Evanston Therapy: College Student Counseling, How Much Do You Really Need It?

Everyone has a little difficulty getting adjusted to college life, right? And graduate school could be just a little more intense than you had ever imagined. But do you really need to have therapy as a college student? The pressure to get good grades, perform for your profs and create a new network of friends could bring your life to the boiling point. Most universities, like Northwestern, offer mental health services for students. Yet, these counseling services are more for short-term issues. Let’s take a look at why ongoing therapy for college students could boost your mood, lessen your anxiety and help you to have the success you’re looking for.

Assessing your situation

You might think that you’ve never needed therapy in the past, so why would you need it now. Or you might feel your difficulties are no different than anyone else’s. But perhaps you’ve never had this mix and number of life stressors. You’ve managed well until this point like a rockstar.

But your life has changed, and you are changing. You’re taking on more responsibilities for managing all of the things in your life in a way you haven’t needed to until this point.

Check out what Northwestern counseling services have to offer you.

Next, reach out to us and let us know how we might help beyond the Northwestern mental health counseling services. After talking with one of our therapists, we will have a better idea of what you’re dealing with. We’ll help you assess your strengths and give you strategies for dealing with the challenges.

We will be here for you through any difficulties you might face. We’re a safe place close to Northwestern’s campus where you can process your life and any anxiety with someone who cares.

Everyday Life Stressors: Therapy can help, too!

Relationships

Your relationship muscles will get a workout during college life. Why does negotiating life with your roommates take so much energy and why does it take so much energy to make new friends? How can you tell if you’ve really been friend-zoned by your new crush? Have relationships always been this difficult or are you just noticing it?

In therapy, there will be time and space to work through these questions and to find a way to walk through the relationship landmines. Talking with an Evanston therapist about your relationships can help take some of the pressure off. You’ll breathe easier.

Learning Difficulties

Keeping up with all of the reading, note-taking, and prep for your classes could lead you to uncover issues with how you learn. You’re afraid for the prof to call on you or to participate in class discussions because you haven’t had enough time to go through all of the material.

Getting by in high school or as an undergrad was a breeze. But, now, managing all of these pieces has landed you in overwhelm. You can’t seem to keep up and stay focused. You’re starting to feel like you might have ADHD or other problems processing information. At Evanston Counseling, we can help you with the issues that may be fueling your ADHD.  Often times, it is a a fear of failure, aka perfectionism, or a lack of self-esteem that leads to procrastination.

Therapy for college students can help you to address problems like these. Your therapist knows how to determine how you are processing information. They can help you uplevel your study skills with the way that you naturally think and take in information.

We think this studentlifenetwork.com article says it best: you don’t need to be mentally ill to talk about your mental health. If something in your life is bothering you and it is impacting the academic and personal success you want to have, it’s worth seeking out Northwestern mental health services or some counseling from a local Evanston therapist.

Counseling services help with life’s most difficult problems

Did you know that one in four young adults between 18 and 24 have an undiagnosed mental illness? Perhaps no one has ever put a label on what you are feeling. Yet, you know you’ve always struggled with things like anxiety and depression.

The statistics tell an intriguing and common story: college students are suffering from mental health challenges (probably more now than in the past). An Inside Higher Ed study done in April, 2021 found that 65 percent of students report having fair or poor mental health. This same study reports the following:

• 63 percent of those who say it’s poor would grade their college’s response to student mental health and wellness services a C or lower (compared to 43 percent of all students).
• Only 15 percent engaged in college-offered counseling in the past year.

But what does this mean for you? Two years into the pandemic, you may still feel the negative impact COVID has had on your academic success. You may feel anxious or depressed about your future.

You deserve to have help. There is no need to wait, especially when Northwestern counseling services are available to you.

Therapists at Evanston Counseling are here to help you, too. We will talk with you to determine where you are. You can share your goals with us on living a life where anxiety and depression have less of an impact. We’ll set up a plan to get you there.

A mental health crisis may put your educational and career plans on hold. Reach out to us now. Life can begin to look better and brighter with the right help.

Next steps

If you’re feeling anxious about college life, call us at (773) 983-8444 for a free, 15-minute phone conversation with one of our Evanston Therapists. We will listen and direct you to the right person to help you with your anxiety. Or you can schedule a time to chat with us here.

Are you looking for therapy for school stress, anxiety, life transitions, or relationships? You can read more about how our therapists can help here. We look forward to meeting you!