Henderson Student Counseling is a counseling center that gives part-time and full-time NSU students the chance to talk to a licensed professional about any difficulties they might be working through in their lives. Students can attend 10 free sessions a year from the date they started attending their first session.
Debra Goldman, director of Henderson Student Counseling, said that student counseling services are available because going to college, whether it be for an undergraduate degree or a graduate degree, is not only exciting, but it’s transformative.
“When people are in transition in their life, there’s stress they come across that they may never have experienced before,” she said.
Henderson Student Counseling is non-diagnostic, meaning that the counselors don’t diagnose students — they’re simply there to listen.
Goldman said many students are fearful to go to sessions, assuming their permanent record will state that they have a disorder. But that’s not the case. All services are completely confidential and unless students give permission to share their information, it will remain so.
There are two psychologists and two licensed mental health counselors on staff.
Anthony Naguiat, one of the licensed mental health counselors, said that stress can affect students’ academic progress or lead to academic struggles.
“Sometimes, people who are having troubles or struggles in school, they’ll carry those feelings home or take them into their relationships and those troubles at school could affect interpersonal relationships, how they perform at work,” he said.
Henderson offers individual counseling, along with couples counseling for romantic partners, roommates or friends. The office also offers family counseling, as long as the children are at least 12 years old.
They also offer psychiatric services, seperate from student counseling, with a full-time psychiatrist, who can diagnose patients and prescribe medication. Though there is a charge for appointments with a psychiatrist, it is covered by NSU’s insurance and the center takes several other insurances.
Naguiat said many students come in when they’re stressed or worried about events in their lives. He said Henderson’s goal is to let students know that they’re heard.
“We’re hearing them where they’re at, so that they feel like they’re being understood — first and foremost,” Naguiat said.
Goldman said many students are overwhelmed by personal and professional decisions they have to make.
“Sometimes, it’s literally one conversation that helps someone put things in perspective because they just can’t see the end result,” she said.
If students are having a bad day or adjusting to the transition from high school to undergraduate studies or undergraduate studies to graduate studies, Naguiat encourages them to think very positively and look for things that are going well in their lives.
“[A]t times, we tend to look at more of everything that’s going wrong, and sometimes if we think of things that are going right, positive people we have in our lives, for example, or things that have gone well recently, it can make people feel less overwhelmed,” he said.
Goldman said attending school is stressful and life can be stressful so students should use the service, as Henderson’s only goal is to help students maximize their academic and personal and professional life.
Students can call 954-424-6911 to make an appointment. That number also serves as a 24/7 crisis hotline. Students attending regional campuses who can’t commute to Henderson will be referred to a private counselor in their area.
Henderson Student Counseling is located east of the NSU bookstore at University Park Plaza on University Drive. For more information, visit hendersonbehavioralhealth.org/studentcounseling/index3.html
