Psychiatrists are the care givers who use biological intervention. Unlike psychiatrists, psychologists can't prescribe medication or administer shock treatments and are unable to admit a patient to a hospital. Just as social work, which grew out of the social welfare system, helps individuals function within the community, psychologists work to help people fit into the community by encouraging them to change things about themselves. Most of Bethel's counselors use a combination of counseling, testing, therapy, and education when working with students. While acknowledging that many resources on campus help students deal with the adjustments of college life, Koch says professional counseling services provide a vital service for students.
Students are human.
There is stress and pressure - all of us have vulnerabilities. And nobody's family system is perfect. Students are wounded, struggling to find out who they are, how to sort things out in their lives, and how to have meaningful relationships. College is a huge developmental leap. Patty Thomson is a communications specialist in the Office of Communications and Marketing at Bethel College.