A new peer counseling service started by Dan Ludevig '06 STAR (Student Talking About Relationships), will be offered tentatively starting next semester. This service is following in the footsteps of People Are Listening (PAL), which after numerous problems lost both its membership and its funding this year. This service will allow students both to get help over the phone and in person (PAL was exclusively available over the phone)."I decided to create this service because I feel it's important that Brandeis have a face-to-face counseling service that covers all issues ranging from suicide, domestic violence and rape, to eating disorders, childhood trauma and GLBT issues along with roommate issues, family issues, etc.," Ludevig said. "Basically, anything that someone could want to talk about, there will be someone at this counseling group to listen to them."

One of the service's main objectives, Ludevig said, is to provide a jumping off point for students who are not ready to seek professional help, such as at the Mailman counseling center.

"The goal of this group, however, is not to be an alternative to professional help but perhaps just the first step; or if no more help is necessary afterwards, the final step to being able to talk about issues," Ludevig said.

Another aspiration of the emerging service, according to Ludevig, is to bring together all of the peer counseling services on campus.

"(STAR will) unify the current service groups (SSIS, Rape Crisis Hotline, Trisk, etc.) so that each group has very specific mission statements and can in fact refer people around the circle of groups as needed," Ludevig said. "Thus, if someone were to come to Trisk seeking face-to-face rape counseling, they could be referred to the peer-counseling group, etc."

In this way, Ludevig said, the peer counseling services on campus will be able to work better together and do more for the Brandeis community.

"The group will do face to face counseling and unify the other groups as one gigantic and very effective entity," Ludevig said. "All of us together are smarter than any one of us alone."

According to Ludevig, STAR will also strive to have an educational purpose.

"In order to spread the word about the counseling group, as well as educate the community, this group will be trained in working with as many students on campus and off (such as high school students), and teaching them about all the issues we will do counseling in, and the issues that they may not even realize exist in their everyday life," Ludevig said.

The idea for STAR began at the beginning of last semester, and the planning committee commenced this semester, Ludevig said. Soon applications will be sent out for trainees and anyone else who wants to be involved in planning.

Ludevig explains the service "will most likely be one where there are certain offices/phone hours that students can come/call to arrange an appointment. Then a counselor will meet with the student and talk about whatever issue is on his mind. This can go on for one, two or even three meetings but at some point (the exact number of meetings, hasn't been decided yet) if the student is seeking help beyond our ability, they will be referred to professional help. The trainers will be on a rotating basis and it will be fairly flexible to a student's schedule."

Assistant Dean of Student Life Alwina Bennett, has been involved with helping STAR in its initial stages.

"Close to 20 percent of students are involved in helping others (in clubs or services)," Bennett said. "It's a campus that cares about the people who live here."

Bennett sees Ludevig's STAR as an outgrowth of other peer counseling services on campus that will ultimately enhance Brandeis.

"(Ludevig) doesn't want to duplicate other people's efforts," Bennett said. "He's trying to build some bridges within the community."

Bennett wants STAR to be an all-encompassing peer counseling service for all kinds of relationships.

"I see it being most effective if it could address a whole range of relationships," Bennett said.

Currently, Ludevig plans to meet with the other peer counseling services on campus next week to work on the future of STAR.