WHILE COUNSELING used to be considered a means of treatment for people who are mentally ill, such perception has changed now, and it is regarded as a way to understand oneself better and live in harmony with others. Yonsei Counseling Center (YCC), located in Baikyang Hall, offers various programs that help students orient themselves for a more satisfying college life.

Student Counseling
◆Personal Counseling
- Deals with topics ranging from academic performance to mental health.
- Visit the center or website (yonsei.ac.kr/counsel) to make an appointment.
- Time period: 50 minutes per week, for 15 weeks (can be prolonged to even a year, according to the student's condition)

◆Group Counseling
- 10 to 12 students gather and discuss a topic given that day.
- Main topics: interpersonal skills, troubles with dating, uneasiness during presentations, etc.
- Time period: two hours a week, for six to seven weeks (during the semester) / several hours a day, for less than six weeks (during summer or winter break)

Psychological Tests
◆Personality Tests
- MMPI: For students who are mentally disturbed due to depression or suicidal thoughts.
  Provided for students who receive personal counseling.
- MBTI: Tests one's personality according to the psychological preferences made in the following four criteria: (a) Extraversion-Introversion (b) Sensing-Intuition (c) Thinking-Feeling (d) Judging-Perceiving. For example, there can be an ISFJ type or an ENTJ type. There are a total of 16 combinations of personality type in this test.
- Interpersonal Relationship Test: Measures one s ability to get along with other people, such as sociability or EQ.
 
◆Aptitude Tests
- Aptitude Diagnosis Test: Measures certain abilities like linguistic and mathematical skills.
- Career Assessment Test: Judges what kind of job would be best for you.
  *All the psychological tests are free of charge to Yonseians.

Other services provided by YCC
* Psychodrama (late March): A type of psychotherapy in which people express their inner turmoil by acting it out in front of other people, under the instruction of a professional director.

* Symposium for mental health (late Oct. ~ early Nov.): People freely exchange their opinions about a topic related to mental health. Last year's theme was  Twenty, Questioning Love to Psychology. 

* Counseling for students who have received two academic warnings: Poor academic performance may not simply be a matter of diligence or academic capability. It may result from dissatisfaction with school life or depression. In order to discover the causes of their poor academic performance, Yonsei Univ. began in 2005 to require students who have received two academic warnings to have consultations at YCC.

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YCC plays a great role, in the sense that its work is not limited only to counseling students but also gives precious opportunities to find a "real me" and dream another future. "YCC is always open to Yonseians, so please don't mind asking for help at any time," says Chung Seung-jin, the counseling psychologist.