Mentoring / Counselling / Peer Support Programs
LAU provides a variety of mentoring, counseling, and peer support programs to support its community, particularly focusing on inclusivity and addressing the needs of underrepresented groups. These initiatives include:
- Counseling Services:
- Free, confidential support through short-term individual counseling and psychotherapy.
- Crisis and emergency interventions, along with referrals to external professionals.
- Support for emotional, social, and academic challenges.
- Awareness Campaigns:
- Programs like “Bil Hawa Sawa” emphasize mental health awareness and encourage the use of counseling services. Students are actively involved in planning campaigns to ensure relevance and inclusivity.
- Academic Advising and Success Programs:
- Personalized academic advising to address challenges and guide career decisions.
- Free academic tutoring for students needing assistance in specific courses, with no limit on sessions.
- Peer tutors gain skills and knowledge through this process, creating a culture of mutual support.
- Inclusive Campus Environment:
- Dedicated resources for secure, inclusive spaces to reduce barriers for underrepresented groups.
- Emphasis on mental and physical health through clinics, preventive care, and community-building activities.
- Peer Support Opportunities:
- Students can engage with peers through academic tutoring or as part of campus initiatives aimed at fostering connection and addressing shared experiences.
These programs reflect the university’s commitment to inclusivity and holistic support for all members of its community.
Counseling Services
Counseling at LAU helps you power through your university years. Starting with the school-to-college transition and all its emotional baggage, to dealing with anxiety such as that associated with remote learning, university counselors equip you with essential tools to effectively manage current and future problems.
Sessions are strictly confidential and free of charge for all students. They are typically scheduled once a week and may expand over several weeks depending on the objectives identified by the counselor.
When Should I Seek Help from a Counselor?
If you are experiencing one or more of the following concerns:
- Test anxiety
- Sleeping problems
- Low self-esteem
- Alcohol or drug abuse
- Concentration problems
- Decision making problems
- Dramatic mood swings
- Hopelessness or helplessness
- Exposure to sexual, physical, or emotional abuse
- Anxiety, fear, or anger that affects everyday life
- Eating disorders
- Suicidal thoughts
- Loneliness and/or homesickness
- Procrastination
- Relationship issues (family, friends, romantic)
- Loss of a family member or loved one
- Poor academic performance.
What Types of Counseling Services Are Offered at LAU?
- Short-term individual counseling
- General consultation
- Group counseling
- Academic skills guidance
- Career/vocational counseling
- Crisis interventions
- On/Off campus referrals
If the counselors believe that the student’s concerns are beyond the scope of the services provided at LAU, they will provide the student with a list of off-campus professionals (i.e., psychotherapists and/or psychiatrists) from which to choose.
How will a Counselor at LAU Help Me?
Counseling at LAU offers you the chance to:
- Disclose and discuss sensitive issues in a safe environment
- Confide in someone who can be trusted for their open-mindedness and professional help
- Receive support and aid in overcoming distress
While knowing that all the information discussed during counseling sessions:
- Will not go on your official record, nor on your transcripts
- Are strictly confidential – unless the counselor identifies that there is potential for self-harm, or harm to others.
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Someone to Talk To
LAU counselors help students overcome – and even better, preempt – all sorts of challenges.
The counselors aim to empower students by giving them the tools they would need to overcome immediate as well as future difficulties.
Every day, LAU’s counselors help students make the most of university life by empowering them to manage their workload, extracurricular activities and personal concerns.
For second-year communications major Carly Aziz, the service “is not only important, but a must, especially during these hard times.”
Counseling is helpful for resolving a full range of challenges, no matter how “small” or serious they may seem (see the list below for examples).
“We have assisted students in getting to know their campus, getting involved, staying active on campus, and taking advantage of new opportunities,” said Joumana Haddad, principal counselor on Byblos campus.
“This has helped them meet new people with similar interests and alleviated their feelings of homesickness and loneliness,” she added.
The past three years have been particularly taxing on students, who have borne their fair share of financial hardship, a pandemic and disruptions to their campus life.
According to Nathalie Medlege, lead counselor on Beirut campus, “a lot of students are noticing that they are having difficulties and are aware of the importance of their mental health. Even if they have enough support from their surroundings, they know they need to supplement it, so they come to us and talk about it.”
Faculty, too, have become increasingly aware of students’ need for support, adds Medlege, and take it into consideration.
Free and Confidential
Counseling services are free of charge and strictly confidential. They provide a safe environment for students experiencing difficulties, whether on the personal or academic level. The counselors’ offices are easily accessible and conveniently located close to the student lounge.
“I think all institutions should consider adding this to their offering, as it normalizes seeking help and goes to show that the university is invested in students’ wellbeing, and not just their academic achievements,” said Aziz.
Mission: Empowerment
The counselors aim to empower students by giving them the tools they would need to overcome immediate as well as future difficulties.
Second-year multimedia journalism student Lyne Samury finds counseling very helpful. “My counselor provides tactics and tools to help me solve problems on my own,” she noted.
Both counselors agreed that “it is important to seek help when needed, especially when it is available,” for there is no health without mental health.
Get some tips and more information on LAU’s counseling services here.
15 Things You Can Discuss with a Counselor:
- Test anxiety
- Depression
- Suicidal ideation
- Eating disorders
- Sleeping disorders
- Study skills
- Sexual health
- Attention deficit disorder
- Family conflicts
- Relational concerns
- Stress
- Major confusion
- Self-confidence
- Learning difficulties
Engaging LAU Faculty & Staff as Associates in the Mental Health Support System
University students often experience high levels of stress. Any number of potential events- leaving home and moving into the dormitory, academic failure, the loss of loved one, job termination of close relatives, and so on- may require students to make adjustments in the patterns of their daily living. Not all life transitions are negative, but even positive events, when accompanied by significant changes and demands, have the potential to be distressing.
Many students weather the “stormy periods” of their lives without professional assistance; others may find that the distress of being a student provides an occasion to consult a mental health professional. Thus, every year, the University Counseling Office sees students seeking help with different concerns such as depression, anxiety, relationship problems, family issues, academic difficulties, just to name a few.
You, Faculty and Staff, play an important role in detecting and helping distressed students. However, identifying and responding to students in distress is not an easy job; it can be confusing and overwhelming. Hence, the University Counseling Office has prepared this guide that sheds some lights on the different signs and symptoms of distress; its purpose is to guide you in handling a problem until a referral to the counseling office can be arranged. If you wish to consult with professionals or believe that a student should do so, we welcome the opportunity to help.
We appreciate the role you play as associates in the Mental Health Support System at LAU, and hope that this guide will be useful to you in your efforts.
Sources of Trouble/Distress
- Family problems
- Grief and loss
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Loneliness
- Relationship problems/break-ups
- Low self-esteem
- Financial problems
- Academic pressure or failure
- Conflict with classmates/Professors
- Difficulty adjusting to university life
- Trouble adjusting to different culture
- Career indecision
- Athletes (pressure/ expectations)
- Eating disorders
- Drug/alcohol abuse
- Sexual or physical abuse or assault
- Identity/sexual confusion
Salaam Halila Launches Her First Campaign in Campus to Raise Awareness on Mental Health
Salaam Halila, an LAU MEPI TL Student in Communication Arts, started implementing acquired communication and message conveying skills along with her colleagues within the campus by launching: “Bil Hawa Sawa” (we are all in the same boat), an awareness campaign with the objective to raise awareness about mental health among LAU students and to remind them about the counseling services that LAU offers.
Before starting crafting the campaign tactics, Halila along with the team members conducted a qualitative survey across students in campus to help them identify the key messages that they need to tackle in their campaign.
“Bil Hawa Sawa” Campaign lasted for two consecutive days (March 20 and 21, 2019) during the LAU yearly festival “NEXT” at LAU Beirut Campus.
Halila together with her colleagues planned, organized and executed the campaign that covered online, offline and in-campus activation media to ensure conveying the message to a wider audience. Planning the campaign on a low budget was not an obstacle, on the contrary, it has triggered Halila’s creativity to deliver the campaign’s messages at minimal cost; one of the ideas was to use “chalk advertising” were they wrote teasing messages about mental health on the campus’ floor and stairs as a way to attract the students’ attention. During the campaign, students were encouraged to share their suggestions about the counseling services at LAU by writing their ideas on a big black board, in addition to distributing stickers to passerby and hanging posters for bigger exposure.
The campaign gained wide acceptance and brought expected results: 158 followers on the Instagram page with 626 profile visits and 344 accounts reached, during the campaign ; 107 students responded to the online survey ; Almost 100 students visited the awareness booth and projected their input about mental health in general and LAU counseling services in particular.
At the end of the campaign, Halila and the team members gathered all students’ feedback and suggestions and submitted a detailed report to the counseling panel at LAU for their reference and consideration
The LAU MEPI TL Program enabled Halila pursue her education in Communication Arts and to be life-long learner, critical thinker and gain persuading and influencing skills.
Health and Wellbeing
Your academic achievement is important, but it is not separate from your social, physical, and emotional wellbeing.
LAU Health Clinics: Prevention and Care
The first step to staying healthy is knowledge. That’s why awareness campaigns are carried out every year and handy information is always available to students.
In case of emergency, a registered nurse is always available on each campus. The nurse can provide first aid and advise on next steps. Learn more
All students at LAU are insured for medical emergencies and hospitalization. Insurance fees are paid once a year along with the tuition fees. Those who already have insurance are exempted from some of these fees. View details
Counseling: Obstacles Begone!
Making the transition from high school to university can be stressful. At LAU you’ll find experts dedicated to helping students manage difficulties such as social or emotional issues. Students can seek help at any time during regular university hours. This is a service offered by the LAU Dean of Students’ Offices to all enrolled students. Consultations are confidential, free of charge and include: Short-term individual counseling and psychotherapy Crisis and emergency interventions Referrals to off-campus professionals Academic skills tutoring Career counseling
Secure Campuses: Peace of Mind
We keep our campuses safe and secure so that our students have peace of mind. Campus security guards are stationed at our gates 24/7. There are cameras monitoring activity in key spots, including circulation areas at the dorms (halls, entrances). Weapons, alcohol, and drugs are prohibited on campus.
Academic Advising: Your Personal Roadmap
Clarity about your next steps reduces stress: Our academic advisors empower you to develop a course plan consistent with your individual interests and abilities. Along with your faculty advisors, the academic advisors will provide you with all the academic support you may need. Through these services, you will:
- Get all the help to understand your degree evaluation, rules, and other academic matters to make the right academic and career decisions.
- Benefit from one-on-one advising sessions and learn about the available resources for you, such as CAPP, Portal, Banner, Starfish, etc.
- Know the steps and requirements for graduation.
- Overcome any academic difficulty by getting personalized advising meetings.
LAU students can schedule the academic advising appointments through Starfish on Portal. Through Starfish, you will:
- Connect with your faculty and the staff from various departments.
- Schedule appointments online wit your academic advisor or faculty advisor.
- Receive a notification if you are academically at risk.
- Save meetings notes in your records for future reference.
The academic advisors also support students who need to overcome any academic challenges through the Academic Success Center.
Academic Success Center
Free of charge academic tutoring services are available if you need assistance or you are facing difficulties in certain courses. There is no limit to the sessions you can attend. Tutors are academically excelling students from various majors and they are appointed by their respective departments.
Objectives of the Tutoring Services
- Provide tutoring services for students who are academically challenged to effectively improve their performance.
- Assist students to better understand challenging topics or course material.
- Give student tutors the opportunity to reinforce their knowledge and improve their teaching and communication skills by sharing what they have learned.
If you are a current student, please check the sessions offered on Portal.