Center offers affordable counseling
At the base of Old Main Hill on the corner of 700 East sits a two-story, little, brown house almost hidden in the trees surrounding it.
Upon entrance, a black and white-tiled hallway stretches around a corner underneath the stairs leading to the second floor. Potted plants litter the floor and a painting of a woman with a watering can graces the wall.
It’s homey, quiet and unlike the majority of classrooms for Utah State University.
The Family Life Center was built in 1926 and was originally used to house interns for the home economics program.
“They actually lived there and learned how to be homemakers,” said Glenna Payne, an employee at the center for 7 years.
In the 1980s, the home economics interns moved out of the house and the interior design senior students used it as a studio where they did their drafting until 1993.
Thorana S. Nelson, director of the Family and Marriage Therapy Clinic, said the home economics program just wasn’t viable anymore.
“Women didn’t want to live there anymore. Homemaking skills changed, and they learned them at home or they got married,” Nelson said.
After the design program left, the building was remodeled and the Family and Human Development program moved in.
They now have two programs running out of the building: The Family and Marriage Therapy Clinic and the Housing and Financial Management Services.
Nelson said people need to be aware of these services because they are high-quality, affordable services available to anyone, not just university students.
Both are counseling programs for individuals, couples and families.
The Family and Marriage Therapy Clinic counsels people about issues including work/school problems, depression, gender issues, premarital therapy, divorce, conflict, grief management and court-mandated therapy.
The counseling is done by trained masters’ students who are overseen by professionals. Psychotherapy is also offered.
The program remains limited with usually no more than 12 students in it at a time.
Housing and Financial Management Services offers financial advice and seminars.
All the services have minimal fees and no waiting list. Appointments are available during flexible hours.
Nelson said the house offers a more inviting place for people to come and has better parking.
The offices are in old bedrooms, so they have good lighting and are more homey than a converted classroom on campus.
For more information or to schedule an appointment with the Housing and Financial Management Services call 797-7334 or 797-7430 for the Family and Marriage Therapy Clinic.