FAQs
Counseling can often be beneficial to students in a variety of ways. It can be of assistance in overcoming personal or situational obstacles that interfere with academic, personal or social goals.
For students who wish to be seen off-campus or have needs for additional services beyond what is available on-campus, the clinicians can be consulted for referral lists and assistance in accessing care off-campus. For an understanding of our services and what we can provide or when we may assist with off-campus referrals, please view our General Information page.
Students should call or stop by to make an appointment. You cannot schedule an appointment for someone else. Due to demand for counseling, our services are primarily appointment-based. You can call 508-565-1331 and select Option 1 during office hours of 8:30-4:30 to set-up your initial appointment.
If you are in need of urgent support or feel you are in crisis, you can reach our 24/7 Urgent Support Line by calling 508-565-1331, and selecting Option 2.
If you are looking to schedule an appointment for medication consultation, you should first schedule an intake with a clinician from the Counseling Services staff first. Students wishing to work with our psychiatric nurse practitioner must have an ongoing counseling relationship with a clinician on staff to access her services. If you are interested in psychiatric consultation without counseling, we do keep a list of local community psychiatric providers on file for students who are interested in additional options off-campus. View our General Information page for a more detailed description of our services.
You will be asked to complete several online forms prior to your first session. First, you will complete a form containing basic background information, as well as some questions related to your reasons for coming into counseling. You will also be asked to sign a form that explains both the services we offer and our policies regarding confidentiality. Last, as our services have been hybrid due to advances in telehealth during the pandemic, you will also be asked to complete a consent form for telehealth as some of your sessions may be delivered in this format. You and your clinician will discuss the information on these forms during your initial meeting as well as appropriateness for in person vs. telehealth options for ongoing appointments. Learn more on our General Information page.
Your clinician will explain informed consent and confidentiality. During this initial session, time will be spent exploring your reason for seeking counseling, gathering history and background information, and discussing your current functioning, safety, and needs. You and your clinician will develop a plan for future support. You may continue counseling with your intake clinician if scheduling allows, or you may assigned to another counselor for ongoing meetings (typically occurring biweekly) depending on availability and your preferences. At times, the best counseling match for a student may be an off-campus provider or a specialist. Your intake clinician within Counseling Services will assist you with referral to appropriate off-campus resources when needed.
To learn learn more about our services, please visit our General Information page. For more information about appointment scheduling and the intake process, please see Individual Counseling.