They all know where the counseling services are located in Lane hall. They know that the counseling services office can help us through hard times. They can go there for any stress, anxiety, or any other personal issues they may be having and counseling services will be happy to take care of you. Dr. Keyla Stephens, the point of contact when you need any counseling services will be happy to assist you. 

Stephens knew she wanted to help people. Once she headed to college, she received her bachelor’s degree in psychology at UGA, but she was unsure what she would do with her degree. “Counseling wasn’t really well known at the time” and “it was kind of still coming about,” she said adding to that, social work or psychology were much more popular fields, but counseling itself wasn’t quite there yet. I “ struggled a bit on what exactly I wanted to do. 

Stephens explored different areas and changed majors several times before coming back. She realized that counseling was exactly what she wanted to do. She recalls thinking, “I’m not sure exactly what it is to look like, but that is what interests me.” 

After obtaining her degree, she wasn’t ready to go back to school. She got married and ended up getting a job with developmental disabilities. It was different work, but not something she was passionate about. I “wasn’t accomplishing what I really wanted to do, which was to help people grow and help people better themselves.” Stephens wanted to help people learn about themselves. Though she loved the clients she worked with, it was difficult work. She said that the environment was very different than today. People with disabilities were isolated and closed off from the rest of the world. It was really discouraging, and she left that job and started working in higher education. 

Her first college job was at a technical school, where she oversaw a program that helped non – traditional students who were displaced from the workforce or were single parents. Some of them were Division of family and children services clients that were referred to her. She would help students get a GED and did career aptitude tests to see where their talents are. Stephens said she really enjoyed the job before budget cuts ended up eliminating the program. 

This was the inspiration Stephens needed to go back to school, she received her masters in counseling / mental health. Since then, she has worked with domestic violence, substance abuse, community mental health, and patients with disorders. She has worked with agencies such as DFSC and Child and Family Support Services. Though the path to her current position took a couple turns, Stephens has finally reached her goal of helping people grow and help them better themselves. 

Stephens says she loves helping the students of Piedmont University better themselves every session she sees them when they come in with new issues that need to be resolved. I love helping them grow and bettering themselves. Piedmont University is full of amazing students that keep growing everyday.