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Counseling provides students with an opportunity to explore their concerns in a confidential, supportive setting.

Personal counseling addresses issues or circumstances that may be interfering with a student's motivation, academic performance, or sense of well-being. In the face of internal and external challenges and changes, it can be difficult to live a life that feels whole and true to one's self. Counseling helps students make choices and decisions that honor their own feelings, preferences, ideals, and values; supports students in their efforts to restore or enhance their sense of meaning, pleasure, or control; and helps students address social or interpersonal issues.

Study/academic counseling addresses issues related to students' academic performance or progress, such as time management, procrastination, examination anxiety, or difficulties in concentration, attention, organization, or productivity. Study counseling can help students develop strategies for improving and enriching their academic experience by exploring their learning styles and skills, issues of meaning and purpose, and areas of personal challenge. Bureau counselors also help students with course selection and academic/career planning, and many Bureau counselors serve as Freshman Advisers. As student life is not divided neatly into categories of "academic" and "personal," study counseling is often integrated with personal counseling, groups, and workshops.

Students with Learning Disorders (LD), and/or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) will also find academic support at the Bureau. All students can benefit from developing their reading, writing, and study skills, but for students with LD and ADHD these skills are crucial. Often students who have been quite successful in the past may find themselves unable to handle some of the particular academic demands at Harvard. BSC counselors are available to provide consultation and counseling to help you develop your learning skills and maximize your academic potential.

For more information, please visit LD/ADHD Services.

Conflict resolution addresses issues that arise in living or working with others. Bureau counselors can meet with roommates, suitemates, teammates, classmates, and other student groups to help them work through conflicts or misunderstandings by promoting communication, collaboration, care, compromise, negotiation, and awareness of self-defeating assumptions.

Couples counseling involves exploring and trying to resolve conflict or misunderstandings in an intimate relationship. Both members of the couple must be currently registered Harvard students, and at least one member of the couple must be a Harvard College, GSAS, GSE, or KSG student.

For more information about eligibility, appointment guidelines,
and confidentiality, please visit About the BSC.