Individual Therapy

The kinds of problems students present when they come to Counseling Services
Fees for services
Waiting period to see a counselor
Confidentiality Policy
Contacting us and our E-Mail Policy
What to expect at the initial session

 

The kinds of problems students present when they come to Counseling Services
During the 2006-2007 Fiscal Year, 92% of all Counseling Services' clients reported mood difficulties, mainly anxiety/stress as part of the symptoms they were experiencing. Nearly 69% indicated concerns centered on relationships with friends, family or partners. Making decisions or resolving problems of specific situations are common points of entry for many students; 40% of clients reported career uncertainties. The following is a list ofsome of the common problems presented in the last year: stress/anxiety, situational problems, relationship issues, developmental issues, depression, academic skills, educational/vocational choice, physical problems, abuse, grief, suicidal feelings, personality problems, substance abuse, eating disorders, ACOA/Codependency, Legal Problems, Sexual Assault/Rape.

Fees for services
Enrolled students may receive up to 4 sessions per fiscal year (July 1-June 30) at no charge.
Individual Sessions 5-10 will cost $15.00/hour
Individual sessions beyond 10 cost $25/hour.
There are other fees for a variety of services; the counselor will discuss this with you when appropriate.

Waiting Period to see a Counselor
Contrary to some campus information it is highly unusual for a student to wait; our philosophy is to get students in contact with a counselor in a timely manner. Often an appointment can be scheduled within a few days while crisis situations can be addressed within a day. Of course, if there will be an extensive delay, options in the community will be presented.

We welcome your contact
You can contact us by phone or in person at our office and discourage using e-mail for sharing personal, confidential information. Please see our email policy for more information.

 

INITIAL SESSION

During your initial contact at Counseling Services, the counselor will clarify and assess your presenting concerns and determine the options available for addressing your needs. Since the mission of the Counseling Service is to provide short-term assistance, when time-limited service is not sufficient to meet your needs the counselor will then determine if any extended care can be managed within the time and service availability of this agency or if referral alternatives within the community would be more appropriate.

By the end of the initial assessment, you may expect to gain at least three things: (1) some idea of the goals you and your counselor believe to be reasonable to work toward; (2) a general plan for getting to that goal; and (3) some idea of the length of time you may need to work toward your goal.

Are sessions recorded?
Our staff represents a variety of professionals and professionals-in-training: psychologists, master's-level counselors, and psychology interns. Occasionally, we also may have graduate students in an advanced practicum for the Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology. Audio or video recording of counseling sessions is done to improve the effectiveness of all of our counselors through supervision and training activities. Doctoral trainees are required to audio or video record each session. There may also be an occasional session in which a supervisor may request to observe or sit-in on a session. You may be assured that the content of these sessions will only be used in professional supervision and that all of these recordings will be erased after being reviewed. If you prefer to not have the content of your sessions recorded and observed, you will need to discuss this with the counselor and you may then be seen by an alternative member of our staff.