University students experience several forms of stress. Family expectations, domestic conflicts, emotional crises, academic and professional pressures, and relationships all take their toll on individuals. In addition, occasional spontaneous or circumstantial anxiety, depression, or emergencies can take place. If neglected, these stresses can be detrimental to mental and emotional well-being as well as productivity.

In an effort to help and provide resources for students, Pace’s Counseling Center has begun offering “Let’s Talk” sessions in addition to counseling appointments and the Relaxation Room. These sessions, unlike formal appointments, are “a drop-in service where students can have an informal consultation with a therapist.”

The Counseling Center provides examples of situations in which these sessions might be advantageous.

If a student is hesitant about counseling and wonders what it’s like to talk to a therapist, if he or she is uninterested in continuous therapy but would like the chance to talk to a professional, if he or she would like to converse with a professional regarding a specific or time sensitive issue, or if he or she is concerned for a friend, “Let’s Talk” is a an easy, convenient option for students.

Open on Wednesdays from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on the first floor of Mortola Library, no appointment is needed for a student to consult with a therapist.

The Counseling Center stresses that students who already partake in continuous counseling and therapy continue to do so. “Let’s Talk” is not a replacement for existing counseling, nor is it advertised as such.

It is simply an option for those who might be hesitant to make a formal appointment or who are attempting to cope with a relatively brief problem. After all, it is not uncommon for individuals to be wary of counseling.

Having been implemented in September of this year, “Let’s Talk” is still a relatively new initiative on campus.

Still, Staff Psychologist Mariesa Cruz-Tillery has claimed the program “is increasing the Counseling Center’s visibility to students, especially those who are hesitant to make that initial contact with [them].”

For more information, visit the Counseling Center page of the Pace website.