Welcome to Finlandia's Counseling Services!

Michelle Lambert, LMSW Counseling Services Office Office: Nikander 31 Phone: 906-487-7277 E-mail: michelle.lambert@fnlandia.edu

Mission

Counseling services for students, promoting academic success and personal growth while attending Finlandia University.

Scope of Services

Counseling services offers individual and group counseling, and programming on topics of interest throughout the school year.

Counseling is available to any currently enrolled Finlandia University student.  Students seek counseling for a variety of reasons, such as stress, loneliness, anxiety, depression, problems in relationships, and any other difficulties a student may face.  Individual appointments are usually fifty minutes long and scheduled to fit within the student's class schedule.

Confidentiality

All services are confidential. 

• Counseling records are not part of the student's academic record.

• Counseling records remain in the Counseling Office and are not released without written permission from the student.

• Information is not released to parents, instructors, or anyone else without written permission from the student.

There are times when a counselor is required to break confidentiality:  1.) A student expresses intent to harm him/herself.  2.) A student expresses intent to harm someone else.  3.) A student identifies that a child or elder is being physically abused.  4.) A student's records are subpoenaed by the court.

Scheduling an Appointment

To make an appointment to see the counselor, stop by the office in Nikander 31 (just inside doors on upper level of Nikander, across from Finlandia Hall), call the office at 487-7277, or email the counselor at michelle.lambert@finlandia.edu.

Office hours are Monday through Friday during the school year, from 8:00 am - 4:30 pm.

Emergency or Crisis Appointments

The counselor is available to any student having an acute personal crisis.  Call or come to the Counseling Office (487-7277), or if it is after hours, call Campus Security at 487-7307.

The First Appointment

Making an appointment to see a counselor can be very difficult for some students.  Having to share personal information with a stranger or feeling pressured to open up about things can scare students away from ever taking the first step in seeking help.  Remember that counseling is voluntary.  Students are under no obligation to share any information they are not comfortable with and they are in control of each session, how long it lasts, or how often they come in. 

The first appointment is about getting to know the student and what his or her experience has been like.  The student will be asked to fill out a short information sheet and sign a Consent for Services form.  After a discussion about the reasons for seeking services, the counselor and student will decide what the next step will be.  Some students may feel that they do not need to return for a second appointment and this is ok.   Other students will decide to return for weekly appointments.  If after several sessions it is determined that a student's needs are more than what the counselor can provide, the student will be referred to services off campus.  This decision will be based on both the counselor's and student's input.

Resources for Students

The website below has links to information on all kinds of information, from problems with study skills, anxiety, and depression, to information on self-injury, LGBT issues, and all other types of issues students may experience.  The website is maintained by Dr. Robert Hsuing.

The Unabridged Student Counseling Virtual Pamphlet Collection

Resources for Parents

Finlandia University's Parents and Family webpage has a link to the Parent Handbook, which includes helpful information needed to support your student:

www.finlandia.edu/parents-and-family

The following website is a great resource for parents who have children in college:

www.collegeparentcentral.com