LifeShops Outreach Tools & Services
Fundamental Assumptions of Counseling Center Outreach
LifeShops Outreach operates from the basic assumption that the extension of expertise onto the campus has the same objective as any individual counseling session, to bring about therapeutic change and/or a positive educational experience that contributes to students growth and learning. In outreach, however, the reference to the student is as much aimed toward the individual as it is to various communities that make up the campus and the campus community, overall. In other words, outreach aims to address the student's well-being and the students' well-being.
Therefore, outreach involves operating on a few basic assumptions to guide the work of the professionals involved in extending the wisdom and expertise of the counseling center to the campus community. The include:
- A shift away from exclusive reliance on a medical frame that relies primarily on “Mental Health” or “Health” as the primary paradigm of student struggle.
- Employment of an “individualistic” and a “collectivist” perspectives, in order to interpret students’ experiences, behaviors, and performance
- Incorporation of a social justice framework and a resistance mindset in addressing those student struggles that originate from social, political, economic, and environmental forces.
- Inclusion of various aspects of student development and education to contribute to intervention efforts, holistically integrating various domains of expertise and professional perspectives.
Various Student Affairs/Campus Life Departments
Various entities related to student academic engagement and support
Constituents that play a role in informing the values and priorities of the institution (alumni, enrollment/recruitment, etc.)
