COUNSELING IS GREAT BUT NOT FOR ME: STUDENT PERSPECTIVES OF COLLEGE COUNSELING

Oct 15, 2026

College counseling centers are widely viewed as valuable for student well-being, academic performance, and retention, yet many students with mental health concerns do not seek help. This qualitative study examines student views of on-campus counseling by focusing on barriers that prevent help-seeking. Data were gathered through three focus group interviews (n=14) and analyzed using consensual qualitative recording, producing three thematic domains: counseling benefits, barriers to help-seeking, and service model considerations. Implications are discussed for improving access to counseling services.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages15

Reading Time38 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Counseling and Retention

Conceptual Framework

Social Behavioral Model

COUNSELING IS GREAT BUT NOT FOR ME: STUDENT PERSPECTIVES OF COLLEGE COUNSELING Sarah Cronin Bemidji State University Anna C . Levene Bemidji State University Alyssa Pajari Minnesota State University Courtney Evans Bemidji State University Madison Ulrich Benmidji State University The number of college students experiencing mental health related concerns has increased each year, yet two-thirds do not seek help. Compared to students who use counseling, students who need but do not receive help have poorer academic outcomes. On-campus college counseling centers are valuable resource that benefits student well-being, including academic performance and retention. Understanding what factors create barriers for students who desire to seek counseling can help higher education professionals work to improve access to counseling. This qualitative study explored student views of on-campus counseling including barriers that exist for students when seeking help. Data were collected through three focus group interviews (n=14) . Consensual qualitative recording analyses yielded three thematic domains: (a) Counseling Benefits, (b) Barriers to Help-Seeking, and (c) Service Model Considerations. Implications for on-campus counseling services are discussed. Please direct inquires about this manuscript to: Sarah Cronin, [sarah.cronin@bemidjistate.edu](sarah.cronin@bemidjistate.edu) College Student Affairs Journal, Volume 39(2), pp. 225-239 ISSN 2381-2338 Copyright 2021 Southern Association for College Student Affairs All rights of reproduction in any form reserved. 226 College Student Affairs Journal Vol. 39 No. 2, 2021 Tencni ungmeernoftal llealgt has increased each students experirelated concerns year, with 39% of students reporting a significant mental health issue sometime in their life (Active Minds, 2019) . Even though a significant number of students report mental health concerns, two-thirds do not seek help (Czyz, Horwitz, Eisenberg, Kramar & King 2019) . The onset of many mental disorders is typically in emerging adulthood (Kessler et al., 2005), which emphasizes the importance of working to decrease barriers students might experience when seeking services. Compared to students who use counseling, students who need help but do not get it have poorer academic outcomes. Nash, Sixbey, An, and Puig (2017) measured the academic status of three groups: (i) students who perceived they did not need counseling,(ii) students who needed counseling but did not use it, and (iii) students who used counseling at least once. Their findings show that of the three groups, academic engagement was lowest in the students who thought they needed counseling but did not seek services. Compared to students who did not need counseling, students who needed but did not use counseling were more likely to have a lower grade point average, be less academically engaged, and have lower campus satisfaction. Students who attended at least one counseling session were more academically engaged than the students who perceived they needed help but did not get it (Nash et al., 2017) . In an international survey of university counseling centers, 65.2% of students who used counseling stated that counseling services helped them stay in school (LeViness, Bershad, & Gorman, 2017) . Comparison studies provide evidence that students who use college counseling services are retained at a greater rate than students who do not use counseling services (Lee, Olson, Locke, Testa Michelson & Odes 2009; Sharkin, 2004) . By understanding more about barriers that currently exist to students who want to seek services, university and col- lege counseling centers could improve their service models to serve more students in need, subsequently promoting retention. Counseling and Retention Through the variety of services a college counseling center can offer, on-campus counseling is a valuable resource that benefits student recruitment, retention, and r

FAQs

What problem does the study address about college counseling use?

Many students experience mental health concerns but do not seek help, even though counseling can support well-being and academic outcomes.

How was the research conducted and analyzed?

The study used three focus group interviews (n=14). Consensual qualitative recording analysis produced three thematic domains: counseling benefits, barriers to help-seeking, and service model considerations.

What does the study suggest for improving on-campus counseling services?

Understanding help-seeking barriers can help higher education professionals adjust service models to improve access, which may support retention and student outcomes.

Oct 15, 2026

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