Personal Counseling - Bellarmine College Preparatory Personal Counseling Bellarmine's Personal Counseling department is dedicated to fostering the holistic development of each student, embodying our philosophy of cura personalis, or "care for the whole person." Rooted in the Jesuit tradition, this approach emphasizes the importance of understanding and addressing the unique needs of every student, recognizing that academic success is intertwined with emotional, social, and personal well-being. All students are assigned to a Personal Counselor at the beginning of their freshman year at Bellarmine, affording our counselors maximum time to get to know their students on a more personal level. In the second semester of the junior year, students are assigned to a College Counselor who guides them through the college application process. Learn more about our College Counseling program here Academic Counseling Social-Emotional Counseling Personal Counseling Cura Our counselors work closely with students to set and achieve academic goals, guiding them through course selection, developing study skills, and strengthening their time management. We provide resources and support for those facing academic challenges, ensuring that every student has the tools they need to succeed. Recognizing the importance of mental health, our social-emotional counseling services focus on helping students navigate the complexities of adolescence. We offer individual and group sessions that address issues such as stress management, anxiety, and interpersonal relationships. Our counselors are trained to create a safe and supportive environment where students can explore their feelings and develop coping strategies. The personal counseling aspect of our department is dedicated to helping students with life skills and personal development. Whether it's dealing with family issues, self-esteem challenges, or planning, our counselors provide confidential guidance and support tailored to each student's circumstances. We also facilitate discussions on topics such as conflict resolution, decision-making, and healthy relationships. In addition to supporting students individually, our Personal Counselors also teach 10th - 12th grade Cura: a class designed to nurture intellectual, emotional, spiritual, and social development. Cura provides a safe environment for students to build communication skills, self-regulation tools, emotional intelligence, and much more. Personal Counseling Staff Wilfredo Vargas Director of Personal Counseling wvargas@bcp.org Cindy Dunn Registrar cdunn@bcp.org Michael Henry Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist mhenry@bcp.org Freshmen Personal Counselors Metanoia Maka Personal Counselor: Aco - L mmaka@bcp.org Bill San Hamel Personal Counselor: Liu - Z wsanhamel@bcp.org Sophomore Personal Counselors Christopher Atkins Personal Counselor: A - Kru catkins@bcp.org Heidi Rolfson Personal Counselor: Ku - Z hrolfson@bcp.org Junior Personal Counselors Elizabeth Valenica Personal Counselor: A - Man evalencia@bcp.org Chris Colletti Personal Counselor: Mar - Z ccolletti@bcp.org Helplines & Hotlines Local Services Parent Support Websites Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Dial 988 Crisis Text line: Text START to 741741 LGBTQ-Specific Hotline: 1-866-488-7386 OR Text "Trevor" to 1-202-304-1200 (TrevorText available M-F noon-7pm PT) 24-Hour Teen Line 1-888-247-7717 (7am -11pm) National Runaway Switchboard: 1-800-RUNAWAY 786-2929 National Eating Disorders Info & Referral Line: 1-800-931-2237 National Dating Abuse Hotline: 1-866-331-9474 OR  Text "love is" to 77054 Courage First-Athlete Helpline: 1-888-279-1026 The Courage First Athlete Helpline is a no-cost call, text, and chat service for athletes, coaches, parents, and anyone in sports communities who has questions or concerns about abuse or mental well-being in athletics. Switchboard to connect to a local care provider: 211 Pacific Clinics (Bay Area): Client Services: 408-379-3796 Crisis Hotline: 877-41-CRISIS (877-412-7474) or 408-379-9085 Foster Care and Adoption Services: 408-364-4139 Neurodevelopmental Services: 800-906-0862 Bill Wilson Center Crisis Line: 1-408-850-6125 (24 hours) Runaway house & homeless youth shelter for ages 11-17. Counseling available for all ages. 3490 The Alameda, Santa Clara Safety Net Shelter (for youth 11-17): 408-850-6164 or 408-850-6165 ; Location: 3490 The Alameda, Santa Clara, CA Sliding Scale Counseling: 408-243-0222 ; Location: 1671 The Alameda, San Jose, CA Billy DeFrank LGBT Community Center: 1-408-293-3040 Community resource center - promoting health, strength, diversity and inclusiveness 938 The Alameda, San Jose Santa Clara County Child Protective Services: 1-408-299-2071 Santa Clara Valley Alateen Meetings: For general information, call Annette 408-623-5320 or Mary 408-464-4403 www.al-anon.org Parental Stress Hotline 408-279-8228 Crisis support; advice, info, resources, for parents in SCC. Parent Support Line 888-220-7575 Parenting support, information, referrals, and advice. National Parent Help Line 855-427-2736 Emotional support, information, referrals, advice for parents. Teen Health and Wellness: For off-campus access, use the following credentials. Username: bellarminecp Password: bellarmine