The Missouri Western Counseling Center would like to welcome all our new and returning students for fall 2022 and wish them success in the coming semester!

If the stresses of the semester become too much, if feelings of being overwhelmed start to prevail, or if simply wanting to find an empathetic ear, counselors are available. Counseling is a 100% free and confidential service provided to current Missouri Western students. Professional counselors are available to help students work through a variety of personal issues that they may be facing. Services commonly address stress, anxiety, depression, grief, anger, relationships, sexual assault, self-esteem, time management, cultural issues, adjusting to life in the U.S., study skills, family concerns, grades and homesickness. The Counseling Center is located on the second floor of Eder Hall, room 203, and is open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. To learn more about the Counseling Center or to make an appointment, please go to griff.vn/counseling.

For the upcoming semester, the staff of the Counseling Center would like to share pertinent news that may be helpful for our students moving forward. 

As of July of 2022, 988 became the national three-digit phone number for all mental health, substance use and suicide crises. 988 calls will be routed to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline centers in each state, transitioning from the current Lifeline number, 1-800-273-8255. 988 offers rapid 24/7 access to confidential behavioral health support through connection with trained crisis specialists. To learn more about the 988 system, please visit 988lifeline.org.

We would also like to share that the Counseling Center and the Dean of Students Office are co-hosting the inaugural Stress Less Fest, which will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 28 from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. in the Blum Union Lobby. This event will be an interactive opportunity for various offices throughout campus to host stress reduction activities. Students might begin to have stressful times as this will be Week #5 of the semester. The Counseling Center will be present with “Stress Less” bags for distribution. These bags will include various items to help students in their quest to reduce stress during a time when stress has a tendency to begin to build for the semester.

The Missouri Western Counseling Center is looking forward to helping our students be successful in the coming semester. We encourage students to reach out if they begin to have problems and want them to know that they’re not alone and we’re here to help! Have a great semester!