John Jay College Of Criminal Justice | The City University of New York

Questions about Peer Counseling

What do Peer Counselors do?
Peer Counselors assist students with their questions and needs. They can talk with students about things like stress and anxiety, provide information about wellness and health, and connect students to resources and professional counselors at John Jay.

What's the difference between peer counselors and professional counselors?
Peer Counselors are undergraduate students in training who can assist students with their questions and needs. They are not professional counselors and might refer students to professional counselors if needed.

How do you become a peer counselor?
Peer Counselors must have a 3.3 GPA, between 45-90 credits, and complete an interview. Peer Counselors complete a 2-semester training program for a total of 6 credits that can go towards the Human Services Minor. For more information, contact peercounseling@jjay.cuny.edu

How do I know that I can trust a peer counselor?
Peer Counselors are ethically bound by confidentiality, which means that they can’t share what you tell them with other people. There are a few exceptions to this: Peer Counselors are under supervision of professional counselors, and are bound to break confidentiality under situations where someone could be hurt.