Parent Resources

The Counseling Center offers a variety of services to serve Stetson's community.

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How Parents Can Help

Attending a university can be an exciting, and often stressful, time in a student's life. Students may experience many positive changes and difficult challenges while at a university. Stetson's Counseling Center is available to assist students through those times and help them to have an all-around better experience while at Stetson University.

Often, parents are some of the first individuals to notice when a student is not functioning at their best. Students may come to you for advice or support. One way you may be helpful to your student is to know some basic information about the Counseling Center's resources and direct them to the Counseling Center for assistance.

Service Eligibility

Counseling Center services are available, during the regular University operating schedule, to currently enrolled Stetson students. All services are free of charge; no insurance is required. Click here for a full list of available services.

Services Available for Parents

Not only is adjusting to university life sometimes challenging for the students, but it can also be challenging for the parents. It is important to remain realistic about your expectations for contact with your student, to communicate openly, to be supportive, and to find support for yourself.

Consultations for parents are available during regular office hours. If you are concerned about your student, you are encouraged to seek consultative support from the Counseling Center. At that time, support and helpful resources can be given to the parent.

Note: Our counseling staff is legally bound by the limits of confidentiality, but we will do our best to assist you with your concerns.

Parents and Confidentiality

As a professional counseling provider, the Counseling Center is required to uphold the legal and ethical requirements of confidentiality. Under Florida law and the ethical guidelines, information shared within the counseling relationship is considered to be confidential, although there are certain limits to confidentiality. Furthermore, any counseling records maintained are confidential and are not part of the student's academic records. Aside from the limits to confidentiality, no information may be disclosed about a student's counseling participation or progress without a Release of Information form on file for specified individuals, such as parents or physicians.

It is understandable that parents may be interested in a student's counseling experience. In this event, parents are encouraged to ask their student about their counseling experience.

Resources for Parents

Stetson's Parents Web page has a wealth of information specific to Stetson. For information specific to mental health concerns, you may visit our Helpful Resources page. Other helpful parent resources are listed below:

Articles & Books

• A New Beginning for Parents: When Your Teen Goes to College
• College - What Parents Need to Know (2012)
  
• College of the Overwhelmed (2004)
• Coping with Empty-Nest Syndrome
• Home for the Holidays
• Hyper-Parents Can Make College Aged Children Depressed - Study
• Staying Connected to Your College Kids
• The Empty Nest: Creating a New Life for Yourself After Your Children Leave Home

Handouts

• Welcome Parents
• Changes You Might Expect
• If You Think Your Son or Daughter Can Benefit from Counseling
• What Can I Do to Help My Child from a Distance?

All handouts are in PDF format and require Adobe Reader or an equivalent software product. If you need the software, you can download Adobe Reader here.

Websites

• College Parents of America - A membership organization that assists families from college preparation through degree completion
• Families Empowered and Supporting Treatment of Eating Disorders (FEAST) - Eating disorder information and support for families, communities, and professionals
• PFLAG - Parents, Family, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays - Resource and support network for parents, families, friends, and allies or lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people
• The Partnership at Drugfree.org - Resource for parents/caregivers to learn how to address alcohol/drug use with teens/young adults, as well as a prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery resource
• Transition Year - A resource guide for students and parents regarding the emotional health and wellness of students transitioning to college
• University Visitor's Network - Helpful tools and tips, from researching institutions to interviewing for admission and paying college costs, for parents of college-bound students