Counseling Center Mission Statement

Counseling Center Mission Statement:

In support of Fredonia’s strategic plan and institutional learning goals, the Counseling Center promotes student’s mental health, wellness, growth and development. 

Vision Statement:

Cultivating a resilient and compassionate community.

Counseling Center Values:

The Counseling Center aspires to be a highly visible and trusted resource in which skilled and caring professionals empower students to fulfill their potential by imparting emotional regulation and communication skills; by inspiring action, hope and creativity; and by promoting behavior which demonstrates respect, responsibility and compassion for oneself, the local community, the world community and the environment.

Skilled:

The Counseling Center endeavors to provide high quality services. We adhere to the highest professional standards, embrace innovative clinical services, engage in ongoing professional development, and remain current with new developments in research based clinical practice.

Connected:

The Counseling Center values collaboration within the center, the Division of Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, the University, and the broader community. We seek partnerships and opportunities to work with our colleagues in support of enhanced service to our students.

Creative:

The Counseling Center values creativity as a gateway to innovation at both individual and organizational levels. We support and encourage creative innovation to foster excellence, to enhance inclusiveness, and to provide dynamic services that are relevant to the ever changing needs of a diverse student population.

Responsible:

The Counseling Center is committed to sustaining a healthy organizational climate characterized by honest, direct, and respectful communication and conflict resolution. We endeavor to create a diverse multidisciplinary staff that values different perspectives and professional views. We manifest compassion, mutual trust, and humor in our interactions; actively creating a sense of community that is supportive and respectful of individuals finding balance in their personal and professional lives.

The Counseling Center is guided by the American Counseling Association's (ACA) Code of Ethics and the Council for the Advancement of Standards (CAS) in Higher Education. The Counseling Center utilizes CAS Professional Standards' guiding principles to inform our work and evaluate student progress. The following Student Learning Outcomes are based on CAS Professional Standards for Counseling Services and are assessed and thoughtfully revised on an annual basis.

Student Learning Outcomes (i.e., what students should know, think, or be able to do)

1. Students will acquire skills which will assist them in gaining or maintaining good mental health and overall wellness. These skills will include basic wellness behaviors such as healthy patterns for eating, sleeping and exercising; cognitive skills such as self-compassion, positive self-talk, optimism and self-soothing skills; as well as physical and cognitive techniques for relaxation and anxiety management.
2. Students will gain skills which will empower them to become more responsible in dealing with alcohol and other drugs, becoming more aware of their own patterns of use, developing risk reduction strategies and setting short and long term goals for their substance use.
3. Students will take increasing responsibility for their own personal and academic success.
4. Students will improve their human connections by gaining communication skills, including assertiveness, healthy boundaries, treating others with respect and compassion, and resolving anger in safe and healthy ways.
5. Participants in PAWS workshops will gain skills in understanding the dynamics of sexual assault and interpersonal violence, in intervening safely and in responding with compassion to survivors of violence and helping them learn of and access appropriate resources. Students will gain confidence to connect with potential perpetrators and victims in a safe way likely to reduce the incidence of interpersonal violence on campus. A bystander intervention perspective will be used as the foundation of the training.