Student Experiences at the CTC

The Counseling and Testing Center is the primary mental health care facility on campus, and provides free counseling to Andrews University students and their spouses. In addition to the staff of licensed counselors and mental health professionals, the CTC also serves as a training site for graduate counseling interns and psychology doctoral students who are fulfilling their necessary hours to complete their studies. I asked students to share their experiences with the mental health support they’ve received from the CTC. I asked them how they first heard about the CTC, what the sign-up process was like, their impression of the facility’s environment, and most importantly, how satisfied they felt with the care they received. We did not reach out to the CTC for a comment on this article inquiring about student experience. For privacy’s sake, many students asked to remain anonymous, as they shared their unfiltered experiences. 

1. How did you first hear about the CTC?
2. How was the signing up and intake process? Was scheduling appointments straightforward?
3. How would you describe the environment of the CTC? Is the center simple to find, is the lobby inviting, are the offices comfortable?
4. Overall, do you feel satisfied with the mental health services you received? Do you feel that the counselors you met with were professional, and that they helped support you? Did you feel that you could comfortably open up to them about what you were going through and you could expect sound advice and guidance? Please feel free to describe your personal experience in as much detail as you’d like.
5. What advice would you give other students who are curious about going to the CTC? 

Bryn Johns (sophomore, psychology)

1. I heard about the CTC during orientation week my freshman year. They gave a whole talk about it and showed us how to sign up for it. 
2. Signing up for it was relatively simple, but that was because I was shown exactly what to do. Scheduling appointments is pretty easy. 
3. The CTC environment is interesting. I was able to find it okay, but the lobby is pretty tiny and I wouldn’t describe it as inviting. The offices are pretty comfortable.
4. I’ve been very satisfied with the services I've received, and the counselors I’ve had were very professional and supportive of me. I felt comfortable to open up to them, and always felt they gave good advice. 
5. For anyone else who may be curious about going to the CTC, I would advise you to definitely check it out because I feel it is a valuable resource on campus and could be a lot of help to you.

Lydia Boateng-Sarpong (senior, speech pathology)

1. I first heard about the CTC during freshman orientation week my freshman year. 
2. The signup process was not difficult. We just had to fill out an online form (which, I like doing questionnaires) and then call for scheduling. One thing I would note is that the form tells us that we will receive a call after the form is received by the CTC. This is not the case. You have to call to confirm an appointment, which is fine, but it is something that may need to be modified on the forms 
3. The waiting area is very calming and the staff are very friendly. I did not find the center hard to find as it's on the end of Bell Hall. The offices themselves are also very comfortable. I get sleepy there sometimes!
4. I believe my experience this year as a senior has been much better in regards to feeling the therapy is helpful as opposed to my freshman and sophomore years. Although I could tell the staff my sophomore/freshman year were trying to help, I didn’t always feel like the therapy was useful or sometimes even worth going. I have done both in person therapy and teletherapy with the CTC and my best experiences have been in person this year. Of the therapists I’ve had, I believe that my current one has been the most helpful. I do believe that my improved experiences this year, aside from having a therapist I feel that fits, is also being in a better place to receive the help I need, despite my situation actually being worse. A lot of therapy is also the mindset. It’s not always perfect, but when you have a stronger desire to work through things, it helps a lot. Personally, I’m not very comfortable opening up and it often takes me longer than it should, but my current therapist has made it feel much safer and made me more confident in sharing things. Her advice actually sticks with me and I reflect on it, even after therapy.
5. I would tell them to just try it. I know that the CTC kind of has a bad rep amongst [some of] the students to the point where a lot of students will keep it to themselves that they’re going there because they don’t want the judgment. But the truth is, the services are free to you as a student and if you really need the help or someone to talk to, it could be helpful. Your experience there may not be the same as someone else’s. If you end up going and it’s not the experience you want, that’s okay, but at least you attempted to receive the help you needed. It’s commendable.

Anonymous

1. I found out about CTC during preview week my freshman year. They had a forum and we had to attend it and they told us all about it and how it’s free and a resource we should make use of. 
2. The signing up part was a little long and the scheduling was not too bad, but it wasn’t the worst or hardest thing.
3. The center isn’t hard to spot; it’s also not in a busy place so that’s really nice. But, to me, the center seems really small and I don’t really like that it also has kind of a dark hue to it. It seems sad, kind of like a clinic vibe which I don’t feel like is ideal personally.
4. My experience there was not good at all. Mind you, it was my first time receiving therapy and my counselor didn’t really help with helping me feel comfortable… I left there feeling bad and I never went again. 
5. I would say if you feel like you want therapy or counseling still check it out because everyone’s experience is different.

Anonymous

1. I heard about it during freshman orientation
2. The scheduling was actually incredibly easy. I just called and someone told me exactly what to do and exactly when to come in
3. The environment is good. Every front desk person that I’ve seen has been so kind and gentle. It can be a little bit hard to find, but overall I think the office space they’ve made is a good relaxing space
4. Well, the thing about the CTC is that they don’t have a whole lot of experienced therapists working, because I’m sure that experienced therapists are expensive. Most of the people you see are students who are getting clinical hours — that means that you get people with a wide range of experience and skill. I saw two therapists when I was there and both were students. One of them was completely unhelpful, I remember the counselor telling me to pray instead of crying when I had a friend call me and tell me they were considering ending their own life. Of course, the counselor also gave me other advice that was better, and I know the counselor was trying their best, but that memory is what I take away from that situation. The other therapist was very nice, but was not trained to get me the help I needed for the diagnosis that I ultimately ended up receiving. I wound up getting help from a speciality center back home.
5. I think you should absolutely go in crisis or for more general stuff because it’s better than not going at all, and I do know of people who had really amazing experiences, even with student therapists.

Erin Beers (senior, psycholog)

1. I first heard about it when I came to dorm staff orientation training. 
2. Signing up was pretty easy, I did the paperwork and turned it in fast. But it took them 3-4 months to actually get me an appointment… So I wasn’t very impressed with that aspect. 
3. I think the offices and the main desk are welcoming. I got used to it after a while but at first it was confusing where to go. 
4. I actually had two counselors at the CTC. The one I started with was very kind and personable but it seemed like it was just a time for me to vent and say what I’d done in the past week as opposed to actually helping me solve problems. I heard from a friend about a different counselor who I transferred to and was amazing. Definitely qualified and relatable, and able to help me see for myself whether I was overthinking or where I could improve, all without belittling me or making it seem like I wasn’t a good person. 
5. I would recommend that you do your research on counselors. See what the counselors are known for and, if you are able to, wait for the right counselor to be available. When you’re not in a crisis and you have the option to choose a counselor who best suits your long term goals it really helps you to feel safe in expressing yourself if you trust the counselor. If you need help with identity, find someone who is well qualified in that area; if you need someone for school related problems, family issues, LGBTQ issues or anything else, just find someone who knows something about those problems you’re having. It can be hard but it got me connected to a great counselor.

Lucille Borges (junior, speech pathology)

1. Freshman orientation
2. It was decently easy, just a lot of paperwork. Scheduling was very easy
3. The layout is a bit strange, as you check in at a different office from where you're actually seen at. The staff is all very kind and inviting though, and the offices themselves are very homey
4. I love my therapist, I felt like it was a judgment free zone where I could chat about my problems and concerns. My counselor kept me on track while also providing me with the support i needed 
5. I think everyone should take advantage of the free therapy we have access to. I have heard mixed reviews myself but my personal experience has been great and it definitely improved my quality of life at Andrews. 

Anonymous

1. I first heard about the CTC during our Freshman Orientation, when they required us to fill out a mental health screening form. After I filled out the form, I received a call recommending I come into therapy. 
2. I’ve found scheduling to be very easy with the CTC. My first meeting with my therapist was considered an emergency counseling session, and since then we just arrange the next meeting at the end of every session. 
3.  I feel that the CTC is very accessible and easy to find, and that the environment is as welcoming as it can be. They have little decorative pillows in the lobby and they play calming music to add a little ambiance. 
4. I feel very satisfied with the services I’ve received from the CTC. My therapist has been a tremendous help to me, and I’m incredibly grateful for my therapist. My therapist did an excellent job at establishing a rapport between us and asking me prompting questions to invite self reflection and personal growth. I’ve also done a lot of trauma work with my therapist and I can’t emphasize enough how impressed I was with their counseling. With my therapist’s guidance I was able to talk through things I never thought I’d be able to talk about, and begin processing them for the first time in my life. 
5. Everyone’s experience with the CTC and therapy in general is different, so I think you should try it for yourself. And if you go and you don’t have a good experience with the first counselor you speak with, don’t be afraid to ask to see another counselor. The service is free, so I say you should try and get as much out of it as possible. 

The majority of students heard about the CTC through their freshmen orientation, and most of the time had minimal problems getting scheduling. Once scheduled, students had varying opinions on the environment of the CTC and the quality of care. Many students had positive experiences, and expressed gratitude for the sound counseling they received. But other students felt the experiences they had were negatives and didn’t feel that their counselor helped them. In the end, every student acknowledged that everyone’s experience with the CTC is going to be different based on their own mental health care needs as well as who they are counseled by. Because of this, they all encouraged students to give it a try and see for themselves what the CTC can offer them.