Parents as Partners

Aggie Parents as Mentors and Partners

Your role in parenting your college student may change as your child develops but it never ends! You are now becoming a mentor to them and a partner with the faculty and staff at Texas A&M University at Qatar. We will work together to assist every student to be as successful as he/she can be. You can continue to be involved by learning about the changes your college student may be experiencing, by listening, and by helping them help themselves by finding the campus resources needed for success. You have done a superb job at being a role model for your child. Trust that you have given your student a strong set of values and decision making skills and trust that he/she will use them effectively.

The TAMUQ Counseling & Wellness Program serves students by supporting healthy personal development in all areas of their lives. The Counseling & Wellness Program staff consists of two experienced mental health professionals trained to assist with the physical and emotional health challenges, academic choices, and career decisions that accompany young adulthood. Please check out the information below to find out more about the services provided by the Counseling & Wellness Program.

Consultation
The Counseling & Wellness Program counselor is available to assist parents who have questions about how to handle difficult situations with their college student. If you feel that something may be wrong (i.e., you find yourself constantly asking your college student "Are you OK?" or you find him/her not sleeping, constantly worried, having headaches, spending time alone, or feeling irritable most of the time) simply call the Counseling & Wellness Program counselor, who can talk with you about your concerns and help you sort out what steps to take next.

Health Promotion
The Counseling & Wellness Program coordinates many health-related educational programs to promote healthy lifestyles, health maintenance, and disease/injury prevention for Texas A&M University at Qatar students and the campus community. Individual counseling on health issues is also available for students. The Counseling & Wellness Program is also able to make referrals to other health professionals in the community. If your student needs information to support making informed decisions about his/her health and wellness encourage them to come by our office.

Counseling
Let your student know that adjustment problems are common, especially during the first year, and the Counseling & Wellness Program can offer assistance with this and other personal issues including stress and anxiety, depression, relationship and social difficulties, eating and body image concerns, loss and grief, and more. Services are intended to help students with short-term emotional problems as opposed to providing long-term intensive psychotherapy. A safe and non-threatening environment is assured. Encourage your student to visit our webpage at http://www.qatar.tamu.edu/counseling/ which includes an outline of our services, as well as links to mental health sites and topics of interest to college students.

Biofeedback
Biofeedback is a way to get information about what is happening in your body so that you can learn to better control your body to improve your heath. If your college student is having symptoms like stomach problems, pain in the chest, racing heart, difficulty catching his/her breath, difficulty sleeping, easily upset, or having headaches or neck/back pain then a referral to biofeedback is an effective strategy to teach self regulation to feel better and get them functioning at their best. The Counseling & Wellness Program  has worked successfully with many students to manage migraine headaches, tension headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, and anxiety.

Referring your student
The best way to refer your student to the Counseling & Wellness Program is to encourage him/her to stop by or call (423-0047) to make an appointment. During this appointment, your student will meet with a counselor to determine how the Counseling & Wellness Program can best meet his or her needs. He or she will be scheduled for further appointments as needed or referred to a more appropriate resource. If your student was hospitalized or in long-term psychotherapy before coming to Texas A&M University at Qatar, we can help with referrals for continued mental health care in area. Counseling services are free of charge to all full-time students.

Confidentiality
Professional ethical standards as well as United States federal and Texas state laws prohibit us from confirming, denying, or discussing whether a student has sought services with the Counseling & Wellness Program unless we have prior written permission from the student. This applies even if you referred your student to us or discussed concerns about your student with us previously. Please follow-up directly with your student. If you feel it is important to follow up with us, please ask if your student is willing to sign an authorization allowing us to speak with you. For more information click here.

The Transition
Click here to see a PowerPoint presentation reviewing tips for supporting your first-year student.
Click here to read an article from Screening For Mental Health, Inc. about supporting your student's college experience.

Other Resources
Books
Don't Tell Me What To Do: Just Send Money by Helen Johnson and Christine Schelhas-Miller (2000).
Empty Nest...Full Heart:  The Journey From Home To College by Andrea VanSteenhouse and Johanna Parker (1999).
Let The Journey Begin:  A Parent's Monthly Guide To The College Experience by Jacqueline Kiernan MacKay (2002)
Letting Go: A Parents' Guide to Understanding the College Years by Karen Levin Coburn & Madge Lawrence Treeger (1997).
How To Survive In An Empty Nest:  Reclaiming Your Life When Your Children Have Grown by Robert Lauer (1999)
When Kids Go to College: A Parent's Guide to Changing Relationships by Newman
Almost Grown: Launching Your Child from High School to College by Patrick Pasick, (1998)
Helping Your First Year College Student Succeed by Richard Mullendore and Cathie Hatch (2000)
Let the Journey Begin: A Parent's Monthly Guide to the College Experience by Jacueline Keenan Mackay & Wanda Ingram (2001)

Websites
Texas A&M University Aggie Parents
College Parents of America

Note: This page was adapted from Marquette University (http://www.marquette.edu/counseling/parents.html)