• Discover Nevada
• Admissions
• Academics
• Student Life
• Research
• Partnerships

Personal Problems

What If I Need To Talk To Someone About My Personal Problems?

Personal Counseling

Problems or difficulties involving academic work, personal relationships, stress, unhappiness, an individual's view of him or herself etc., are viewed and treated differently in different cultures. If you experienced difficulties when you were living in your home country, perhaps you turned to your family or close personal friends for help and advice. During your stay in the U.S., however, you may be apart from all family and close friends or you may only have one or two family members with you. When problems arise, you may feel the need to find substitute sources of emotional support.

In the U.S., many people do not live near their families, and it is not always the custom for Americans to be raised to depend on their families to solve problems. In many instances, Americans will choose to talk with professionals or trained volunteers about problems. The services listed in this section are staffed by persons trained to be sympathetic and objective listeners. A counselor can help you to determine what the difficulty is, empathize with your situation, help you see options that you might not have seen, and help you resolve a difficulty. Any conversation you have with a counselor will be treated as confidential. Your stay in the U.S. will be much more enjoyable if you can find substitutes for the types of support provided by your family or close friends at home. Counseling is one option for dealing with difficulties that arise.

Counseling Center

The Counseling Center is the primary counseling facility on campus. It is staffed by professionally trained counselors and counseling psychologists whose services are available free to all students. Personal, social, or career issues may interfere with your academic achievement or personal functioning and counseling can help you develop self understanding, use your potential more effectively, and plan your goals realistically. Appointments for counseling services may be made in person or by telephone. They are located in Room 206, Thompson Student Services Center at (775) 784-4648. Dr. Shernaaz Webster usually works with OISS on the problems of international students.

Suicide Prevention and Crisis Call Center

This organization provides phone counseling in crisis situations, such as rape, suicide prevention, domestic violence, and child abuse. They provide information and referral and are there to talk and to listen. You can reach the Crisis Call Center at (775) 323-6111.

Department of Residential Life

Every Residence Hall is staffed with live-in Residence Hall Directors and Resident Advisors who have received training and can assist with many problems through counseling, information, and referral services provided by Residential Life department.

Academic Advising /Career Development

The Academic Advising and Career Development center offers counseling on a variety of academic and career issues. For more information, refer to the "Academic Services" section.