Substance Abuse Services, in collaboration with the Substance Abuse Education Committee, sponsors:

• Alcohol-free social events
• Motivational speakers on alcohol/drug-related topics
• Awareness Campaigns (National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week, Safe Spring Break, National Smoke Out Day)
• Residence hall programs on alcohol and drug harm reduction strategies
• Athletic team programs (prevention of acute alcohol poisoning, and alcohol and other drug use and its effect on performance)
• Prevention oriented presentations for classes and at freshman Orientation.
• Alcohol and substance use/misuse training to student athlete mentors and peer health educators who are trained to educate and advise their peers on a variety of health and wellness issues.

Counseling is short term, confidential, and free. Counseling provides assistance with a wide range of emotional concerns including, but not limited to, stress management, adjusting to college, coping with peer pressure, building healthy relationships, and the role of alcohol in your life.

Services provided:

• Assessment
• Short-term individual counseling
• Support groups
• Referrals to private therapists, treatment programs, and groups in the community
• Consultation to college staff and faculty members on addressing alcohol/drug problems of students

Common concerns of students include:

• To better understand/modify their drinking behaviors
• To learn healthier, more effective ways to manage anger and stress
• To discuss concerns about the drinking or drug use patterns of roommates, friends, teammates, or family members

Opportunities are provided for mutual support and education relating to specific issues and concerns such as recovery skill building/sober support, adult children of alcoholics support, and how to help/cope with a close friend's chemical dependency issues.

Support groups are offered each semester and are facilitated by Counseling Services staff. Groups are free, confidential and short term, usually running for 4-6 weeks. A pre-group interview with a therapist is required.

Student athletes are selected by their teams and coaches to serve as role models and the primary substance abuse prevention resource for teammates. Student athlete mentors receive 12 hours of intensive training on a variety of topics including active listening, alcohol and substance issues, sexual health, confrontation, eating disorders, and referral resources. Student athlete mentors are required to present 2 prevention-oriented programs to their respective teams each academic year.

Nazareth is committed to a drug-free environment. The Substance Abuse Education Committee works to provide social and recreational alternatives to alcohol and other drug use and plans educational and preventative programs throughout the academic year. We strive to make our campus a healthy and safe environment for living and learning and to help students realize their potential by making informed choices about substance use.

The Committee welcomes new members (students, staff, faculty) throughout the year. To learn more about us and how you can get involved, please contact Counseling Services.