A. Counseling generally focuses on areas of personal, academic, and career concerns. This includes adjustment problems, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, substance abuse, and many other mental health issues.

Q: What services are available to the campus community?

A. We provide confidential services that include assessment, individual and couples counseling, psychiatric medication evaluations and follow-up care, outreach, consultations, and crisis counseling. Additionally, staff members provide seminars/dessert and dialogue presentations for the community as the need arises.

Q: Is there a charge for counseling?

A. No. The counseling service itself is free. However, if the student is referred to the consulting psychiatrist for a medication evaluation, the service will charge the student $150 for a full evaluation and $75 for follow-up appointments. If the student has student health insurance, the service will bill the insurance company directly. The Service will directly bill students who do not have student health insurance or who have reached the limits of their coverage. Students, if they choose, may submit these bills to their home insurance plans for reimbursement.

The service will charge $20 for failure to keep or failure to provide 24 hours notice in canceling an appointment with a counselor and the full fee for appointments with the consulting psychiatrist. These charges are not insurance company reimbursable.

Q: Do I need an appointment to see a counselor?

A. If you are experiencing a crisis-type situation, inform the secretary and we will make arrangements to have you see a counselor immediately. For routine appointments, we prefer that students schedule an appointment for counseling. However, there may be times that you will be able to be seen on a walk-in basis.

Q: How can I get an appointment?

A. By calling 439-4587 Monday through Friday, someone will schedule an appointment for you, or you may stop by in person during office hours.

Q: What do I do if I have an emergency after hours or on the weekend?

A. For urgent matters after-hours or weekends, students may contact their House Fellow or Campus Safety. The on-call Student Counseling Services clinician will be contacted as needed.

Q: Where is the Center located and what are the hours?

A. The Student Counseling Services is located in the Warnshuis Health Center Building. We are open days Monday through Friday during the academic year. The Center is closed during college vacations and holidays, and during the summer break.

Q: Who will know if I go for counseling? Can my parents and/or professors find out?

A. Information about Counseling Center clients is considered confidential. This means that NO information about who is receiving counseling or the nature of their concerns is released without that person's written permission. Exceptions to this include subpoena, in cases of current child abuse, or if there is an expressed intent to harm one's self or another. The Counseling Center staff is extremely careful to maintain your confidentiality.

Q: If I seek counseling, will it become a part of my college records?

A. No. Nothing which occurs at the Counseling Center becomes a part of your College record.

Q: Who are the staff that make up the Counseling Center?

A. We are staffed with licensed psychologists, a board-certified psychiatrist, licensed clinical social workers, and graduate student trainees. Visit our staff page for more details.

Q: I am not of Euro-American ancestry. Do you have counselors who are familiar with other cultures?

A. Yes. Our counselors are trained to work with students from many cultures.

Q: How frequently and for what duration will my treatment be?

A. The needs of each student will be assessed individually and the type, frequency and duration of treatment will be determined together to best meet the individual student.

Q: How do I get additional information?

A. Please call us at 439-4587 with questions or stop by our Student Counseling Services in the Warnshuis Building. We are happy to answer any questions you may have.

Q: How do I know if a student is in treatment at the counseling services?

A. Every student who receives treatment from Student Counseling Services has a right to privacy and is protected by confidentiality. If you have a particular concern and would like more information, this must come directly from the student. No counselor will reveal if a student is being seen at Student Counseling Services or information about a student, unless that student has given specific written permission to the Student Counseling Services to do so.

Q: I am professor. Is it appropriate for me to give someone in counseling services my thoughts about a student or feedback on conversations I have had with a student?

A. As a professor, you are not required to keep your contact with students confidential unless otherwise stated. You may wish to call a counselor or the Director at Student Counseling Services for advice prior to speaking with a student. You may express your thoughts or concerns about a student to a counselor, however the counselor is not permitted to divulge whether a student is in treatment or any other personal information about a student.

Q: What do I do if I think a student might be suicidal, violent, or psychotic?

A. Call Student Counseling Services for advice (439-4587) before you meet with the student.

Do not ignore your uneasy feelings. Try to identify what specific behavior makes you uncomfortable and discuss that specific behavior with the student. Do not confront the person, but don't give in to inappropriate behavior. Set boundaries immediately, e.g., "I'd like you to lower your voice". Stay in a public place or keep your door open and make sure colleagues are around. Offer to listen. Ask what the student wants to accomplish. Involve a third party; tell student "I'll get ... to help me understand how we can help you." Call Campus Safety beforehand to stand by in the vicinity if you feel frightened or to intervene in the early stages if the person acts out. You can and should take disciplinary action with respect to the student. Contact the Dean of Student Life for advice. Often informal mediation will help. The Dean of Student Life can also contact other professors to find out if there is a broader problem. Often, what is perceived as a psychological problem is a discipline issue.

Q: How do I distinguish between a student who has a legitimate excuse regarding being ill and one who is lying to gain leniency?

A. Ask if they are registered with the Office of Student Disabilities and/or are getting help. Contact the student's Dean - they are often privy to students' lives. It�s important to be flexible and understanding. You are legally obligated to provide reasonable accommodations, but not unreasonable ones. To clarify what these might be in a specific situation, call the Office of Student Disabilities. Even if a student does have a psychological problem, they still must meet behavioral expectations on campus

Q: What do I do when I see a student who is struggling to keep up with scholastic requirements because of depression, substance abuse, etc.?

A. Talk to the student. Call the student's Dean - they may have information. Call Student Counseling Services and consult. Faculty and staff are here at Connecticut College because they care about students. The best way to show you care is to ask for advice early on. Student Counseling Services can consult with you about maintaining your professional role while still helping the student.

Q: How do I refer a student for counseling?

A. You can suggest a student go to Student Counseling Services however the student must make the effort to make the appointment.

Students can call Student Counseling Services to make an appointment and you can provide them with the extension to make the process easier. On any given day, the Student Counseling Services will make time for urgent appointments. Students can usually get a routine appointment within a week of their first request, depending on their schedules. Their first appointment is called an "intake." They fill out basic information forms and meet with a counselor. That counselor may or may not be the person with whom they will continue.

Discuss options and make decisions about next steps. These steps may include ongoing counseling with the intake counselor or another staff member, a medication evaluation referral, referral to an off-campus counselor, or in an emergency, referral to a local emergency room for further evaluation. Our average number of sessions is 5: some students come once, some come for longer periods of time

Q: When is it appropriate to refer a student to the counseling services?

A. If you feel a student may require services at Student Counseling Services, you can suggest this to a student whom you feel comfortable doing so. If after discussing with a student any academic problems s/he may be having and you think Student Counseling Services may be helpful. Remember, you can always call Student Counseling Services to consult with a counselor

Q: When is it appropriate to refer a student to the counseling services?

Last Modified: Thursday, March 15, 2007 14:27