School of Educational Studies, USM Hosts Counseling Event and Launches New Facilities
3 February 2025 - The School of Educational Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), successfully organized a counseling event featuring insightful sharing sessions and the launching of new counseling facilities.
The event began with two key sharing sessions. The first session, Crisis Intervention Among Students, was led by Mdm. Fauziah Abdullah, a counselor from USM. She shared her experiences handling crisis interventions among university students, highlighting common issues such as student deaths, suicide attempts, self-harm, grief and loss, bullying, and domestic abuse, especially among students with mental health challenges. She emphasized the importance of crisis assessment, intervention strategies, and multidisciplinary collaboration within the university. Mdm. Fauziah also stressed the need for counselors to be well-prepared through knowledge, intervention skills, and strong support networks, including the use of support groups to enhance crisis management.
The second session, The Expectations of the Counseling Board in Sustaining the Professionalism and Competence of Counselors, was delivered by Prof. Dr. Othman Mohamed, President of the Malaysian Counseling Board. He discussed the board’s expectations in maintaining professional standards and ensuring that counselors meet the necessary qualifications and experience. The talk highlighted the importance of ethics in counseling as a foundation for effective and integrity-driven services. Additionally, Prof. Dr. Othman explored the integration of Islamic principles in counseling and introduced new approaches to enhance intervention effectiveness for clients.
The event also marked a significant milestone with the official launching of the Group Counseling Room as well as the Relaxation and Psychometric Room. The Group Counseling Room serves as a training space for Master’s in Counseling students to conduct group counseling sessions during their practicum and internship. It also houses a collection of counseling research projects by final-year students, providing valuable academic references. As a symbolic gesture, Prof. Dr. Othman Mohamed signed the signage plaque, officiating the launch of these facilities.
With this initiative, USM continues to strengthen its commitment to nurturing compassionate and competent counselors while fostering a campus environment that prioritizes mental well-being. The event not only provided valuable knowledge to future professionals but also reinforced the importance of empathy, integrity, and lifelong learning in the counseling field.
