By Brooke Pan ’21
This fall, the Pingry Upper and Middle Schools welcome Dr. Adam Rosen to the campus’s Counseling Department. Dr. Rosen will work both in the office as a counselor and outside his office on projects to help aid the Pingry community.
Dr. Rosen attended the University of Michigan, where he received his B.A. in Communications. After graduating, Dr. Rosen attended the Illinois School of Professional Psychology, receiving a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology.
Prior to arriving at Pingry, Dr. Rosen spent roughly 20 years working in counseling centers of multiple universities. He has a wide range of perspectives, having worked in various positions, including as a coordinator and a director of counseling centers. When he decided to search for a new environment, he found Pingry. Dr. Rosen welcomes the challenges of a different environment. Now, he hopes to use his previous experiences with college students to work with Pingry’s students. He noted that though there is a large age gap, there are similarities in the challenges both age groups face and he strives to use his knowledge of college students to combat them.
When asked why he became involved with Pingry specifically, he touched on the idea of how “the newness of working with younger students and also in a different setting is definitely appealing.” Within the first few weeks of school, Dr. Rosen already appreciated the new setting. He has enjoyed getting to know all of the students he has met. He then added that “the staff has been very supportive” with his transition into the new environment. Dr. Rosen stated that the contrast between the atmospheres of Pingry and the many college campuses he has worked at excites him, and he appreciates the fresh change.
This year, Dr. Rosen says that the most important goal for him is to “make counseling and health and wellness something that’s accessible and comfortable for all students.” He understands that students’ comfort levels vary, but he is also aware that high school is a stressful environment and everyone has moments when he or she struggles or needs support. He notes that it may be difficult for students to open up to someone new, and he looks to combat that. During his time here, Dr. Rosen hopes to make his office available to any student who may need it and to break the stigma associated with counseling.
He noted that, “People may not only feel uncomfortable but also may have certain perceptions about counseling that aren’t exactly clarified, so I want to help to demystify counseling for most people and make sure that if they’re struggling, they never have to do it silently.”
Dr. Rosen welcomes the new challenges and is grateful for the opportunities he will have during his first year at Pingry.