Q: What does it cost to receive counseling at the Wellness Center?
A: The service is free to enrolled students.
Q: Can my parents, teachers, administrators, and friends get information about whether I'm in counseling, and what's happening in my sessions?
A: Not unless you give your counselor written permission for such disclosure, or your counselor believes you are at significant risk to hurt yourself or another person.
Q: Do I have to be "crazy" to seek counseling?
A: No. Students seek counseling for support on everyday issues, such as stress or roommate difficulties, as well as for significant challenges, such as serious depression. Everybody needs someone to talk to once in a while, and if you believe that meeting with someone who is not involved in your everyday life might help you sort things out, then counseling may be beneficial to you.
Q: I have a friend who I think would benefit from counseling. How do I suggest this tactfully?
A: Suggesting that a friend seek counseling can be a demonstration of caring and concern, not of judgment and condemnation. Tell your friend that you are concerned for his/her well-being, and would like to see him/her feeling more happy and content than is currently the case. Explain to your friend that although you are available to lend support, you are not a professional, and you believe that the assistance you can offer is limited. You can also offer to be with your friend while he/she makes a counseling appointment by phone or in person, and to walk him/her to the counseling center when it is time for the appointment. On occasion students also feel more comfortable if a friend sits in on the first session.
Q: How many sessions will it take to solve my problem? How many sessions do I get?
A: It depends on the nature of the difficulties you are seeking help for, and what it is that you want to accomplish in counseling. Most students are in counseling for a relatively short time. Some are seen for a shorter period of time, some for a longer period. Occasionally if a student requires very long term counseling, he/she is referred to a mental health professional off-campus due to limited Wellness resources.
Q: Can the counselor at the Wellness Center prescribe medications for me (for depression, anxiety, etc.)?
A: No. They can refer you to Health Services or to a Psychiatrist in the community who could prescribe medication if it is appropriate.
Q: How long do I have to wait to get an appointment?
A: If you are experiencing a mental health emergency, please contact the Wellness Center immediately or call Security if after hours. Otherwise, please call to make an appointment a clinician will contact you to ask a few questions and set up an appointment based on your needs.