Personal Counseling Services

What is personal counseling?

Personal counseling is a campus wellness resource, offering students a free opportunity to talk about personal, social, and academic matters and request guidance and resources in a safe, confidential, supportive setting.

What's the purpose of personal counseling?

Personal counseling is designed to identify students' strengths and enhance students' personal growth skills in the learning environment.

Why use personal counseling?

Stress factors are frequently associated with college life. You may experience challenges when faced with the rigors of academics as well as new freedoms, exciting and demanding life choices, and a variety of venues for growth and expression.

Or you simply may need to get something off your chest.

Personal counseling can provide support for any of the concerns that could interfere with your personal and/or academic success and satisfaction, academic progress, and social development at Penn State.

Many common student concerns include:

• Difficulty in adjusting to college
• Problems with friends and/or family members
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Grief or loss
• Self-confidence
• Lack of motivation
• Time management
• Stress management
• Sexual identity issues
• Substance abuse
• Eating disorders
• Physical/Sexual/Emotional abuse
• Concerns about your major, career, and/or future
• Difficulty in concentrating or studying
• Trouble coping with academic pressures
• Uncertainties about personal values and beliefs

If you experience or deal with any of these issues or any other stressors, you're urged to make an appointment to talk with our personal counselor. We're here to help you.

What services are provided?

Personal counseling offers a variety of confidential and free services for Penn State Shenango students, including:

• Individual counseling
• Community referrals
• Programs on topics of well-being
• Additional counseling and support services, as needed

How is student confidentiality protected?

All information shared between the student and the counselor is strictly confidential.
All calls and requests for information are strictly confidential.
No contacts are made without the student's written permission, unless the student is a risk to himself/herself or others.

How do I make an appointment for personal counseling?

To schedule a confidential, one-on-one appointment with the campus counselor, please contact Tony Paglia, student personal and counselor. 

You may also contact Stacy Gongloff in the Office of Student Affairs to schedule an appointment in-person.