Career Counseling

The purpose of the Pellissippi State Career Counseling Center is to:

• Equip students with the tools, strategies, skills and knowledge to develop lifelong career development and job search skills.
• Empower students to choose and attain personally rewarding careers.

Counselors will assist you with career exploration tasks such as deciding on a major, researching career options or making a career change.

Counselors utilize many resources to help students with the process of career decision-making and planning. These resources include interest and skill assessments, computerized career planning assistance and individual career counseling.

Career exploration is not the same as searching for a job. When you are searching for a job, you are looking for current job openings and availabilities. Career exploration is a process of choosing education, training and jobs that fit your interests and skills.

Students may schedule appointments for career counseling by contacting the Counseling Office on any of the College’s campuses.

Personal Counseling

Students bring a variety of personal and school-related issues to personal counseling. Some of the more common concerns include: test anxiety, relationship difficulties, concerns about drug or alcohol use and stress and time management. Other concerns include depression, abuse issues, sexuality/sexual identity questions and interpersonal conflicts. We provide short-term solution-focused counseling, crisis intervention, referral services and consultation. All counseling sessions are confidential.

Crisis/Suicide Prevention

If you or someone you know are in immediate danger to self or others, please contact 911 right away or call the McNabb Center Mobile Crisis Unit at 865-539-2409.

Faculty and Staff Resources

You are on the front lines, witnessing the early signs of distress. Students are likely to initially seek assistance from faculty and staff members, particularly when they see you as available and willing to listen. Beyond the support you can provide, there are also professional support services available to students through Counseling Services. Counselors are available to meet with students and to consult with faculty and staff about providing the help that students may need.

Identifying a Student in Distress

Some signs that indicate a student may be experiencing more stress than he or she can handle are:

• Marked decline in quality of coursework, class participation, quality of papers or test results.
• Increased absence from class or failure to turn in work.
• Chronic fatigue and low energy.
• Attention and memory difficulties.
• Low self-esteem and prolonged depression, suggested by a sad expression, apathy, weight loss, sleep difficulties or tearfulness.
• Nervousness, agitation, excessive worry, irritability and sudden outbursts of anger, threats of harming others, aggressiveness or nonstop talking.
• Abrupt or radical changes in behavior or bizarre behavior, speech, writing or thinking.
• Abnormal eating or exercise behaviors.
• Alcohol and other drug abuse.
• Isolation from others.
• Extreme dependency on faculty, staff or community leader including spending much of his/her spare time visiting during office hours or at other times.
• Marked change in personal hygiene.
• Talk of suicide, either directly or indirectly, such as, “I won’t be around to take that exam anyway” or “I’m not worried about getting a job – I won’t need one.”

Helping a Distressed Student

The following recommendations can be used if a student approaches you with a problem and/or if you decide to approach a student about any of the previous signs:

• Talk to the student in private.

• Ask questions and listen carefully to the student’s answers.

• Show concern and interest.

• Repeat back the essence of what the student has told you.

• Specifically state your reasons for concern.

• Avoid criticizing or sounding judgmental.

• Suggest they contact Counseling Services.

• Ask directly how you can best help them.

• Explain to the student that Counseling Services is confidential.

• If the student resists help and you are still worried, consult with the counseling staff.

• Know your limits as a help-giver. When a student needs more help than you are able or willing to give, consider making a referral to a counselor.

Making a Referral

Examples of issues that may prompt referral to a counselor include the following:

• Social/personal concerns

• Career choices/selecting a major

• Stress, depression, general anxiety

• Family and financial issues

• Identity development/individuation

• Substance abuse

• Sexual assault

• Relationship concerns

• Racial/cultural adjustments

• Academic difficulties, test anxiety

• Grief/loss (including loss of a romantic relationship)

Below is some additional information to offer when making the referral:

• Sessions are confidential! This means that information about students cannot be released to family, friends, faculty or other offices without the student’s written permission. There are limitations to this confidentiality which will be explained to the student in their first session.

• Counseling records are kept separate from academic records and are protected by law.

• Counseling services are free to Pellissippi State students. 

 With the information you provide, a counselor will contact you to assess the quality of service given.