weakness. Rather than speaking with someone or seeking help, some athletes believe they should simply tough it out. This presentation will discuss mental health, how to support a person showing signs of a mental health struggle and how to get connected to mental health resources.
  • Wellness and Taking time for YOU! - Tips for relaxation, setting boundaries, positive thinking and a less-stressed you.
  • Escalation Workshop - This 1.5 hour workshop raises awareness and educates students about the warning signs of relationship abuse.
  • TIPS for the University - This is a 2.5 hour program helps students make sound choices when faced with difficult decisions about alcohol use. Students address drinking behaviors and develop intervention techniques. This training provides students with the knowledge and confidence necessary to reduce high-risk drinking behavior among their peers.
  • Red Watch Band - This training provides students with the knowledge, awareness, and skills to prevent toxic drinking deaths and promotes a student culture of kindness, responsibility, compassion and respect.
  • Certified Peer Educator Training (CPE) - This 8 hour trainings is an effective strategy for building a well-educated and sustainable peer education group, which helps peer educators develop leadership skills to be able to successfully create and implement campus programs.
  • Substance Use Awareness for Athletes - In addition to providing student athletes with an overview of various substances, they are educated on how specific types of substance use negatively impact their athletic performance.
  • Drugs 101 Education Series - These one hour workshops offer information on alcohol, marijuana, and other drugs, in addition to providing resources available.

Please contact Wendy Marchese at marcheswt@herkimer.edu if you have any questions regarding any of the groups or training listed or know of some people who would like to begin a new group session.

If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or know of another Herkimer College student who is, contact one of the following as soon as possible:

  • Campus Safety: 911
  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1(800) 273-TALK (8255)
  • The Counseling Center (8:00 am to 4 pm): (315) 866-0300 x8284
  • MCAT (Mobile Crisis Assessment Team): (315) 732-MCAT (6228) *they are available 24 hours a day/7 days a week
  • Local Police Department if living off campus: 911