Therapy for College Students at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama with Empower Counseling
You have been thinking about going off to college for as long as you remember. Maybe you have always dreamed of going to Samford and being a Bulldog or maybe through a more recent college search you decided Samford was the place for you. Or you’ve looked forward to joining one of Samford’s sororities (Alpha Kappa Alpha, Chi Omega, Alpha Omicron Pi, Delta Delta Delta, Kappa Delta, Delta Sigma Theta, Phi Mu, Zeta Tau Alpha) or fraternities (Alpha Phi Alpha, Beta Theta Pi, Alpha Tau Omega, Lambda Chi Alpha, Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Chi, Sigma Nu.)
Activities at Samford That You Are Excited About
Step Sing
You have heard about Step Sing, one of the most popular traditions at Samford, in which students are in charge of their arrangements, choreography, and costume design. This sounds amazing to you!
Day in The Life at Samford
Or, you might even have read about a day in the life at Samford, and have many different aspects of life there that you are looking forward to, like Starbucks at the University Center, before your first-morning class.
Excited About Connections
Maybe, you have been excited about Connections, the weekend exclusively for incoming students at Samford University. You have pictured yourself worshiping in Reid Chapel and playing in an intramural game on Bobby Bowden Field in F. Page Seibert Stadium. One of the aspects of Samford’s location is being in the heart of a foodie town and all the wonderful restaurants and food Birmingham, Alabama has to offer. You can see yourself spending Tuesday evenings at Taco Mama and Fridays at El Bario or Little Donkey. There is even live music at Harry’s Coffee House on Thursday nights.
The Excitement of Being on Your Own
Most importantly you have looked forward to being on your own, making choices and decisions for yourself- not having anyone telling you what to do and when to do it. You have waited for the time when there would be no one telling you what to think or who you needed to be, right?
What College Looks Like at Samford This Year
You might be about to leave home for college or you might already be there, but you have discovered college life is not as easy and carefree as you thought it would be. And, you are beginning to think getting to make all of your own decisions is more like “I have so many decisions I have to make and it is overwhelming. I don’t know what to do or which direction to take.” There is so much to navigate now that you are on your own. You are anxious, overwhelmed, and maybe even scared.
Thinking for Yourself
You have discovered thinking for yourself and discovering your own identity is complicated. What do your parents want for you? Or, what does society expect of you? In fact, who do you want to be and what do you want to be doing?
What major do you want to study? How do you find your people and your person? Additionally, how do you decide about graduate school or what kind of career you want to pursue?
Changes Are Happening Quickly
Everything is coming at you so fast… your views about yourself, others, and the world. What does it all mean? How do you make sense of it all? The highs are too high and the lows are too low. It is hard to know who to turn to for help, especially when it appears that everyone around you has it together and is doing great. It can be so overwhelming!
This is not what you expected your College Life to look like at Samford University
At Empower Counseling we understand what a difficult transition to college can be. What was once exciting is now overwhelming. Empower Counseling is a safe place, judgment-free, where we can help you step back and examine your thoughts, emotions, and options. Kathryn Ely, the founder of Empower Counseling, wrote a blog post entitled “Counseling for Samford Students with Empower Counseling: Time Management is the Key to Strong Mental Health”. Check it out and read for more.
Our knowledgeable and compassionate counselors understand what you are going through! In fact, one of us is a Samford University Alum. In fact, we can help you quiet the noise and give you tools and strategies to navigate college life successfully.
Choose In-person or online therapy for Samford Students
Empower Counseling is conveniently located 5 minutes from Samford in Office Park in Mountain Brook. It is easy to drive down Lakeshore to Mountain Brook Parkway and you are there. We have easy parking and comfortable offices. However, we understand that if you live on campus you might not want to give up that choice parking space or you might be so busy that online counseling makes the most sense for you—no travel time. Online counseling with Empower Counseling may be the answer for you.
Our Specializations
We specialize in therapy for depression, anxiety, and life transition issues. The transition from living at home to college is one of the biggest transitions of your life. We can help you find clarity about who you are and what you want out of your one precious life. Through the use of secure video chat, we can offer you the same effective counseling you would receive in person in our office without the hassle of leaving your dorm room or apartment.
In-Person and Online Therapy In Alabama: Something to Consider
**** Quick Note: Most people don’t know this but you need to see a mental health professional in the state in which you are physically located. This means that if you are living in Birmingham, Alabama, you need to see a therapist who works within the state of Alabama. Empower Counseling is located in Birmingham, Alabama, more specifically Mountain Brook, so we may counsel college students at Samford University.
The Benefits of Choosing Empower Counseling for Therapy for Samford Students
Choosing Your Therapist
Research shows us that the most important factor in the success of therapy is your relationship with your therapist. Since you are investing your time and energy in counseling, you need to find the right counselor for you. Some areas in Alabama have many therapists to choose from. Other areas present fewer choices. Every counselor practices counseling differently. Some counselors are person-centered. These types of therapists are great at listening and affirming you and your choices but not particularly helpful in showing you a framework and tools to help you find your way.
ACT For College Students
The reason we love ACT for college students is that it provides a roadmap for how to live an authentic, successful life toward your own values. We are not the counselors for you if you simply want to vent about life. Similarly, we are compassionate about what you are going through and we do listen very well but we strive to also arm you with the tools, not just to navigate life successfully now, but in all stages of life to come.
In-Person Therapy
We think in-person therapy is the gold standard. There is something about being in the same room that can not be duplicated. Since Samford University is only 5 minutes from our offices in Office Park, Mountain Brook, Alabama, we encourage you to come to your sessions in person, at least at first. As we stated previously, the relationship you establish with your therapist is the biggest indicator that therapy will be successful. It is easier to establish the trust and alliance necessary for effective and successful therapy.
Online Therapy for Samford Students with Empower Counseling
I know we just said in-person therapy is the gold standard, and we stand by that opinion. However, online therapy, with the right therapist, can be extremely effective. If coming to therapy in person is not an option for you or if you are too anxious to come in person, then please reach out for online therapy. You will still receive the same tools, tips, and strategies that you would receive from Empower Counseling through online therapy for Samford students.
How can Therapy for College Students with Empower Counseling Help Me?
We have helped many Samford students in the state of Alabama with the following mental health issues, as well as, the difficult transition from high school to college, and the transition from college to graduate or career:
Therapy For Managing Stress For Samford University Students
Samford has been ranked number one for student involvement. That is an incredible accomplishment! But you might feel pressure to perform and to overextend yourself to be too involved, and even get burned out.
With so many different people placing expectations and demands on you, the stress in college can really mount up. We can help you with skills to manage stress and healthy habits for good self-care.
Therapy For Depression For Samford University Students
Depression can be quite common in college but please understand that you do not have to suffer alone any longer. We have experience providing depression counseling and treating the symptoms that accompany depression.
Therapy For Life Transitions And Identity Struggles For Samford University Students
It can be really difficult to figure out who you are and what direction you want to go. There are too many choices in life and you want to make the right one – making life transitions tough. You do not have to go it alone. This is a common issue in college. Therapy for difficult life transitions with one of our compassionate therapists can help. There are so many family and societal expectations that it is difficult for you to know what you really think and how you actually feel. We can help you find your sense of direction.
Therapy For Relationship Issues For Samford University Students
We can help you improve your self-esteem, boundary making, and communication skills so you can be yourself and enjoy the kind of relationships you want to have.
Therapy For Anxiety For Samford University Students
We use Acceptance Commitment Therapy, a scientifically proven effective method, to treat all forms of anxiety, whether it is test anxiety, generalized anxiety, social anxiety or anxiety around very specific things. ACT is a proven treatment for anxiety that really works.
Counseling For Uncertainty About Your Future For Samford University Students
Sometimes you feel like you just can’t make that big decision. You don’t know what is the right one and you don’t know who to turn to for guidance. We at Empower Counseling can help you determine what you really want your future to look like and together we will create a path to get you there.
Therapy for Grief And Loss For Samford University Students
It is never easy to lose someone you love. It can feel particularly lonely when you lose someone and you are off at school unable to be with your family. Empower counseling is a safe space to process your feelings.
Therapy For Trauma And Abuse Recovery For Samford University Students
Almost 2/3 of college students experience sexual harassment. 20-25% of female college students become victims of sexual assault as are 15% of male college students. Even more than 90% of these victims of sexual assault never report the assault. You do not have to face this alone. We are here to provide a safe space for you to process your trauma in therapy.
Is Counseling for College Students Effective for Samford University Students?
At Empower Counseling we can help you…
- Stop procrastinating.
- Move away from always feeling overwhelmed.
- Have more self-confidence.
- Raise your level of self-esteem.
- Be self-assured in your decision-making.
- Find more joy.
- Stop your struggle with depression.
- Move away from anxiety.
- Find peace and calm in your stage of life.
- Create a path toward the life you want to have.
- Be a boss at time management.
We have helped many college students go from…
- Being confused about who you are to knowing who you are and what is important to you.
- Always worried or nervous to excited and in control of your life and your future.
- You’re feeling down and blue or numb, to finding joy in life again.
- Feeling unclear about your future to having a plan for college and your future after college.
- Being overwhelmed with feeling calm, deliberate, and organized.
- Poor time management to learn how to prioritize and manage all responsibilities.
- Struggling to have the kind of relationships they wanted to be confident and have clear boundaries.
- Feeling lost and overwhelmed to having a strong sense of purpose and direction.
- Wasting time to being intentional, setting, and reaching goals.
- Lacking confidence and self-worth to being confident in who you are.
As Therapists And Former College Students, We Get It
We understand how difficult it is to be on your own, trying to find your way. At Empower Counseling, we can help you find clarity about who you are, who you want to be, and exactly the life you want for yourself. Then we help you with an action plan to get there!
Why Choose Empower Counseling for Therapy for your Samford Student
We have a unique method of therapy that has proven very helpful for many college students who have been clients at Empower Counseling. Our team has helped many Samford University, Birmingham-Southern, Auburn University, and University of Alabama students who were struggling.
ACT Trained Therapists
All of our therapists are trained in Acceptance Commitment Therapy, a scientifically proven effective therapy for anxiety, depression, and trauma, for college students. ACT is especially helpful in this stage of life because through ACT we help you realize what is important to you. We will uncover the obstacles (often your own thoughts) that have been standing in your way. Furthermore, it will bring to light the actions it will take for you to be the person you want to be. Imagine having the kind of life you want to have, and this is possible with ACT. By choosing Empower Counseling, it is like you are getting counseling and life coaching all in one. Pretty cool, huh?
Our role as your in-person therapists or online therapists
As your therapists, we begin by really listening to what you are going through, and how this is affecting you. We will then help you uncover what is important to you exactly what you want your life to look like. You might not know at first. This is OK. It might take a little digging, but we will get together. Next, our counselors will examine your interests, likes, strengths, aptitudes, and desires. We will also look at the areas of your life you might not feel your strongest in and want to strengthen. Going through this process, you should notice your self-confidence rising. This happens because you are becoming clear about who you are. Now, you are more able to focus on all that you have to offer and all you can achieve. You will learn how to shift your thoughts away from your fears and toward your values and goals, which is a much more peaceful place to be.
What is Holding You back from beginning therapy for Samford Students
Think “I Don’t Have Time For Counseling.”
What you can learn through your 50 minutes a week in session – whether in person or online – will save you time in the long run. How much time do you think you waste being overwhelmed? Or how about lacking direction? Next, how much time are you wasting on unimportant decisions? Finally, how much time are you wasting being busy but not effective? Counseling for college students at Samford University can help you find your path. We can guide you to the actions that are crucial to being organized, prioritizing, setting, and reaching goals.
You’re Thinking, “I Should Be Able To Do This On My Own.”
You have two options here. First: you can continue to struggle to find your way and be overwhelmed all by yourself. Second: you can turn to an expert who can help. We use our years of experience in school (college, graduate school) to your advantage. In addition, we use our work with other college students. So, we have done this a few times and have figured out a system. Together, this helps us to develop a plan to get you where you want to go.
Begin Counseling For Samford University Students in Birmingham, AL With Empower Counseling
Beginning college can be a scary transition, especially these days. There’s added pressure that wasn’t there before. Fortunately, in person or online therapy for Samford University college students can help you. We can help you find your path, with counseling for Samford University Students. As a caring therapists, we specialize in helping college students discover who they are and what they want. To start your counseling for college students, follow these easy steps:
- Contact Empower Counseling today to set up an appointment.
- Get to know your new Empower Counseling therapist.
- Feel more confident about your abilities and your future.
Other Counseling Services Provided in Alabama
Therapy for college students at Samford University is not the only service we provide at our Mountain Brook counseling practice. At Empower Counseling, we are able to see clients in Birmingham, Al. at our easily accessible counseling clinic or through online therapy. Our team offers anxiety therapy, depression counseling, as well as, counseling for difficult life transitions. We also provide online and in person counseling for teens to help them with their challenges. In addition, Kathryn, founder of Empower Counseling, offers coaching and consulting on a number of issues. Consult Kathryn’s page for more information.
When you’re ready to get to work, we are ready to meet you!