Meet Dr. Ed Sutter, Ph.D., LPC, NCC, director of Clinical Services and the Counseling Center at Waynesburg University. The Counseling Center provides free and confidential personal, academic and career counseling to help students navigate challenges, build resilience and make the most of their college experience.
In this Q&A, Dr. Sutter shares more about the support available to students and why no concern is too big or too small to bring to the Counseling Center.
Q: What services and support are available to students through the Counseling Center?
Waynesburg's Counseling Center makes it a point to be easily accessible to students. We want the WU community to know that we have their back when they need us. Most students come to the Counseling Center for personal mental health counseling, but that can look like a lot of different things. Sometimes students are looking for techniques and strategies, sometimes we help people process and unpack past events, and sometimes we help connect students to other supports on campus. Our goal is to help build a campus where every student is hopeful, connected, and equipped to live a fulfilling and resilient life for the glory of God.
Q: What would you say to a student who is hesitant or nervous about making their first counseling appointment?
Give it one shot. One of the greatest parts of counseling students is reminding them that they get to be in the driver's seat. Sure, our counselors are trained to check in on some of the most important parts of life, but students are the muscle behind where our conversations go each session. Sometimes students feel like counseling isn't a fit for them (and that's okay, too!)...but most come back again!
Q: What advice would you give to incoming first-year students about taking care of their mental and emotional well-being in college?
Stay flexible. Keep it simple. Transitioning to college life is always an adjustment, but keeping up with the basics makes a big difference: eat healthy, get good sleep, stay active, get connected. There will be plenty to learn and lots of new relationships to sort out, so be ready to try something new. On a campus like WU's, support is pretty easy to find, so if you have questions or feel like you need a hand, just ask!
Q: What is one thing you wish every Waynesburg student knew about the Counseling Center?
We're always rooting for you, and we love to see people change. Counseling isn't just about trauma (but we help with that, too!). Sometimes students just need a little boost to get over the hump of a really hard day, or week, or month and we'd love to help you get to a better day. More than anything, we want to see students leave the office healthier than when they walked in.
Explore the Counseling Center
Our dedicated staff welcomes and works with students who are seeking support for personal, academic and career growth. During their time at WU, students have access to our caring, skillful, free and confidential counseling services.
