2024 Volume 45 Issue 1 Pages 34-45
This report details a visit to the Counseling Center at the University of South Florida, FL, U.S., which com- prises six leadership team members and 14 clinical staff members with diverse professional qualifications and backgrounds. Counselors collaborate across departments and institutions while providing counseling services, addressing prevalent issues such as depression, anxiety, academic stress, and interpersonal relationships. Trauma from sexual violence victimization and substance use is more prevalent in the U.S. than in Japan. Crisis interventions too exhibit slight variations from those in Japan. In emergencies, students are advised to contact 9-1-1 or university police rather than the counseling center. The counsellor is tasked with liaising with univer- sity police to facilitate students’ transfer to the hospital. The center offers three group programs: Therapy Group, which offers counseling services; Drop-in Workshop, which allows participation without an appointment; and Outreach & Prevention Workshop, which includes Campus Connect for suicide prevention and a psycho- educational program. The University of South Florida serves as an illustrative example to delineate the characteristics of the U.S. student counseling system and its operations.
