What happens at the
Counseling & Student Development
Center (CSDC)
Division of Student Affairs &
Enrollment Management
Our Location
www.niu.edu/csdc
Our Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm
Campus Life Building 200
(815)753-1206
We welcome and serve all enrolled students of NIU!
Our Services
• Walk-in Services
– Students needing assistance with personal concerns or crisis situations can walk-in
to our center and meet with a CSDC staff member.
• Individual counseling
– Based on a short-term model, where a student receives
approximately 2-14 sessions; with most students being seen 8 times.
• Group counseling
– Approximately 6-8 students meeting face to face
to work through personal struggles together.
• Assessments
– We offer assessments for substance abuse and anger intervention issues.
• Crisis & consultation services
– During office hours, a CSDC staff member is available to assist with emergencies
and/or crisis situations. Students are encouraged to come into CSDC for a walk-in
appointment or call 815-753-1206.
Walk in Services
Walk-in Hours:
Monday – Friday
11:00am - 3:30pm
The first counseling session is called an Intake. The intake
consists of completing about 20 minutes of paperwork
(obtain relevant background information) and meet with a
member of our staff for approximately 40 minutes to discuss
your concerns and talk about how to best meet your needs.
At the conclusion of the Intake, a counselor will discuss
appropriate counseling treatment and any other
recommendations that can assist you in resolving your
concerns.
Recommendations may include referrals to workshops,
group counseling, psychiatric services, or to other campus
and off-campus services.
Individual Counseling
• The student will discuss the goals and length
of counseling with her/his assigned counselor.
• Counseling at CSDC is based on a short-term
model, which means we develop strategies to
address student goals and then determine
approximate number of sessions necessary to
meet those goals.
Group Counseling
•
Approximately 6-8 individuals meet faceto-face with one or more group therapists
to talk about what is troubling them.
•
Members also give feedback to each other
by expressing their own feelings about
what someone says or does. This
interaction gives group members an
opportunity to try out new ways of
behaving and to learn more about the way
they interact with others.
•
What makes this situation unique is that it
is a closed and safe environment.
Information shared during a group session
is confidential; what people talk about or
disclose is not discussed outside the group.
Assessments
• Substance Use
Assessment
• Anger Intervention
Eating Disorder Assessment
On-Call & Consultation Services
After-hours and on the weekends, an on-call
counselor is available & can be accessed by
calling the NIU Department of Public Safety at
815-753-1212.
The Department of Public Safety will obtain
your name and phone number, then contact
the on-call counselor. The on-call counselor
will then contact you directly.
Students, faculty, or staff can call for
emergency consultation & crisis intervention
services.
Problems commonly reported by college students
While some students may resolve issues on their own, counseling may
be helpful if you have ongoing concerns, such as:
Relationship problems
• Family problems, uncomfortable in social situations, homesickness, conflict
with significant other/roommate or coping with a break-up.
Feelings
• Anger, worry and anxiety, feeling sad or depressed, loneliness, thoughts of
suicide or guilt.
Personal habits and problems
• Abusing alcohol or drugs, sexual abuse or assault, body image and eating
habits, perfectionism/procrastination or coping with stress and anxiety.
Identity and self-esteem
• Identity and sexuality concerns, negative or self-defeating thinking, low selfesteem and lack of self-confidence and difficulty adjusting to college.
STRIVE Satellite Office located in Stevenson
Strive is the satellite office
of the Counseling &
Student Development
Center
Like us on Facebook, for
upcoming events!
Strive Dog Days!
The Strive office hosts
therapy dogs the 2nd
Monday of every month
from
6:00 pm-7:00 pm
in
Stevenson North,
Fishbowl Room
Spring 2013 Groups
A list of groups at CSDC:
Let’s Do Wellness
General Process Groups
Men Are Good
Family Ties
Healthy Eating Healthy Coping
Better Group 4 Relationships
Women Strength
Relationship Enhancement
Mindful Meditation/Movement
Drop-in hours every Monday
at noon
Relaxation Room
The relaxation room is open to all students,
faculty and staff
Monday – Friday from 8:00am 4:30pm
It offers a great place for students to listen to
soothing music, read, and sit in the massage
chair
Myths about Counseling
Myth 1
• Counseling is only for people who have serious
emotional problems.
Fact: While counseling does help those with crisis or
emotional problems, it is also intended for:
• Individuals who have difficulty with self-esteem or
communication concerns
• Individuals having academic problems, or experiencing test
anxiety
• Students having difficulty with time and stress management.
• Students trying to adjust to their new surroundings.
Myths about Counseling
Myth 2
• Seeking counseling is a sign of personal weakness.
Fact: It takes courage to explore sensitive feelings and
painful experiences. Individuals who seek
counseling are taking the first step in resolving their
difficulties.
Myths about Counseling
Myth 3
• The counselor will tell you what to do and how to “fix”
your problems.
Fact: Counseling is not a “quick fix” cure to your
problems. The counselor is there to help you
explore your feelings, thoughts and concerns, to
examine your options, and to assist you in achieving
your goals.
Myths about Counseling
Myth 4
• The counselor cannot understand you unless he/she
has had similar experiences or is of the same
background.
Fact: Counselors are trained to be sensitive to and
respectful of individual differences, including the
specific concerns of students with regard to gender,
racial/ethnic, cultural, religious, age, sexual
preferences/orientation, and socioeconomic issues.
Meet the senior staff at CSDC
Brooke Ruxton, Ph.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist &
Executive Director
Tim Paquette, Ph.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist &
Assistant Director/Training Director
Meet the senior staff at CSDC
Erica Barnes, M.S., LCPC
Licensed Clinical Professional
Counselor
Kara Britzman, Psy.D.
Picture not yet available
Kim Cecil, M.S.W., L.C.S.W.
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Meet the senior staff of CSDC
Elizabeth (Liz) Garcia,
Ph.D.
Licensed Clinical
Psychologist &
Acting Clinical
Coordinator
Rick Long, Ph.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Meet the senior staff of CSDC
Mark S. Matuszewski, Ph.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist &
Practicum Coordinator
Diane Pospisil-Kinney,
M.A., LCPC
Licensed Clinical
Professional Counselor
Meet the senior staff of CSDC
Shiraz Piroshaw Tata, Ph.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Joe Gryzbek, Psy.D.
Post Doctoral Fellow