Counselors are available to assist with personal challenges or problems you may experience and to help you find solutions.
We hope the following information will help you. It is not intended to take the place of discussing your concerns with a counselor. If you are struggling and need help with the personal issues, including the following issues listed on our site, we want to help you.
Thinking about reaching out to a counselor but not sure? Worried about a friend? Want to explore more about mental health?
JCCC Student Assistance Program
If you are a student, you may be referred by a JCCC counselor to our short-term student assistance program to help you with emotional or mental health issues. Call 913-469-3809 to work with a counselor to help you begin this process. You must be referred by one of our JCCC counselors to use the services.
Our referral program provides consultation, short-term counseling and referral assistance for students with personal or mental health issues. Your referral from one of our counselors will allow you to use up to five free sessions of this program.
Referrals are free of charge and any costs will be discussed with you prior to being referred.
Faculty and staff: Please visit our InfoHub page for students in crisis.
Personal Counseling Resources
Counselors are available to assist you with personal challenges or problems you may experience and to help you find solutions. Watch this overview.
Alcoholism is a chronic disease that will affect a person for an entire lifetime.
There are four main symptoms that are present when someone is dealing with alcohol dependence:
- Craving - having a strong need or urge to drink alcohol
- Loss of control - not being able to stop drinking once drinking has started
- Physical dependence - withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, sweating, shakiness and anxiety after drinking has stopped
- Tolerance - needing to drink greater amounts of alcohol to get high
If you think you might have a problem, ask yourself:
- Have you ever felt you should cut down on your drinking?
- Have you been annoyed if others expressed concern about your drinking?
- Have you ever felt guilty about your drinking?
- Have you ever had to drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover?
Answering "yes" to one of these questions suggests a possible problem. More than one "yes" means it's very likely that you have a problem with drinking.
(Source: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
If you want more information or help for yourself or someone else, visit these websites:
You can also contact the following organizations for assistance.
JCCC Resource
Request a copy of the JCCC Biennial Review. Reach out to the Dean of Students and Learner Engagement, Cathy Almai-Mahurin, at 913-469-8500 ext. 3409 or email cmahuri2@jccc.edu.
Web Resources
We hope the links below will provide some helpful information, but they are not intended to take the place of discussing your concerns with a counselor.
FirstCall
This is the local chapter of the National Council on Alcohol and Drug Prevention and Recovery. Call 816-361-5900 or visit FirstCall online. This is a great place to find available resources, for information on treatment and recovery options, and to take self-tests for alcohol, drug and gambling problems.
Valley Hope Treatment Centers
Valley Hope is a nonprofit organization grounded in a 12-step philosophy that provides affordable alcohol and drug dependency addiction treatment. The staff at Valley Hope encourages family participation to focus on healing as a family. Treatment options include medically monitored detox, residential treatment, day/partial outpatient treatment, and continuing care. Call 1-800-544-5101 for admissions information and to locate a treatment facility near you.
Alcoholics Anonymous Support Groups
This 12-step organization is a fellowship of men and women who share their experiences, strengths and hopes with each other so that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. Check the website for meeting times and locations. The Kansas City area central office can be reached online or by calling 816-471-7229.
Al-Anon and Support Groups
Relatives and friends of alcoholics share their experiences, strengths, and hopes to solve common problems. Refer to their website for meeting times and locations. The Kansas City Al-Anon office can be reached at 816-373-8566 in Missouri or 913-384-4653 in Kansas.
Alateen
Alateen is an organization that grew out of Al-Anon and offers a recovery program for young people. Alateens are sponsored by Al-Anon members. The Kansas City Al-Anon office can be reached at 816-373-8566 in Missouri or 913-384-4653 in Kansas.
Adult Children of Alcoholics Network (ACOA)
This is a network of support groups for adult children and grandchildren of alcoholics. A current listing of meeting times and locations can be found on its website.
Cocaine Anonymous
Self-tests, meeting locations, and literature related to cocaine addictions can be found online.
Narcotics Anonymous
Call the helpline at 1-800-561-2250 or email. Meeting locations, information, and self-tests are available on their website.
Anxiety that interferes with your ability to have a normal life may be a sign of an anxiety disorder.
Anxiety is a normal emotion that everyone experiences at times. We’ve all experienced nervousness when preparing to make a speech, faced with a problem at a job, or prior to taking a test. However, when anxiety gets to a point where it interferes with your ability to have a normal life, an anxiety disorder might be present.
Some symptoms of anxiety might include feelings of panic, fear and/or uneasiness; uncontrollable, obsessive thoughts, repeated thoughts or flashbacks of traumatic experiences, difficulty sleeping and/or nightmares; shortness of breath and/or heart palpitations; inability to sit still and be calm; dry mouth; nausea and/or muscle tension.
Web Resources
We hope the links below will provide some helpful information, but they are not intended to take the place of discussing your concerns with a counselor.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
The Mayo Clinic provides extensive information about generalized anxiety disorder.
National Institute of Mental Health
This site offers basic anxiety information and helps you locate service providers in your area.
JCCC Student Assistance Program
If you are a student, you may be referred by a JCCC counselor to our short-term student assistance program to help you with emotional or mental health issues.Providing Adult Care Services as Students
Families are highly diverse in the ages of the "generations" and in the roles that generations play. The Area Agency on Aging estimates that "36 percent of younger Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 are family caregivers…including 1 million young people who cared for loved ones with Alzheimer's" (2014).
- Several generations of older parents, who delayed marriage and child-rearing until their own thirties and forties, have also meant that sometimes parents need assistance before their children are fully "launched."
- Culture of origin also plays a role in this, as a family can be expected to be the first concern of younger members, particularly younger women.
- Private services are often expensive. Families struggle with health care and household expenses, whether the members are in multiple homes or under the same roof.
- College students are perceived as having more flexible schedules, but may also be expected to work at least part-time to share expenses, leading to role conflict and stress. Caregiving is not always the optimum time for study and concentration.
- As someone learning to deal with their own "business" and health concerns, it may be hard to figure out how to advocate for you and your loved ones.
You are not alone. There are resources to help you find options to support your family members.
Johnson County Area Agency on Aging
Aging Information Specialists
913-715-8861
Find out more about services that help caregivers to adults 60+ who need assistance to remain at home. Some are free and some are offered on a sliding scale. There is also a newsletter with ongoing information for those who are in a caregiver role.
The Aging and Accessibility Directory
Kansas Aging & Disability Resource Center
1-855-200-ADRC (2372)
Call center line answered 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Messages can be left after hours.
If you are concerned about an older or disabled adult who may be being abused, neglected, or exploited, you can call or visit online Adult Protective Services at 1-800-922-5330.
Crisis During Counseling Office Hours
Mon-Wed 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Thu 10 a.m.-6 p.m., and Fri 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Come to the 2nd floor of the Student Center and state you need crisis services
OR - Call ext. 3560 or 913-469-3809
Counselors will work with you to find the appropriate mental health support and provide referrals as needed.
After-hours crisis resources (evenings, weekends, holidays, school closed)
- JCCC’s Student Assistance Program (SAP) Deer Oaks, 866-329-4148
- On Campus Emergency Campus, call JCCC Police at ext. 2500 or 913-469-4111
- If off-campus and in immediate danger, call 911
- Call or text the National Suicide Hotline, 988
- Trevor Lifeline - Suicide Prevention for LGBT youths, 866-488-7386
- JCCC’s Student Assistance Program, 866-329-4148
- Johnson County Mental Health Crisis Line, 913-268-0156
If you need immediate help, call 1-800-442-HOPE.
If you think you may be suffering from a depressed mood and loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities, contact us or refer to the following resources.
Web Resources
We hope the links below will provide some helpful information, but they are not intended to take the place of discussing your concerns with a counselor.
NYU Langone Medical Center
This site is a concise overview of signs, symptoms, potential causes, risk factors, treatment and prevention of depression.
Teen Depression
This Mayo Clinic site lists depression symptoms specific to teens. It discusses warning signs of teen depression and provides information about when to seek a doctor's help. It also offers information about suicidal thoughts and risk factors, causes and complications of teen depression. You'll also learn how to prepare for your doctor's visit and what to expect from it.
International Foundation for Research and Education on Depression
This site provides introductory information about depression in college students.
JCCC Student Assistance Program
If you are a student, you may be referred by a JCCC counselor to our short-term student assistance program to help you with emotional or mental health issues.
If you are in danger and need immediate assistance, call 911.
Domestic violence is a pattern of behavior used to establish power and control over another person with whom an intimate relationship is or has been shared through fear and intimidation, often including the threat or use of violence, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
For help, visit the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence website or call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).
Community Resources
Kansas Coalition on Sexual Abuse and Domestic Violence
This site provides a comprehensive list of services provided in the state of Kansas.
SAFEHome
24-hour Crisis Line: 913-262-2868
SAFEHome is one of six metro domestic violence shelters and is the only program of services for victims of domestic violence in Johnson County. In addition to temporary shelter, SAFEHome also provides transitional housing, women's and children's counseling, community outreach counseling, housing, court and economic advocacy, court advocacy, substance abuse assessment and rape prevention education.
The Willow Domestic Violence Center (Lawrence/Ottawa area)
24-hour Crisis Line: 785-843-3333 or 800-770-3030
This center offers short-term housing/shelter, practical assistance to obtain housing, clothing, financial support, food, and referrals to legal counseling and medical services and more.
Web Resources
We hope the links below will provide some helpful information, but they are not intended to take the place of discussing your concerns with a counselor.
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
This site offers a wide variety of comprehensive information about domestic violence. It includes safety planning with victims of domestic violence, a list of reading materials and the following pages.
Power and Control Wheel
The Power and Control Wheel is an illustration that provides an overview of all of the typical tactics that are typically used to batter someone. Physical violence is only one piece of the puzzle that makes up domestic violence. The power and control exerted over someone in a relationship with domestic violence can come in many forms. The wheel gives many different types of examples of how this power and control is used.
Protection and Restraining Orders
If you or someone you know is in a relationship that is characterized with abuse, you might consider getting a protective/restraining order as an overall part of a safety plan. A restraining order or protective order is a legal order issued by a state court which requires one person to stop harming another. Contact SAFEHome at its 24-hour crisis line — 913-262-2868 — for more information.
National Teen Dating Violence Helpline: 1-866-331-9474
This helpline is answered by both teen and adult advocates.
JCCC Student Assistance Program
If you are a student, you may be referred by a JCCC counselor to our short-term student assistance program to help you with emotional or mental health issues.
Community, online and JCCC resources to help students deal with eating disorders
Community Resources
Insight Counseling, LLC
8400 W. 110th St. Suite 610
Overland Park, KS 66210
Phone: 913-631-3800 ext. 102 for general inquiry
Midwest Center for Eating Disorders
2316 E. Meyer Blvd.
Kansas City, MO 64132
Phone: 816-235-8162
Renew Eating Disorder Recovery
11695 S. Black Bob Rd.
Olathe, KS 66062
Phone: 913-768-6606
Web Resources
We hope the links below will provide some helpful information, but they are not intended to take the place of discussing your concerns with a counselor.
Academy for Eating Disorders
This site provides resources for professionals, educators and community members.
National Institute of Mental Health
This site is an excellent source for understanding what an eating disorder is, defining types of eating disorders and explaining its effects on women and girls as well as men and boys.
National Eating Disorder Association
This site offers a comprehensive look at eating disorders. Eating disorders in men, women and children are discussed at length. There are resources for parents, educators and coaches. A confidential helpline is available for those struggling with an eating disorder or concerned friends and family. Key definitions for quick referral and the glossary are also very helpful.
If you have financial challenges while attending college, make an appointment with a counselor.
Additional suggestions:
- Consider getting a roommate who can pay for a share of rent and utilities.
- Meet with someone in the JCCC Financial Aid office to review your options
- Ride the bus or investigate other transportation options to reduce transportation expenses.
Community, online and JCCC resources to help students deal with grief and loss
Community Resources
Solace House
The Solace House is a Kansas City nonprofit organization whose mission is to help support adults and children who have faced the loss of a loved one. Solace House offers individual and family counseling, support groups, educational programs and referrals to other community resources.
Web Resources
We hope the links below will provide some helpful information, but they are not intended to take the place of discussing your concerns with a counselor.
BabySteps
This site contains resources for parents, siblings and other family members who have experienced the loss of a child, as well as for individuals wanting to provide them with appropriate support.
The Dougy Center for Grieving Children & Families
The Dougy Center is a national center for grieving children and families. The site provides grief-related information for children and adults as well as a grief support programs locator.
Webhealing
This website was created by Tom Golden, LCSW of Washington, D.C., who is an internationally known psychotherapist, author and speaker on the topic of healing from loss. His site offers discussion areas, articles and an area for visitors to write memorials for their loved one(s).
WidowNet
This site is an information and self-help resource created for and by individuals who have lost a spouse or partner. It addresses topics such as grief, bereavement and recovery, and provides discussion areas, articles and other informational sections.
Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to the present moment.
It involves taking time to observe:
- Your thoughts
- Your feelings
- Bodily sensations
Personal Challenges
Are you struggling with any of the following issues?
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Anger
- ADD/ADHD
- Memory loss
- Addiction
- Chronic pain
Mindfulness Benefits
- College Success
- Memory
- Focus
- Emotional Regulation
- Social Relationships
- Maintaining a Healthy Immune Systems
Web Resources
UCLA Mindfulness Awareness Research Center (MARC)
Free guided mediations and an abundance of mindfulness information and resources.
University of California, Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center's Mindfulness Website
A mindfulness quiz, audio and video resources. What is Mindfulness? Why Practice Mindfulness? How to Cultivate Mindfulness.
Contact a JCCC counselor to discuss or learn more about how mindfulness can help you by calling 913-469-3809 or email Casey Buchanan.
JCCC and online resources to help students deal with PTSD and other mental health concerns
JCCC Resource
The JCCC Veteran Services office serves students using Veterans Affairs educational assistance in conjunction with their enrollment at JCCC.
Web Resources
We hope the links below will provide some helpful information, but they are not intended to take the place of discussing your concerns with a counselor.
Deployment Health Clinical Center
This is a military website with resources for professional helpers as well as military members and their families. There are frequent updates with postings of published research on stress and links to treatment guidelines.
International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies
This organization publishes a journal and has conferences about traumatic stress. Resources for clinicians and public education information are on this website.
National Center for PTSD
This is a veterans affairs website and has a voluminous collection of information on the topic.
Gulf War and Health: Volume 6
Physiologic, Psychologic and Psychosocial Effects of Deployment-Related Stress. You can download a free PDF of the above book.
We hope the links below will provide some helpful information, but they are not intended to take the place of discussing your concerns with a counselor.
AdultStudent.com This site provides a variety of resources and a book for both returning adult students and educators of adult students. It also offers a new moderated forum for returning adult students and educators.
Hiersteiner Child Development Center
Learn more about JCCC's own child care center. Refer to their site for hours of operation, fees, lunch menus and enrollment information.
Community Resources
We hope the links below will provide some helpful information, but they are not intended to take the place of discussing your concerns with a counselor.
MOCSA
If you or someone you know is the victim of sexual violence, call the MOCSA (Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault) 24-hour crisis line for help. In Kansas, the number is 913-642-0233. In Missouri, call 816-531-0233. You can also call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 and you will be connected to a local rape crisis program in your area code.
MOCSA offers therapy, support and advocacy for victims of rape and sexual assault, for sexually abused children and families, for adult survivors of child sexual abuse and for others affected by sexual violence. Advocates will accompany victims of sexual assault to emergency rooms to provide support during forensic evidence exams. They'll also accompany victims to file police reports and to police interviews and legal hearings or trials.
Web Resources
RAINN
The Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network is the nation's largest anti-sexual assault organization. The organization's National Sexual Assault Online Hotline provides live, secure and anonymous crisis support for victims of sexual assault, their friends and families over RAINN's website. The online hotline is free of charge and is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
You can read about the types of sexual assault on the RAINN site.
"Suicide is a tragic reaction to stressful life situations — and all the more tragic because suicide can be prevented. It may seem like there's no way to solve your problems and that suicide is the only way to end the pain. But you can take steps to keep yourself safe and start enjoying your life again." — Mayo Clinic
Remember Three Important Things
- You matter and you matter to JCCC.
- If you or someone you know is having thoughts of hurting themselves, please take action and get help immediately.
- If you believe you are at risk for suicide, immediately go to the JCCC Counseling Center, JCCC Police Department, a local mental health facility — such as Johnson County Mental Health — or the nearest hospital emergency room. Call "911" or call a suicide crisis hotline.
Suicide Crisis Hotline Phone Numbers
- 1-800-784-2433
- 1-800-799-4899 (TTY)
- 1-888-628-9454 (Español)
Ask Listen Refer
- Online Suicide Prevention Training - Visit AskListenRefer.org/jccc
Web Resources
We hope the links below will provide some helpful information, but they are not intended to take the place of discussing your concerns with a counselor.
Mayo Clinic
This site offers an excellent source of information including a definition, warning signs and risk factors for suicide, coping strategies and support sources. It also offers specific ways one can deal with suicidal thoughts.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
This site offers a national presence and connection to information on warning signs of suicide and organizations specializing in suicide prevention. It also offers a list of support groups.
American Association of Suicidology
This site offers information on dealing with suicidal thoughts, warning signs and risk factors. Information is provided including a support group directory and survivor resources. Additionally, resources under "suicide attempt survivors" offer readers opportunities to order free booklets and join specialized support groups like Suicide Anonymous.
National Institute of Mental Health
This site offers information on how to deal with suicidal thoughts and links to information on depression. It also provides resources for friends and family members as well as highlighting issues relevant to men and boys.
What is Test Anxiety?
Feeling anxious at test time is very common among college students. Most students experience some level of stress when anticipating or taking an exam. A little nervousness can actually help motivate you, but if the stress becomes too intense, it can affect your concentration and exam performance. It's called test anxiety.
Test anxiety may be part of a general anxiety disorder, but it can also be specific only to a testing situation. Either way, some students, even though adequately prepared for an exam, may experience the following symptoms:
- Physical — headaches, nausea or diarrhea, feeling light headed or faint, being too hot or cold, rapid heartbeat, excessive sweating, dry mouth
- Emotional — excessive feelings of fear, disappointment, anger or depression, uncontrollable crying or laughing, feelings of irritability or helplessness
- Behavioral — fidgeting, pacing, substance abuse, avoidance
- Cognitive — racing thoughts, "going blank," difficulty concentrating, negative self-talk, feelings of dread, comparing oneself to others, difficulty organizing thoughts
All anxiety is a reaction to anticipating something stressful. Like other types of anxiety, test anxiety affects both the body and mind. Test anxiety is a type of performance anxiety, a feeling you might have in a situation where performance really counts or when the pressure is on to do well.
If your self-esteem is too closely tied to the outcome of any one test or grade, the results can be devastating. In this situation, you might find yourself spending more time focusing on the possible negative consequences to NOT doing well than you are in preparing to succeed.
Test anxiety can become a vicious cycle. The more you feel anxious about performance, worry about not living up to your own or your parents' expectations or focus on the bad things that could happen, the greater the possibility that you will not perform well on an exam.
Methods to Help Reduce Test Anxiety
Preparing for the Exam
- Attend class regularly and complete all of the assignments in a timely manner.
- Make and take practice tests.
- Study well in advance of the exam and AVOID CRAMMING.
- Use good study habits. Consider taking a class on time management and study skills.
- Don't overplay the importance of a grade. Your grade in a class is not an overall reflection of your self-worth.
- Replace negative thoughts such as "I'm going to fail" with "I've studied hard, and I know this material. I'll do the best I can."
- Reward yourself after the test. Spend time with friends, go to a movie, etc.
- Exercise regularly.
- Get plenty of rest the night before the exam.
- Eat healthy and avoid foods high in fat or sugar. Avoid too much caffeine.
- Try to do something relaxing the hour immediately before the test.
- Arrive at the test location early and calm yourself before you get the exam in your hands.
- Select a seat located away from doors, windows or other distractions during the test.
During the Exam
- When the test is passed out, review the entire test and read the directions TWICE.
- Organize and budget your time during the test (work on the easiest portions of the test first).
- If you "go blank," skip the question and go on, marking it to come back to later.
- Don't rush through the test. Wear a watch and check it frequently so you know how much time you have left to finish as much as you can.
- Don't panic when other students start handing in their exams.
- If you find that you won't be able to finish the whole test, concentrate on those portions you can answer well.
- Recheck your answers if you have extra time and only if you're not feeling anxious.
After the Exam
- Don't dwell on the mistakes you've made.
- Be sure to follow through on the reward you set up for yourself for getting through the test.
- List what strategies worked for you and what things you still need to work on. Continue practicing these anxiety-reducing strategies until you become a pro at them.
- When the exam is returned, review it carefully. If you don't understand what you didn't do well, make an appointment to talk with your instructor about it.
- If you want to discuss your particular situation with test anxiety, see a JCCC counselor.
Hints for Specific Types of Test Questions
Essay Questions
- Construct a short outline of your answer.
- Begin your answer with a summary sentence to help you avoid rambling and repetition.
- Make sure that all of the important points in your outline are included in your overall answer.
Short Answer Questions
- Answer ONLY what is asked. Be short and to the point.
- If you can't come up with the proper terminology, explain what you can in your own words. Show what knowledge you can.
Multiple Choice Questions
- Read all of the options first, and then eliminate the most obviously incorrect choices.
- If you're unsure of the correct response, choose the best of the remaining alternatives.
- Rely on your first impression, then move on quickly.
- Beware of tricky words such as "only," "always" or "most."