“I feel like I'm in a room and I can hear somebody talking, and I'm like, ‘Okay, I know what they mean, but I don't think the person you're talking to knows what you mean. What you're saying is not what they're hearing.’”
That’s Bryan Hudson, who’s in year two of a three-year master’s degree program in counseling at FGCU.
He has always wanted to help people communicate better so they understand each other. Now he is providing counseling to clients inside and outside the university, under the supervision of licensed mental health professionals.
Counseling is available on a very affordable sliding scale of $5 to $25 per hour, and counselors can work with individuals, couples, and children, whether they have a connection to FGCU or not.
“We give counseling to the community. And that’s so important. We want to spread the word,” said Eileen Cherbini, a supervisor in the program. She is one of the faculty members who oversees the student counselors, by observing via camera from another room, with the client’s consent. She has seen how helpful the counseling can be.
“Sometimes, parents are lost right now, with the social media and the technology, ‘what do I do to make sure my child is safe,’ for example,” Cherbini said.
Availability of mental health services in Florida ranks among the lowest in the US.
Appointments are available in person or by telehealth, often on the same day. To contact the center, call 239-745-4777.
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