Waxahachie, Texas – November 16, 2016 – Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU) recently hosted its first Counseling Center Seminar for the semester from November 1 to November 3 in the Hagee Communication Center Auditorium.
Dr. Charity Kurz takes a selfie during the first session of the seminar: “Selfies: Real or Ideal?”
The theme for this seminar was “Thriving in Spite of College Challenges.” The three sessions included content over identity formation and transitions, the process in forgiveness and navigating experiences of grief and loss.
Dr. Tim Myers, the Director of Counseling Services, said, “We try to scratch the itch of the student body because we want to listen to what they are asking for and then try to provide that for them. We are intentional about choosing topics that interest them.”
Counseling Services decided to ask Dr. Charity Kurz, a new Counseling and Psychology Professor to SAGU and Randel Duncan, a recent addition to Counseling Services to be the speakers for the seminar. Myers said that along with striving to provide applicable information to students, the seminar was an opportunity for the speakers to share and gain exposure to the student body in a positive way.
“The overall goal is to provide good mental health and clinical information,” Myers said. “We want to be practical so it’s not just knowledge but how you can use that knowledge in your life and your relationships.”
The process leading up to SAGU’s Counseling Center Seminars starts months before the speakers ever step on stage. After the completion of a seminar, a survey is conducted for students to indicate topics that interest them. Based on the results of this survey, Counseling Services begins to plan and construct the next seminar. According to Dr. Myers, the planning stages of this seminar started in August when Counseling Services began observing and examining the results of the past survey.
Myers said that in the past, many of the seminars have been focused on marriage counseling and preparation for marriage. However, with an average attendance of 250 to 400 people, most of whom are students, the seminar has recently shifted gears to focus on content that applies to the campus body as a whole.
“I am always excited about the topics that we present,” Myers said. “We want to create a positive frame of reference for people to be aware of issues and how to address these issues in their own lives and provide awareness of the counseling center. God has put us in a family and assigned people to help us and encourage us in our journey.”
The next seminar will be taking place from Tuesday, November 29 to Thursday, December 1. Session topics will be focused on boundaries in the context of family and other relationships.
About SAGU:
Southwestern Assemblies of God University is a private, Christian university located 30 minutes south of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Waxahachie, Texas. The university was established in 1927, and now offers more than 70 associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees on campus or online. More information is available at www.sagu.edu or by calling 1-888-YES-SAGU.
