Campus Confidentiality
As a student, Jean* sought help from the Engle Center for Counseling and Health Services for varied symptoms that included suicidal ideation, depression, self-harm and anxiety.
During her mental health crisis, she ended up getting help from her family doctor. But she says her second round of counseling on campus proved beneficial. “I clicked with my counselor really well, and I think I’ve gotten a lot out of it,” she said.
In fact, she believes so strongly in getting the word out about mental health issues and the Engle Center’s resources that she organized a suicidal ideation awareness event on campus for other students. One goal of the event included spreading the word about the center’s strict confidentiality rules. Many students confided in her that they hesitated to reach out to the center or to be fully honest with their counselor because of Messiah’s Community Covenant, which provides a biblical framework and context for campus community life.
“So they can only get so much out of counseling because they’re hiding half the stuff [they’re struggling with],” she said.
The Engle Center staff used the event to reiterate the center’s confidentiality policy.
“[Students] can talk to us about anything they need to. We maintain the same level of confidentiality as all medical and counseling facilities. We do not inform anyone on campus or off campus that the student is coming, let alone what they’re talking about,” said Engle Center Director Eleanor Muir, who stressed that counselors also are prohibited from imposing their own value systems on students. “The College at large is fully supportive of us maintaining that confidentiality; they want students to have that very safe space to talk about anything that’s going on.”
*Name changed to protect privacy.