Khoi Bishop always has known he wanted his professional life to be one spent serving others.

Khoi Bishop, left, is the new outreach program coordinator for the Counseling & Wellness Center located in the 150 Holley-Mears Building.

Bishop’s connection to those children was strong.

“They felt they could talk to me and, more important, trust me,” Bishop says. “That’s when I began thinking about pursuing a career in counseling. I thought I could help make a difference for kids who may be struggling in certain areas of their life.”

Bishop is the new outreach program coordinator for the Counseling & Wellness Center. His mission is to promote the center throughout campus, talking with faculty, staff and students to let them know help is here for students feeling overwhelmed.

“The center’s philosophy comes from a personality model that identifies five dimensions of optimal health: physical, emotional, social, intellectual and spiritual,” says Susan Hart, director of the center.

“We believe that wellness depends on a conscious commitment to growth and balance in all of these areas.”

The center offers free, confidential counseling for personal growth, human development and interpersonal relationships. In addition, it provides educational materials and a variety of programs to promote the overall well-being of students.

Staving off stress
“We can help students in a variety of areas,” Bishop says. “The No. 1 issue facing students in college life is stress, and one of the best relievers of that stress is simply having someone to talk to about your problems. It is our goal to help students cope with their difficulties and learn to resolve problems in an effective way.”

Bishop says stress can come from academic pressure, adjusting to college life, balancing school and work, depression, relationships and anger management.

Other areas in which counselors can help include issues of separation, eating concerns, coping with long distance relationships, dealing with difficult people, assertiveness, sexuality and gender issues, death of a friend or family member and self-esteem.

Bishop is speaking to several campus groups and organizations this summer about the services of the Counseling & Wellness Center. Contact him at 934-5816 to schedule a presentation.
The Counseling & Wellness Center also provides opportunities to pursue enhanced wellness in a variety of other ways throughout the year.

“We are continually designing programs to enhance the well-being of our students,” Hart says. “In cooperation with Campus Wellness Committee and others, we are attempting to design and implement educational events to demonstrate that healthy living can be both practical and enjoyable.”

The UAB Counseling & Wellness Center is located in the 150 Holley-Mears Building at 924 19th St. South. Six counselors are available to help students from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Students can schedule appointments or be seen quickly in the event of an emergency. Call 934-5816 or e-mail counseling@uab.edu for more details.