The therapists at Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) are happy to help you help your student navigate college at Pacific. We have provided information below to help you help your child through some common transitions, and we are also here to consult with you about the mental health of your child as needed.
The CAPS Training and Associate Director, Dr. Pam Wrona, is a regular contributor to stories on the Parent Portal. Check out her work for information salient to how to best support yourselves and your college student(s) here at Pacific!
Understanding the Transition to College
Parents and families can be greatly influenced by the adjustments that students go through as they begin college. Included in this section is information to help you anticipate these changes and prevent potential problems. By providing this information, we hope that parents will be in a better position to support the efforts of their children as they transition to being college students.
Most parents report the experience of sending a child to college as one filled with anticipation, anxiety, confusion and hope. By opening day of the freshman year, many changes have already begun to happen. Over the course of the year, you should expect your student to become more independent, gain competence in new areas, and learn to develop healthy peer adult relationships. The college years are a time for a student to continue maturing and learning how to manage oneself and life in general.
While your child is developing into the mature and healthy adult they will one day be, you may hear some of the following confusing messages: