To be the leader in the provision of excellent professional psychological and counseling support services with a global perspective.

To provide comprehensive quality, supportive counseling and psychological services that help the USIU-Africa community in dealing with difficult situations, hence facilitating effective learning, personal growth and empowerment as they go through each day, developing their potential and achieving their academic and life goals.

• Empowering individuals

• Enhancing inner strength

• Helping the individual recognize and improve on weaknesses

• Creating awareness of ones personality for increased self-awareness

• Promoting independence of action as a responsible person

• Helping one with life transition issues (turning points in one’s life, adjustment/changes in life

• Giving information on how to make the best possible use of resources

An interactive process involving a relationship with a professional helper built on mutual trust, respect, effort and contribution mainly to: assist people manage their lives effectively, achieve what they want in life. Counseling provides a vehicle for individuals to explore their beliefs, thinking, feelings, values, problems, differences and discover solutions to their problems.

We provide quality counseling services to enrolled students at the university and the USIU-Africa community. All services provided at the Counseling Center are confidential and free of charge.

Our approach is collaborative, goal-oriented, and multi-culturally sensitive aimed at promoting greater mental health and wellbeing. We use the appropriate counseling methods/approaches or techniques depending on the issues presented by the client.

• Problem solving and decision making
• Personal growth; managing identity issues
• Learning new skills
• Gaining new perspectives or ways of thinking,
• Affirmation as one makes different decisions in one’s life
• Coping with social and peer pressure

• Promote greater mental health for effective learning and personal growth as you address the challenges that you face and make major decisions in your life.
• Empowers you with skills that will enable you to explore and discover, new and better ways of living a more resourceful and effective life.
• Strengthens your life skills for enhanced self-confidence, self-control, time management, money management, stress management and goal setting among other skills
• Enhanced Self-awareness and understanding through personality tests as you get clearer about your own identity.
• For change management/Adjustment issues- As much as there are people who are energized by change, there are people whose self-esteem is affected by change for instance dealing with adjustment, new decisions, loss, crisis, relationships; new encounters e.g. becoming a parent, or taking up another new role.
• For Clarification of Values, promotion of individual responsibility, health, safety and wellbeing of all the clients.
• Enhance your academic performance. Counseling Center addresses all the issues that affect your academics negatively.
• Management of relationship issues: Managing conflict, maintaining assertiveness and enhancing team work and harmony in all relationships, including marriages, with friends, parents, children, and spouses- conflict management – one will be equipped with several social and communication skills among others.

The Counseling Center which is an integral part of USIU-Africa programs is committed to:

• Offering quality counseling services to all USIU-Africa community members in order to ensure their wellbeing
• Assisting students make the most out of their educational opportunities- (A man of knowledge increases strength- Proverbs 24:5)
• Equipping the students with skills that will prepare them to effectively face challenges posed by the modern world
• Developing strategies that will address significant challenges both internal and external, social, physical, economic and personal that impact on the client’s wellbeing, notably HIV& AIDS and alcohol and drug abuse among others.

• Every student is unique so we tailor our services to your particular needs
• We take a holistic approach to treat the whole person guided by the appropriate counseling techniques and methods
• We observe human dignity and rights of each individual
• We allow purposeful expression of feelings
• We observe sensitivity to your needs ( we are client centered)
• We observe confidentiality of personal information disclosed
• We observe objectivity when dealing with systemic issues
• We take a non-judgmental attitude (we accept, value and respect you for who you are)
• We observe sensitivity to culture and non-discrimination– we work in a multicultural environment, offering services to people from different cultures, races, genders, sexual orientation, abilities, and religion or spirituality.
• We observe professionalism, embracing the most recent, relevant, human and technical helping skills.
• We recognize the client’s right to make choices and decisions
• We inject creativity in our counseling approaches
• We ensure quality service that is participatory and meets international standards (Re-order)

• Preventive services – identify difficulties that the students are likely to encounter and proactively intervene by giving the students information (awareness campaigns) hence preventing problem situations occurring and reoccurring
• Supportive services for USIU-Africa community members undergoing crises, challenges and difficulties
• Supportive services to those who need help to progress towards a desired goal. The counselor will be a facilitator in the process e.g. Alcohol and Drug Rehabilitative services with referral to inpatient or other external professionals
• Curative services - offer individual, family, couple and group sessions
• Referral Services - for services needed yet not offered at the counseling Center.

You can also come for affirmation that you are doing well or for Life Coaching to help you move to higher heights in different aspects of your life.

If you’re coming for the first time, you’ll be connected with a professional Counselor who will be ready to;

• Spend time, attend and listen to you
• Respect and take you for who you are

You will be given the opportunity to;

• Gain new view or perspective on the situations in your life
• Gain new Ways of Thinking about the World and Yourself.
• Gain healthier coping strategies during difficult, stressful times in your life
• Vent, complain, explain, and try to better understand your life

• Personal/Individual Psychological Counseling: One on one counseling
• Group Counseling where 8 -12 students having a common issue form a group and explore under the facilitation of professional counselors
• Couple Counseling for those in relationships or marriages
• Family Therapy & counseling- For family related issues for students as individuals or with their parents
• Awareness Campaigns: through organizing open days, VCT weeks, drug awareness, mental health and World AIDS day annually.
• Psycho-education/Life skills development through topical presentation forums, Information, education and communication materials (IEC’s) on notice boards, publications (brochures, posters & flyers), class presentations and e-mails.

• Free voluntary integrated HIV Testing Services (HTS) accredited by National AIDS Control Council NACC and NASCOP to offer quality services that meet national and international standards
• Training and supervising Peer Educators and Counselors (PEC): To ensure that the counseling services reach out to all students, the University Counselors Train, Supervise and work with Peer Educators and Counseling Club (PECC) and serve as the patrons of the club.

The Counseling Center Open Week is here where you get to interact with the staff, plus engage in educative, eye-opening and fun activities. Find us at the Parking Lot B (area next to the bus park) this Wednesday and Thursday February 9 & 10 2022, from 9am to 5.00pm.

Expect, among other activities, Art Therapy, numerous personality tests, relationship tests and mental health tests; Valentine’s special tool kit which includes love attitude tests and couple’s fun games. On the list is also very interesting stress relief exercises including deep breathing and relaxation, punching bags, anti-stress balls and art. You will also play games, fix puZZles and engage in fun and laughter. VCT demos and sexuality talks are part of the activities.

Finally, you will have the opportunity to meet the counselors outdoor and engage them, ask them questions and interact with other members of the USIU-Africa community and what more? Just come!

You cannot afford to miss!

By Sandra Joan

The Peer Educators and Counsellors Club (PECC) recently held an online webinar themed “Debunking Suicide". The event highlighted the issues surrounding depression and suicide, and featured panelists, including professionals in the field, who offered their insights on the topic.

With the suicide rate in Kenya having been on the rise lately, especially since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, PECC found it necessary to have this two-day event and especially during the month of September in commemoration of Suicide Awareness & Prevention Week. Statistics have reported that between the months of March and June this year, over 500 people have committed suicide, a number said to be higher than what was reported in the entire year of 2020. A lot of young people, and in our case university students don’t know how to cope with stress which in turn leads to the development of depression and eventually leads to suicide.

Panelists at the event included Mr. Onyango Otieno (Founder – Afro Masculinity, Co-Founder – Fatuma’s Voice, Host & Producer – Afro Men Podcast, Certified Trauma Coach), Mr. Patrick Obel (Senior Counselor - USIU-Africa), and Lydia Winda (VCT Counselor & Club Patron). The moderators who doubled as the co-chairs of the event were Ms. Sandra Joan (Head of PR & Marketing –PECC) and Ms. Wandia King’ori (Vice Chairperson – PECC).

Speaking on mental wellness and masculinity in the African male context, Mr. Onyango Otieno noted that it was high time that society unlearned the unhealthy definitions of masculinity, and learn healthy communication, adding that it was important to encourage and celebrate the expression of emotions specially in boys from a young age.

The event also featured a panel session led by the University’s Counselling Office. Ms. Lydia Winda and Mr. Patrick Obel defined what suicide and depression were, and laid out the risk factors for the former while helping us break the stigma surrounding them. They educated the attendants on what the appropriate language use is when talking about a person with suicidal ideations or who has attempted to take their own life before. Ms. Noel Lusega (Senior Counselor at USIU-Africa) and Lucy Kung’u (Head Counselor at USIU- Africa) took the audience through the psychology behind suicide and answered questions from the attendants regarding how to be there for a loved one going through the same or for their family members after they have laid a loved one to rest.

The session ended with a testimonial session from a student, Ms. Joyce Wanjiku who spoke about her experience living with bipolar disorder and depression and helped humanize the person behind the suicidal attempts and verbalize what it feels like to actually have suicidal ideations.

By Mumbi Mwangi & Sarah Mwaitete

Since 1988 the world has taken pride in celebrating the World AIDS Day (WAD) on December 1. To build up to this date, the Counseling Department partnered with the Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) and WAD Committee, Durex Kenya, Standard Chartered, Aga Khan Hospital and Mr. Stanley Ngara - the King of Condoms, to organize various activities on campus from Wednesday, November 22 to Friday November, 25.

Bearing the theme “Shoulder to Shoulder as One, Take Control to End Inequality & AIDS” and with an aim of raising awareness, enhancing solidarity and igniting hope on matters HIV, the event took place at the Parking Lot B where participants engaged in color painting and various games. Additionally, through the punchline “Rock a Ribbon” got to wear a red ribbon and paint the campus red.

Participants also had a chance to undergo a free primary breast cancer screening courtesy of Aga khan Hospital, get a variety of condoms from Durex Kenya for free as well as financial advice and consultation from Standard Chartered.

Moreover, participants were encouraged to get their HIV status checked at the VCT office located in the Counseling center. More than 100 students showed up for this activity.

The event culminated in a Talent Show held at the Auditorium and hosted by our very own USIU Radio presenters, Michelle Nyaribari and Sandra Marondo who are both pursuing BA. in Journalism. Furthermore, two guest shared their testimony as persons living with HIV, which demystified some of the inaccurate perceptions surrounding the virus and giving an assurance that a positive HIV diagnosis is certainly not a death sentence: one can still live a happy, full and rewarding life surrounded by love and community.

All this was made possible by the organizing committee and the immense support from the Counseling Center, VCT Office led by Lydia Winda, VCT Counselor, Multimedia and Maintenance Departments, student volunteers among others.

The Counseling department would like to encourage the university community to take control and responsibility of their well-being and their sexual health; in fact, whenever possible, consider being a keeper of those around you by encouraging abstinence or safer sex practices in your conversations. The VCT Center is open for service throughout the semesters.

• Students and their parents
• Alumni
• USIU-Africa staff, faculty and their immediate family members

• When you come to the Counseling Center you will start with the office administrator at the reception who will check you in and connect you with a counselor.
• You will sign a confidentiality and consent form with your counselor. Your privacy will be respected and your information will not be released to a third party without your consent unless there is proven threat to life.
• A supportive network and working relationship with other departments in USIU-Africa will be used upon agreement with you.
• Ethically speaking information shared during counseling sessions is CONFIDENTIAL (unless there is proven threat to life), with each staff member bound to the professional code of ethics.

The Counseling Center works closely with all students, The Academic Affairs Division, the Dean of Students, Health clinic, Security, Clubs/Sports groups, Peer Counselors and Educators and other USIU-Africa departments. It also works with external partners, government and non-governmental organizations and corporates, national and international organizations

Tabitha Musya

Office Administrator

Phone: (254)730 116 748

Email: tmusya@usiu.ac.ke

The Counseling Center is committed to enhancing the skills, knowledge and performance of the staff through continuous training, supervision and membership in professional bodies. The staff are frequently introduced to new approaches to counseling through training and research.

The Counselors take an eclectic approach to providing services based on the different clients’ needs. Diversity is our strength.

The Counseling Center works with the Academic Affairs division to assist students enhance their academic performance through an early warning system to reduce the risk of academic dismissal. It also creates awareness on the support that faculty can offer students with psycho-social issues that interfere with their learning.

The Drug Awareness Week which runs every spring semester aims at informing, creating awareness, serving as a demand reduction strategy in prevention and control of issues of alcohol and drug abuse.

Every summer and fall semester, the Counseling center runs the VCT, Sexual and Reproductive Health week aimed at prevention, control and management of HIV & AIDS and reproductive health issues.

We are Located in the Freida Brown Student Center, 2^nd Floor, right wing from the stairs/lift.

Phone: +254-730 116 748/797/791/746/750 or from within the campus (Ext. 748/797/791/746/750).
E-mail: counsel@usiu.ac.ke

HOURS OF OPERATIONS:

Monday – Friday (8am - 5pm)

Put Away the Following Fears:

1. They will talk about my problems all over campus (NO!)

2. They will laugh at me because my problem is so embarrassing.

3. They’ll think I am a terrible person.

4. They’ll think I’m crazy.

Note: Counseling draws out our richest and deepest resources, draws out our hidden thoughts and dreams, serves as a check on our judgment, tries out our new ideas, keeps up our emotions, inflames our motivation and enthusiasm to connect with self and others.

We care, Come Let’s Talk!