Georgia Tech Counseling Center 2005-2006 Annual Report

Annual Report 2005-2006

COUNSELING CENTER Division of Student Affairs Enriching the Educational Experience

Director Ruperto M. Perez, Ph.D. Charles A Smithgall, Jr. Student Services Building Suite #238 353 Ferst Drive Atlanta, GA 30332 (404) 894-2575 FAX (404) 894-1804 www.counseling.gatech.edu

Services accredited by the International Association of Counseling Services (IACS)

Executive Summary Counseling Center Annual Report 2005-2006

T

he Counseling Center is a unit of the Division of Student Affairs at Georgia Tech. The Center is dedicated to enhancing the academic experience and success of all students by providing a variety of counseling and psychological services to individuals and the campus community. We provide short-term counseling services to address a wide range of personal and career concerns. Our services are available at no charge to currently enrolled students. The Counseling Center is accredited by the International Association of Counseling Services (IACS).

The Counseling Center supports the personal and professional development of Georgia Tech students, the educational mission of the Institute and the Division of Student Affairs by providing shortterm counseling, psychotherapy, and assessment to students, and outreach and consultative services to the Georgia Tech community. These services are offered with respect for others, appreciation of individual differences, and compassion. To provide quality clinical services, the Center's staff engages in ongoing professional development.

In addition, the Counseling Center is also a training site for graduate practicum students and postdoctoral residents. The practicum training program offers supervised training experiences in providing direct psychological services to students and the campus community. The post-doctoral training program offers advanced training to those who have completed a doctoral degree in counseling or clinical psychology and who are interested in gaining additional experience in working in a counseling center setting. The post-doctoral program is a member of the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC).

Counseling Services Total Number of Student Clients

1383

Total Number of Counseling Hours Provided

4690.58

Total Number of Counseling Sessions per Client

• • •

Average Number of Sessions per Client

9.66

Most Frequently Assessed Client Concerns

• • • • • •

Counseling Center Annual Data FY 2005-2006 (clients by academic status)

Senior 19%

1 Session Only (37%) 2-10 Sessions (43%) > 10 Sessions (20%)

Depression Anxiety Relationships Academic Alcohol/Drug Career

Graduate 23%

Junior 17%

(35%) (25%) (16%) (14%) (6%) (4%)

Sophomore 12%

Counseling Center Annual Report 2005-2006

Freshman 29%

i

Group Counseling Total Number of Groups Offered per Semester

12

Total Number of Clients

150

Total Number of Contact Hours

1987

Outreach & Consultation Total Number of Presentations Offered

138

Total Attendance

4369

Average Attendance

31

Total Number of Contact Hours

4578

Total Number of Evening/Weekend Programs

35

th er O

na l na t io In te r

au c te /C hi W

N

at iv

e

M

Am

ul t ir

er

as

ic

ia n

an

ia l ac

) o( a

isp H

ac k

/A

fri c

an

an i c/ La

Am

int

er

ic

As

an

ia n

65 60 55 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0

Bl

percent

Counseling Center Annual Data FY 2005-2006 (client demographic data)

Counseling Center Annual Report 2005-2006

ii

Counseling Center Annual Report 2005-2006 Table of Contents Executive Summary ......................................................................................................................... i Table of Contents........................................................................................................................... iii Introduction..................................................................................................................................... 1 Staff ............................................................................................................................................. 1 Overview of Counseling Services ............................................................................................... 3 Counseling Services........................................................................................................................ 4 Client Characteristics................................................................................................................... 6 Client Satisfaction ....................................................................................................................... 9 Group Counseling ........................................................................................................................... 9 Outreach & Consultation .............................................................................................................. 11 Emergency & Crisis Services ....................................................................................................... 14 Training......................................................................................................................................... 14 Professional Development ............................................................................................................ 16 Committee Work & Division/Institute Service ............................................................................ 20 Professional Membership & Leadership....................................................................................... 22

Counseling Center Annual Report 2005-2006

iii

Introduction

T

he Georgia Tech Counseling Center is a unit of the Division of Student Affairs. The Center is dedicated to enhancing the academic experience and success of all students by providing a variety of counseling and psychological services to individuals and the campus community. The Center is staffed by licensed mental health professionals and counselors-in-training. We provide short-term counseling services to address personal and career concerns. Our services are available at no charge to currently enrolled students. These services include: • Individual & Couples Counseling • Group Counseling • Outreach & Consultation • Emergency & Crisis Services • Referral Services • Testing and Assessment The Counseling Center supports the personal and professional development of Georgia Tech students, the educational mission of the Institute and the Division of Student Affairs by providing short-term counseling, psychotherapy, and assessment to students, and outreach and consultative services to the Georgia Tech community. These services are offered with respect for others, appreciation of individual differences, and compassion. To provide quality clinical services, the Center's staff engages in ongoing professional development. The Center is accredited by the International Association of Counseling Services (IACS).

The Counseling Center also serves as a training site for graduate practicum students and post-doctoral residents. The practicum training program offers supervised training experiences in providing direct psychological services to students and the campus community. The postdoctoral training program offers advanced training to those who have completed a doctoral degree in counseling or clinical psychology and who are interested in gaining additional experience in working in a counseling center setting. The post-doctoral training program is a member of the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC).

Staff The Counseling Center has 8.5 FTE counseling staff lines (inclusive of the director position). Two staff, Dr. Jill Barber and Dr. Irene Dalton, requested and was approved for .80 FTE during FY 2005-2006. The Counseling Center continued in a period of transition from 2004-2005 with a new Director, Dr. Ruperto M. Perez who began his role on July 18, 2006. Dr. Mack Bowers, serving as Interim Director, resumed his role as Associate Director and Training Director while Dr. Jill Barber continued in her role as Assistant Director and Clinical Services Coordinator, Outreach Coordinator, and Consultation Coordinator. The Director, Associate Director, and Assistant Director comprise the Administrative Group of the Counseling Center responsible for overall administration of the agency as well as overseeing and coordinating

Counseling Center Annual Report 2005-2006

1

policies and procedures for the Center. The following is a listing of the counseling staff at the Counseling Center for FY 2005-2006: Jill Barber, PhD Mack S. Bowers, PhD Irene Dalton, PhD Kenneth C. Frontman, PhD Belen T. Gutter, PhD Rebecca Block Lapidus, PhD Rosemary Lester, LMFT Ruperto M. Perez, PhD

• • • • • • • •

Assistant Director, Licensed Psychologist Associate Director, Licensed Psychologist Licensed Psychologist Licensed Psychologist Licensed Psychologist Licensed Psychologist Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Director, Licensed Psychologist

In Spring 2006, a national search was conducted to fill a vacant psychologist position.

Dr. Nelson Binggeli was hired among a pool of well-qualified applicants for this position. He is slated to begin his position on August 1, 2006. In addition, Rosemary Lester was awarded the Student Affairs Divisional Award of Excellence for this past year, the first Counseling Center staff to be named for this award. The Counseling Center is very proud of this honor and accomplishment.

The Center also has 2.5 administrative support positions (administrative assistant II, secretary/receptionist, administrative clerk). In October 2005, Ms. Shalanda Grimes-Fowler resigned her role as Administrative Clerk to accept a position as Administrative Assistant in the Office of the Dean of Students. This position was subsequently restructured for budgetary reasons from a full-time position (1.0 FTE) to a part-time (.5 FTE) position. This allowed additional monies to be allocated to the Center’s operating budget. From these monies, additional allocations were also made to increase the salaries of post-doctoral residents and to establish travel funding for counseling staff.

Ms. Sherry Johnson was hired to fill the restructured part-time Administrative Clerk position.

In December 2005, Ms. Tamnekia Grant was hired as full-time Administrative Assistant II. She previously held the position as a Tech Temp and subsequently applied for the position along with a number of well-qualified applicants. The following is a listing of the administrative support staff at the Counseling Center for FY 2005-2006: Tamnekia Grant Sherry Johnson Trishla Wooten

• Administrative Assistant II • Administrative Clerk • Secretary/Receptionist

Two post-doctoral positions are available each year for a 1-year full-time appointment.

This past year, the Counseling Center was only able to fill one of the 2 post-doc positions. Dr. Jennifer Weiner (Columbia University, Teachers College) began her post-doctoral residency at the Counseling Center in August 2005. Her term of appointment ends in August 2006. In addition, the Counseling Center has openings for practicum students each year from graduate counseling or psychology programs. In 2005-2006, the Counseling Center accepted the following into the practicum training program:

Counseling Center Annual Report 2005-2006

2

Kimberley Benton, M.A. Kathryn Ganske, M.A. Caroline Leavitt, M.A., JD Will Mahan, M.S., MBA Stacy Smith Frazier, M.S.

(Argosy University) (Georgia State University) (Georgia State University) (Georgia State University) (Georgia State University)

The Center was also able to continue to fund 4 part-time Tech Temps (Dr. Suzann Lawry, Dr. Lindi Meadows, Ms. Debbie Snyder, Mr. Wayne Strother) for the academic year who provided valuable clinical hours to meet the growing demands for individual counseling. In addition, additional financial support was given to fund a 5th part-time Tech Temp counseling professional (Ms. Shanna Jackson) to alleviate the continued wait-list during the summer. At the end of the academic year, Ms. Snyder resigned her position as Substance Abuse Specialist at the Counseling Center. While at the Counseling Center, Ms. Snyder provided alcohol and drug assessments for students referred for evaluation by the Dean of Students. During the Summer, Dr. Jennifer Weiner provided service in this area. At this time, planning is needed to confirm continuation of this service for students. At the end of June 2006, Ms. Shanna Jackson, Dr. Suzann Lawry, and Dr. Lindi Meadows will complete the term of employment at the Counseling Center. Mr. Wayne Strother will continue as a part-time Tech Temp counseling professional through FY 2006-2007.

Overview of Counseling Services Individual & Couples Counseling. The Center offers individual counseling for students who present with a wide variety of psychological, vocational, and academic concerns. The most frequently assessed concerns are depression, anxiety, and relationship issues. In addition, the Center provides couples counseling to currently enrolled students and their partners/spouses. To be eligible for couples counseling, one member of the couple must be a currently enrolled student. The Counseling Center uses a short-term model of counseling to assist them in addressing their concerns.

Group Counseling. The Center offers several groups each semester. These include support group, therapy groups, and educational groups.

Outreach & Consultation. The Counseling Center offers campus consultation to various campus groups and a number of outreach workshops as well. These workshops are open to all Georgia Tech students, faculty, and staff. Some of the workshops that are offered are on topics such as stress management, managing anxiety, relationships, and study skills.

Emergency & Crisis Services. The counseling staff provides crisis and emergency services during regular office hours as well as after-hours and during the weekend. Emergency walk-in times are available during the week for students experiencing a personal crisis. In addition, after-hours consultation and crisis service is available through the counselor-on-duty.

The counseling staff is also available to provide emergency response to campus incidents and events.

Counseling Center Annual Report 2005-2006

3

Referral Services. Psychiatric referrals for medication evaluation and treatment are available through the psychiatrist at the Student Health Center. The Counseling Center works closely with the psychiatrist to facilitate referrals for psychiatric evaluations and follow-up as needed. In addition, a comprehensive listing is maintained by the Counseling Center for students who are in need of extended services or whose presenting concerns are beyond the scope of service at the Center.

Testing & Assessment. A variety of psychological, intellectual, and personality tests are available from licensed psychologists for clients. These include screenings for ADHD, personality assessment, and interest inventories.

Counseling Services

T

he Counseling Center continued to provide quality service through 2005-2006 and continued to meet the needs of students and the campus by providing a range of counseling and outreach/consultation services. The demand for initial counseling services remained high, particularly during the early part of Fall and Spring semesters.

Counseling Center Annual Data FY 2005-2006 (Intakes) 120 100

# intakes

80 60 40 20 0 Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

The Intake Committee continued to effectively staff and assign new clients to available client openings during the year. The Center experienced a significant amount of press from the increased demand for services and the limited number of counseling staff available during the year (1.0 FTE psychologist, 1.0 FTE post-doctoral resident).

During FY 2005-2006, there was a 34.5% increase in the total number of clients seen at the Center. This increase in demand for service mirrors the reported trend across counseling centers nationally. The total number of intakes increased this past year, up 50.9% from last year.

Counseling Center Annual Report 2005-2006

4

In addition, there was also a 24.5% increase in the number of clients seen for crisis. As a result, a number of students were placed on a wait-list during the end of Fall semester and the end of Spring semester. Despite the decrease in counseling staff, the Intake Committee made a number of attempts to staff and assign students from the wait list to available counseling appointments. The available counseling staff was able to meet the demands for service given the staffing resources for FY ’06. The total number of counseling contact hours, despite the decrease in counseling staff, increased 17.3% from the previous year.

Counseling Center Annual Data FY 2005-2006 (# clients)

# clients

900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 Individual

Group

Intakes

Crisis

Testing & Assessment

Students presented to the Counseling Center with a variety of concerns. Of the concerns presented by students, the most frequently assessed client concern was depression (35%), followed by anxiety (25%), relationships (16%), academic (14%), alcohol/drugs (6%), and career (4%). The average number of sessions provided to students was 9.66 sessions with 43% of the clients being seen between 2-10 sessions.

Counseling Center Annual Data FY 2005-2006 (contact hours)

4000

# contact hours

3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 Individual

Group

Intakes

Crisis

Testing & Assessment

Counseling Center Annual Report 2005-2006

5

Client Characteristics

percent

A number of diverse students were seen at the Counseling Center during 2005-2006.

While a majority of clients seen at the Center were White/Caucasian (60.3%), over one-third of the clients seen were racial/ethnic minority Counseling Center Annual Data 2005-2006 students (39.7%).

In examining the (Total % Ethnic/Racial Minority Students) racial/ethnic minority demographic client data 50 alone (excluding international students and 45 “other� category), the Counseling Center served a number of ethnically and racially 40 diverse clients (33.7%). For a number of 35 racial/ethnic minority client groups, the proportion seen at the Center was equal to or 30 greater than the Georgia Tech population as a 25 whole, based on 2005 enrollment data at Georgia Tech. The one exception to this was 20 Asian students. The proportion of Asian 15 students seen at the Center (15.8%) was greater than half of the total Asian student 10 population on campus (23.6%).

5 0 Counseling

GT

Center Clients

Population

Counseling Center Annual Data 2005-2006 (Percent Ethnic/Racial Minority Students) Counseling Center Clients

GT Population

25

20

percent

15

10

5

0 Asian

Black/African American

Hispanic/Lainto(a)

Multiracial

Native American

Counseling Center Annual Report 2005-2006

6

Other client characteristics are presented in Tables 1-3 below:

Table 1.

Gender Male Female Ethnic Origin Asian Black/African American Hispanic/Latino(a) Native American White/Caucasian Multiracial International Other Academic Status Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior Graduate Relationship Status Dating Regularly Married/Partnered Single Average Age

% Counseling Center Clients

% GT Campus

56.4 43.6

72.4 27.6

15.8 7.5 5.4 .37 60.3 4.7 5.2 .76

23.6 7.2 4.2 0.2 63.9 0.9

29 12 17 19 23 20 20 60 20.2

Counseling Center Annual Report 2005-2006

7

Table 2.

% Counseling Center Clients College Architecture Computing Engineering Ivan Allen Management Sciences GPA Equal to 0.0 > 0.0 and less than 0.5 ≥ 0.5 and less than 1.0 ≥ 1.0 and less than 1.5 ≥ 1.5 and less than 2.0 ≥ 2.0 and less than 2.5 ≥ 2.5 and less than 3.0 ≥ 3.0 and less than 3.5 ≥ 3.5 and less than 4.0

6.7 6.7 62.2 4.4 4.4 15.6 12.5 0 0 0 2.5 12.5 10 27.5 35

Table 3. % Counseling Center Clients Residence Fraternity/Sorority Off Campus Parents/Family Residence Hall Alone w/ Roommates w/ Significant Other Other Referral Source Career Services Friend Self OMED Dean of Students Faculty/Staff Health Center Other

4.4 60 8.9 24.4 6.7 8.9 4.4 15.6 2.2 17.8 37.8 26.7 2.2 4.4 17.8 17.8

Counseling Center Annual Report 2005-2006

8

Client Satisfaction The Counseling Center engages in ongoing assessment of client experiences at the Center. Each year, the Center surveys its clients to assess the degree of their satisfaction with the Counseling Center, the degree of satisfaction of their progress during counseling, and the degree to which counseling has been helpful to them in their academic success. The survey is based on a 7-point Likert-scale rating from 1 (not at all satisfied) to 7 (very satisfied). Overall, clients surveyed indicated an average rating of their satisfaction of counseling services as 6.0, indicating that clients at the Center were satisfied with their overall counseling experience.

Results from other items are listed in Table 4.

Table 4.

How satisfied are you with the services you have received at the Counseling Center?

Do you think you are making progress on the problems that brought you in?

How helpful has your counselor been?

Do you feel that your counselor understands the nature of your concerns?

If Applicable, how helpful is the assistance you have received in improving or maintaining your academic performance?

Have you found the receptionist and office staff easy to interact with?

Would you recommend our services to a friend?

Avg. Rating 6.0 5.7 6.2 6.0 5.2

5.5 6.2

Group Counseling

G

roup counseling continued to be a highly successful direct service offering by the Counseling Center. For 2005-2006, the Center was successful in offering a total of 12 groups during Fall and Spring semesters. The groups program served a total of 150 clients, an increase of 130.8% from last year’s total group clients. This translated into a total of 1987 client hours, a 232.8% increase in the total group client hours from last year.

Senior staff facilitated a number of groups throughout the year. Groups were also facilitated/cofacilitated by post-doctoral residents. In addition, practicum students also co-facilitate groups with senior staff or post-doc residents. To address the increased demand for services and to manage the wait-list for individual services during the Spring semester, a Feeling Better group was offered to provide wait-list clients with services prior to their assignment to an individual counselor. A limited number of groups were also offered during the Summer semester based on student demand. The following is a listing of groups offered by the Counseling Center during 2005-2006:

Counseling Center Annual Report 2005-2006

9

Counseling Center Groups 2005-2006 CHANGES Changes is an interpersonal group designed to help members reach their goals and overcome obstacles. Members focus on enhancing self-awareness and discovering meaningful ways to connect with others.

CONNECTIONS Provides a safe affirming place for GLB students to share experiences and connect with others.

Topics of discussion are open and have included: relationships, family, coming out,religion/spirituality,career, as well as ways of enhancing general well-being.

CONVERSATIONS A mixed gender group for students who would like to develop more effective communication skills. Role plays, self-assessment, and the use of audio/visual equipment help enhance this training experience.

INTERNATIONAL SPOUSE/PARTNER GROUP A support group for the spouses of International students. This group will provide an opportunity for International Spouses to connect with one another, to learn about resources and to practice English with native speakers.

INTERPERSONAL PROCESS GROUP A mixed gender personal growth therapy group focusing on understanding relationship patterns and improving connections with others.

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S THERAPY GROUP This interpersonal therapy group offers the opportunity to learn about oneself in relation to others.

PERSONAL GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT GROUP This general therapy group is designed to explore and talk about various concerns, such as relationships, coping with anxiety and depression, adjustment to new situations, and how to find ways to develop greater understanding and acceptance of self and others.

REFLECTIONS A group for women students who want to feel better about themselves from the inside out. This group focuses on increasing women's global self-esteem, including body image.

STRESS BUSTERS A group that will teach techniques and coping skills that will reduce stress in an academically challenging environment.

Counseling Center Annual Report 2005-2006

10

SISTER TIME: AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN'S GROUP Provides the opportunity for African American women to come together to gain support in balancing the multiple roles within their lives. The group focuses on enhancing one's sense of self, understanding personal and professional relationships, overcoming obstacles, gaining support and strategies to improve overall wellness.

THESIS SUPPORT GROUP A small, size-limited group for graduate students who are working towards balancing their academic and personal life while trying to complete a thesis. This group is designed to be a safe and supportive space where students can air concerns they might not feel comfortable sharing within their home department.

WOMEN'S GROUP A group which allows GT women to connect with others around personal and emotional issues in a single gender environment.

Outreach & Consultation

I

n the area of outreach and consultation, the Counseling Center continued to provide a wide variety of programs and workshops to students and the campus community. Outreach programs were offered from a core set of offerings each year in addition to responding to individual outreach requests from consultation contacts, student groups, organizations, and departments.

The Counseling Center continued to partner with Housing to offer programs to residents and training programs for housing staff. In addition, the Counseling Center began a partnership this past year with the Library to offer outreach programming in available and renovated space.

This allowed more contact with students to outreach programs offered by the Center in addition to drawing a greater diversity of students, faculty, and staff to the programs. The Counseling Center plans to continue its collaboration with Housing and the Library next year in addition to exploring other areas for outreach and consultation collaboration (e.g., athletic department). The outreach and consultation programs offered by the Counseling Center during 2005-2006 are listed below: Counseling Center Outreach & Consultation 2005-2006

Workshop Topics Welcome to America (adjustment for International Students) How To Talk to Anyone About Anything Stress Management Anger Management Time Management Successful Test Taking Studying for Success

Counseling Center Annual Report 2005-2006

11

How To Survive the Loss of a Relationship Coming Out Destressing the Holidays Suicide Prevention Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Assertiveness Understanding Your Dreams Building Healthy Relationships Feeling Better (Self care for Depression) Mind Matters: Making Your Personality Work for You Campus Events/Trainings/Panels Take Back the Night The Vagina Monologues When the Whistle Blows Training for Housing Student Staff (Listening Skills, Recognizing and Referring a Student in Distress) (12 sessions) African American Leadership Conference (Time Management for Leaders) Weekly Support and Educational Group for International Spouses in housing Sexual Assault Panel FASET and transfer FASET Guest lectured in GT1000 classes (stress management) Training for Challenge program counselors on Recognizing and Referring a Student in Distress Safe Space Training Diversity Training for FASET leaders Diversity Training for Housing Overall, the Counseling Center was very successful in its efforts to provide quality outreach and consultation to the campus community (Table 4). The total number of outreach programs presented during this past year increased by 29% from last year. In addition, total attendance at outreach programs presented also increased dramatically by 125.7% from last year’s total attendance.

Table 5.

Total Presentations Offered Total Attendance Average Attendance Total Outreach Contact Hours Total Evening & Weekend Workshops

N 138 4369 31 4578 35

The increase in the number of programs and the total number of attendees resulted in an increase in total contact hours, up 131.8% from last year. Evaluation results point to the overall

Counseling Center Annual Report 2005-2006

12

effectiveness of outreach programs for the campus. These results indicate the ongoing and increased efforts of our outreach program to intentionally target students and campus needs and the Center’s efforts in effectively meeting those needs (Table 5).

Counseling Center Annual Data FY 2005-2006 (outreach evaluation)

General Workshop Evaluation Presenter Goal Accomplishment Addressed Concern Arrangements 0

1

2

3

4

5

Avg. Rating (1-5 scale)

Table 6.

General Workshop Evaluation • Breadth of Coverage • Personal/Practical Relevance • Effectiveness of Presentation Presenter • Knowledge • Preparation • Engagement of Audience Goal Accomplishment Addressed My Concern Arrangements • Convenience • Notification of Event • Location/Room Environment • Format/Multimedia Use

Avg. Rating (1-5 scale) 4.52 4.72 4.18 4.72 4.55 4.82 4.18 4.64 4.58 4.82 4.38 4.54 4.36 4.18 4.45

Counseling Center Annual Report 2005-2006

13

Emergency & Crisis Services

E

mergency and crisis services continued to be provided by the Counseling Center during 2005-2006. The Counseling Center offers a number of walk-in emergency times during regular office hours for students. During these times, students may meet with the counselor-on-duty to discuss their concern. Appointments for additional intake or recommendations for counseling at the Center may be made during this time. In addition, for students whose presenting concerns require more on-going counseling than can be provided at the Center, counseling staff work with students to provide community referral options.

During 2005-2006, the staff at the Counseling Center was a total of 97 emergency/crisis clients and provided a total of 103.58 emergency/crisis contact hours, an increase of 2.6% from last year. In addition, the Counseling Center provided crisis services for students and their families who evacuated from Tulane University to Georgia Tech as a result of Hurricane Katrina.

Counseling staff were present at the Student Activities Center to meet as needed with evacuees and their families. Counseling Center staff also provided consultation to Tulane University Student Affairs staff regarding services for their students.

In previous years, the Counseling Center utilized a beeper system which notified the after-hours counselor-on-call for consultation. Because of increasing problems with the beeper system, the beeper was discontinued and replaced with a cell phone. The cell phone system has proved to be an effective means of responding to after-hours consultation calls.

Training

D

uring 2005-2006, the Counseling Center’s training program continued its post-doctoral training program in psychology. In addition, the Counseling Center also accepted a number of graduate students in counseling and psychology from area institutions for its practicum training program. The Training Committee is responsible for the review and selection of applicants as trainees at the Center.

The Center’s postdoctoral training program is a member of the Association of Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC), the national educational organization of agencies with training programs (e.g., internship, postdoctoral residencies) in psychology. Each year, the Counseling Center sponsors 2 postdoctoral positions. One position was filled for 2005-2006.

Jennifer Weiner, Ph.D. (Columbia University, Teachers College) was accepted as the postdoctoral resident for 2005-2006. Her term of appointment ends August 2006. For the 20062007 postdoctoral positions, a national announcement was made describing the positions. The there were 29 applications received by the Training Committee. From these applications, 2 were selected as postdoctoral residents for the 2006-2007 term - Stacey Davis, Ph.D. (University of Alabama, Birmingham), and Naoko Kinoshita, Ph.D. (University of Georgia).

The Center also sponsors a practicum training program for graduate students in counseling and psychology, accepting 5-6 graduate students each year. During 2005-2006, 5 graduate students were accepted as practicum trainees:

Counseling Center Annual Report 2005-2006

14

Kimberley Benton, M.A. Kathryn Ganske, M.A. Caroline Leavitt, M.A., JD Will Mahan, M.S., MBA Stacy Smith Frazier, M.S.

(Argosy University) (Georgia State University) (Georgia State University) (Georgia State University) (Georgia State University)

During their time at the Center, practicum students take part in conducting individual and group counseling under the supervision of senior counseling staff or postdoctoral resident. In addition, practicum students may become involved in outreach opportunities presented to the Center. As part of the practicum training experience, senior staff provides weekly orientation and training seminars for practicum students. Below is the schedule of the training seminars provided to practicum students during 2005-2006: Practicum Training Seminar – Fall, 2005 September 1 September 8 September 15 September 22 September 29 October 6 October 13 October 20 October 27 November 3 November 10 November 17 December 1 December 8

Beginning the Counseling Process – Mack Bowers and Jennifer Weiner Dean of Students – Gail DiSabatino Case Discussion Assistant Dean of Diversity – Stephanie Ray Case Discussion Career Counseling – Ken Frontman Case Discussion Director of the Women’s Resource Center – Yvette Upton Case Discussion Systems Centered Therapy – Ken Frontman Effective Outreach Presentations – Jill Barber Case Presentation (one) and case discussion Case Presentations (two) Case Presentations (two) Practicum Training Seminar – Spring, 2006

January 12 January 19 January 26 February 2 February 9 February 16 February 23 March 2 March 9 March 16

Intakes – Mack Bowers Anxiety Disorders – Mack Bowers Mental Status Exams – Belen Gutter Couples Therapy – Mack Bowers Cultural Competency – Toti Perez Eating Disorders – Rebecca Lapidus Feminist Multicultural Therapy – Jill Barber GLBT Issues – Jennifer Weiner Termination Issues in Therapy – Rome Lester Substance Abuse Issues – Jennifer Weiner

March 23

Spring Break

Counseling Center Annual Report 2005-2006

15

March 30 April 6 April 13 April 20 April 27 May 4

Suicide Risk Assessment – Mack Bowers South Asian Students – Reha Shah Case Presentations Case Presentations Case Presentations Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow – Rome Lester

For the upcoming 2006-2007 year, the Training Committee reviewed a total of 45 applications for practicum positions. The following graduate students will join the Counseling Center as practicum trainees for 2006-2007: Yi-Shi Hsiao Kalpana Murthy Gabriela Ramirez-Lewis

(Georgia State University) (Georgia State University ) (Argosy University)

Mandy Talma Krista Thomas Reid Trotter

(Georgia State University) (Georgia State University) (Georgia State University)

The Counseling Center continues to engage in discussion for sponsoring an APAaccredited internship program in psychology. During its senior staff planning day, a number of various options were discussed regarding the establishment and funding of an internship program. Discussions with the counseling staff will continue to explore the feasibility of establishing an APA-accredited internship program at the Counseling Center.

Professional Development

T

he Counseling Center continued to provide professional development programming for counseling staff and affiliated professionals. In February 2006, Lynn M. Karjala, PhD presented a 3-hour continuing education workshop entitled, “Treatment of Severe Trauma.” Also in February, Hamid Mirsalimi, PhD (Argosy University) spoke on the topic of “Counseling Muslim Clients.” The Counseling Center also hosted a networking lunch for community referral providers in order to learn more about their services and to provide information about the Counseling Center in order to facilitate referrals.

Counseling staff are required to obtain continuing education in order to maintain their professional license and to provide services through the Counseling Center. Continuing education may be obtained through attendance at workshops, seminars, or professional conferences/conventions. The counseling staff continued their individual professional development through attendance at a number of various workshops and programs. In addition, counseling staff attended and/or presented at various professional meetings, and were involved in research and publication throughout the year as listed below: Jill Barber Continuing Education: Red Cross Workshop: Assisting Survivors of Disaster Counseling Center Annual Report 2005-2006

16

The Everyday Ethics of Social Justice Treatment of Trauma APA HOPE Program: Structured Ethical Decision Making for Difficult Ethical Decisions Meetings/Conferences Attended: American Psychological Association convention (Washington, DC) Georgia Psychological Association convention (Sandestin, FL) Southeastern Psychological Association convention (Atlanta, GA) Research Publications/Conference Presentations: Barber, J. (2006) Psychosocial Issues and HIV. AID Atlanta.

Barber, J. & Alves M. (2006). The everyday ethics of social justice. Georgia Psychological Association Continuing Education Series.

Barber, J. & Lawry, S. (2006). Are we there yet? A surprising look at the status of women.

Annual Meeting of the Georgia Psychological Association, Family Law Institute, Family Law Section, and the State Bar of Georgia, Sandestin, Florida.

Barber, J. & Lawry, S. (2006) The intersection of psychology and the legal process: Focus on domestic and sexual violence against women. Annual Meeting of the Georgia Psychological Association, Family Law Institute, Family Law Section, and the State Bar of Georgia, Sandestin, Florida.

Weiner, J., Barber, J., & Helminiak, D. (2006). The role of religion in clinical work with sexual minority clients: Mechanism of social support or traumatic trigger? Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Psychological Association, Atlanta, GA. Mack S. Bowers Continuing Education: Healing Core Conflicts (Couples Counseling Seminar presented by David Woodsfellow of the Center for Relationship Therapy) Update on Psychopharmacology (presented by the Ridgeview Institute) Irene Dalton Continuing Education: Obesity Workshop Pharmacological Updates Trauma Workshop Kenneth C. Frontman Continuing Education: Completed Intermediate Level Training Group in Systems Centered Therapy GPA sponsored workshop in Psychopharmacology Treatment of Obsessional Compulsive Disorder Treatment of Trauma

Counseling Center Annual Report 2005-2006

17

Energy Psychology: Theory and Clinical Applications Meetings/Conferences Attended: Systems Centered Training and Research Institute 7th Annual International Conference (Boston, MA) Belen T. Gutter Continuing Education: Red Cross Emergency Training Ethical Issues in the Assessment and Treatment of Family Violence Treatment of Trauma Women and Money APA Hope Program: Structured Ethical Decision Making for Difficult Ethical Decisions Difficult Dialogues: Making Change Happen Meetings/Conferences Attended: American Psychological Association convention (Washington, DC) Rebecca Block Lapidus Meetings/Conferences Attended: Georgia Psychological Association Division F Annual Meeting (Atlanta, GA) Continuing Education: Ethical and Decision Making and Risk Management in Clinical Practice The Everyday Ethics of Social Justice Structured Ethical Decision-Making for Difficult Ethical Situations in HIV and Other Clinical Situations Understanding the Process of Change Psychotherapeutic Relationship Issues with Borderline Personality Disorder The Redemptive Self: Generativity and the Stories Americans Live By One Story Many Chapters: Adult Development and Psychotherapy Treatment of Trauma International Gestalt Study Center Master Class Advanced Psychopharmacological Treatment for Anxiety & Mood Disorders: New Medications and Use of Combination Drug Therapies The Ethics of Re-Humanizing Psychotherapy Sequence II: Risk Management in Specific High Risk Areas Disaster Mental Health Services I with Metropolitan Atlanta Chapter of American Red Cross

Counseling Center Annual Report 2005-2006

18

Rosemary Lester Continuing Education: Continuing education obtained through conference attendance (26 hours) Meetings/Conferences Attended: Annual American Association of Marriage & Family Therapists conference (Kansas City, MO) Georgia Network to End Sexual Assault conference (Atlanta, GA) Ruperto M. Perez Continuing Education: Prevention of Medical Errors Domestic Violence Ethics and Statutes Affecting the Practice of Psychology Suicide Prevention, Assessment and Intervention HIV/AIDS Identity Incorporation: A New Developmental Model Developing Cultural Competence: Privileged Identity Exploration in Student Affairs Practice Helping Students of Color Succeed: Understanding Race-related Stress Meetings/Conferences Attended: American Psychological Association convention (Washington, DC) Association of University and College Counseling Center Directors conference (Minneapolis, MN) American College Personnel Association convention (Indianapolis, IN) APA Consolidated Board Meetings (Washington, DC) APA Presidential Task Force Meeting (Washington, DC) University of Georgia System of Counseling Center Directors meetings (Milledgeville, GA; Marietta, GA) Research Publications/Conference Presentations: Vasquez, M.T., Shullman, S.L., Bingham, R.P., Forrest, L.M., Gillem, A.R., Parham, W.D., Perez, R.M., Sue, D.W., Garnets, L., Cerbone, A.R., & Good, G.E. (2005, August).

Increasing multicultural understanding-Promoting collaboration in the face of conflict within marginalized groups. Panel discussion presented at the 113th annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Washington, DC. Amadio, D. M., & Perez, R. M. (submitted for review). Affirmative psychotherapy with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender clients.

Bieschke, K.J, Perez, R.M., & DeBord, K.A. (Eds.). (in press). Handbook of counseling and psychotherapy with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender clients (2nd ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Counseling Center Annual Report 2005-2006

19

Bieschke, K.J., Perez, R.M., & DeBord, K.A. (in press). Introduction: The challenge of providing affirmative psychotherapy while honoring diverse contexts. In K..J. Bieschke, R.M. Perez, & K.A. DeBord (Eds.), Handbook of counseling and psychotherapy with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender clients, 2nd ed. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Brown, S.D., Perez, R.M., & Reeder, B.L. (submitted for review). The costs and benefits of counseling center mergers: Perceptions of the experienced.

Perez, R.M. (2005, November). Assertiveness training to reduce stress. Program presented at the National Society of Black Engineers-Region 3 Fall Conference, Atlanta, GA. Perez, R.M. (2005, November). Successful test-taking. Program presented at the National Society of Black Engineers-Region 3 Fall Conference, Atlanta, GA. Perez, R.M. (2006, February). Affirmative counseling and psychotherapy with lesbian, gay, and bisexual clients. Keynote address presented at the 2nd annual Day of Learning: LGBTQIQ Issues in Counseling and Education, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA. Perez, R.M. (in press). The “boring” state of research and psychotherapy with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender clients: Revisiting Barón (1991). In K..J. Bieschke, R.M. Perez, & K.A. DeBord (Eds.), Handbook of counseling and psychotherapy with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender clients, 2nd ed. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Committee Work & Division/Institute Service

D

uring 2005-2006, the Counseling Center staff have been active in their work as a part of the various committees within the Center. These committees serve to coordinate the functional areas of the Center and serve to coordinate services to students and the campus. In addition, staff have also participated in service to the Division and/or Institute through their involvement in a number of committees and task forces. Their involvement is listed below: Jill Barber Counseling Center Committees: Clinical Services Committee Outreach Committee Training Committee Wellness Committee Service to the Division/Institute: Safe Space Training Committee Georgia Tech Coming Out Week (GTCOW) Committee Academic Support Committee

Counseling Center Annual Report 2005-2006

20

Mack S. Bowers Counseling Center Committees: Training Committee Wellness Committee Service to the Division/Institute: Committee on Facebook Issues Irene Dalton Counseling Center Committees: Clinical Services Committee Training Committee Service to the Division/Institute: Student Affairs Professional Development Committee Kenneth C. Frontman Counseling Center Committees: Wellness Committee Belen T. Gutter Counseling Center Committees: Outreach Committee Rebecca Block Lapidus Counseling Center Committees: Outreach Committee Rosemary Lester Counseling Center Committees: Training Committee Wellness Committee Clinical Services Committee Service to the Division/Institute: Sexual Assault Task Force Women’s Resource Center Advisory Board Ruperto M. Perez Service to the Division/Institute: Member, Student Affairs Alcohol Education Strategic Planning Committee Member, Assistant Vice President/Dean of Students Search Committee Member, Student Affairs Critical Incident Response Team Member, LEAD Advisory Board

Counseling Center Annual Report 2005-2006

21

Member, Student Health Center Advisory Board Member, Pride Alliance Advisory Board

Professional Membership & Leadership

A

ll counseling staff of the Center are members of a number of state and/or national professional organizations. In addition, various counseling staff are actively involved within their professional organizations and/or involved in areas of leadership within their professional organizations as listed below:

Jill Barber Member, American Psychological Association - Newsletter Editor, Section for Advancement of Women Division 17 (Society of Counseling Psychology) - Board Member, Section for College Counseling Centers, Division 17 Member, American College Personnel Association - Member, Commission for Counseling and Psychological Services (CCAPS) Member, Georgia Psychological Association - Chair, Division of Women Psychologists (Division F) - Division F, Red Cross Response to Hurricane Katrina - Division F, Conference Planning Committee - Co-chair, Division on Sexual Orientation (Division H) Response to Same-Sex Marriage Legislation Mack S. Bowers Member, Georgia Psychological Association Irene Dalton Member, Georgia Psychological Association Kenneth C. Frontman Member, American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists Member, American Group Psychotherapy Association Member, American Psychological Association Member, Georgia Psychological Association Member, National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology Member of Systems Centered Training and Research Institute (SCTRI) subcommittee on Privilege and Oppression Public Relations Coordinator, SCTRI

Counseling Center Annual Report 2005-2006

22

Belen T. Gutter Member, American Psychological Association - Member, Division 17 (Society of Counseling Psychology) Member, Georgia Psychological Association - Secretary, Division of Women Psychologists (Division F) - Chair-elect, Division of Women Psychologists (Division F) Rebecca Block Lapidus Member, American Psychological Association Member, Georgia Psychological Association Rosemary Lester Member, American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists Member, Georgia Association of Marriage & Family Therapists Member, California Association of Marriage & Family Therapists Ruperto M. Perez Fellow, American Psychological Association - Special Interest Groups Coordinator, Division 17 (Society of Counseling Psychology) - Member, Section on Ethnic and Racial Diversity, Division 17 - Member, APA Board for the Advancement of Psychology in the Public Interest - Liaison, APA Committee on Women in Psychology - Member, APA Presidential Task Force on Implementation of the Multicultural Guidelines - Member, APA Centering on Mentoring Task Force Member, Southeastern Psychological Association Member, Georgia Psychological Association Member, Asian American Psychological Association Member, American College Personnel Association - Member, Commission for Counseling and Psychological Services (CCAPS)

Counseling Center Annual Report 2005-2006

23