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Personal / Social / Life Transition

The Academic Advising department offers short-term personal Academic Advising to help students deal with issues that are important to their overall well-being. Various changes and pressures throughout a student's educational career can contribute to considerable stress, and at times, crisis. Talking with an advisor during these times can often benefit students by:
  • Helping to identify strengths & sources of support
  • Connecting with school & community resources
  • Offering a different perspective
  • Helping develop new problem-solving & coping skills
  • Just having someone listen

Personal information that you share with an advisor is confidential unless you give permission to share it with others. The only exceptions to this policy are when it involves potential harm to self or others, when the safety of a child is at risk, or when it is requested by a court order.

To make an appointment with an advisor, please schedule an appointment online or stop by the Student Services Center, West Mall.

Individual Counseling:

If you are struggling with any of life's many challenges, i.e. depression, divorce, loss of job, grief, etc., you might want to consider seeking assistance from a professional counselor.  

ULifeLIne offers a free screening assessment for 13 common mental health challenges and provides links to immediate resources through SVCC and our community. 

Area service providers who accept Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance include:

  • Whiteside County Health Department
    815-626-2230 ext. 8
    1300 W. 2nd St., Rock Falls

  • Sinnissippi Centers
    815-284-6611
    Sterling, Dixon, Oregon, Mount Carroll, and Rochelle

  • KSB
    815-285-5638
    403 E. 1st St., Dixon
    (does not accept Medicaid)

  • Counseling at SVCC
  • Confidential counseling provided by Valerie Kern-Lyons, MA, SVCC Academic Advisor. Valerie is licensed Professional Counselor with an MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.
  • Please complete a referral form or email counseling@svcc.edu to make an appointment. All requests are confidential.
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  • Private practitioners
    Refer to local yellow pages

Support for Sexual Assault/Abuse/Harassment and/or Domestic Violence:

Counseling and advocacy support is available through 24-hour emergency services to victims of sexual assault/abuse/harrassment and/or domestic violence at a hospital or law enforcement agency.  Immediate, secure, short-term emergency shelter and ongoing advocacy through the criminal justice and medical systems are also available.

  • YWCA of the Sauk Valley
    • 815-626-7277  Sterling Hotline
      412 First Avenue, Sterling
    • 815-288-1011 Dixon Hotline
      98 S. Galena Avenue, Dixon

 

Crisis Text Line

Crisis Text Line serves anyone, in any type of crisis, providing access to FREE 24/7 support and information in the medium people already use and trust, text. To access help:

  1. Text HELLO to 741741 from anywhere in the U.S., anytime, about any type of crisis.
  2. A live, trained Crisis Counselor receives the text and responds quickly.
  3. The volunteer Crisis Counselor will help you move from a hot moment to a cool moment.

Lifeline Crisis Chat - National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

Emotional online support is available at: 988Lifeline.org.  Whether you feel alone, don't know where to turn, or have a problem that is difficult to talk about, visit CrisisChat.org.

Internet Resources