Full-time students enrolled in degree programs are eligible for all UCS services. Part-time or non-martriculating students (including those on dissertation status, on leave of absence, or in special programs) are eligible only for consultation, evaluation, and referral. We are unable to provide evaluations for or letters prescribing Emotional Support Animals, as this specialized assessment is beyond the department's scope of practice.
Individual Counseling and Psychotherapy
Individual psychotherapy can range anywhere from few sessions to ongoing sessions within a semester or more (frequency and duration is determined by student and clinician depending on clinical and schedule needs). Group psychotherapy typically runs the length of a semester and meets each week that school is in session. Groups offered vary each semester, but typically include interpersonal process groups, coping skills groups, anxiety management skills groups, disordered eating groups, and support groups for survivors of sexual assault.
Keep in mind:
- Average number of psychotherapy sessions for most students are 6-8 sessions.
- Most students meet with their individual clinicians every other week.
Same-Day Consultation
In our efforts to provide quicker access to services to students who need support in problem solving a specific issue and not necessarily ongoing therapy, we are offering same-day 30-minute consultations with one of our clinicians. These are meant to be one-time consultation sessions to clarify your goals for treatment and problem solve a specific concern (e.g., advice on roommate or relationship conflict, how to best manage stress, coping skills regarding anxiety, help making a decision). The consultation meeting is designed to be goal-oriented so that you can leave with set of next steps. If a student wants/needs a follow-up in the future, they can call and request another one-time, same-day consultation.
Keep in mind:
- Appointments are only scheduled for the same day and are first-come, first-served
- This is a one-time consultation and is not meant for ongoing psychotherapy
- Any follow-ups may be with a different clinician
- It will help to have an identified goal in mind
- Arrive to the session 10-15 minutes early to fill out demographic and clinical information
Triage
If a student is looking for short-to mid-term counseling or needs help figuring out what treatment is most appropriate, they can schedule a 20-minute triage phone appointment during which a clinician will gather information regarding the primary concern and collaborate with the student to make appropriate treatment recommendations (e.g., short-term individual therapy at UCS, group therapy at UCS, off- campus therapy, or other campus resources).
Keep in mind:
- Find a quiet and private space to receive the 20-minute phone call from UCS
- This is a quick assessment of your clinical needs and not a full evaluation session
- There could be multiple outcomes including suggestion for group therapy, off-campus referral, short-term psychotherapy, or other campus or web-based resources.
Group Therapy
In group counseling, a small number of people meet together with one or two of our psychologists to help themselves and one another. Joining a group provides opportunities to learn with and from other people, to understand one's own patterns of thought and behavior and those of others, and to perceive how group members react to one another. You learn that perhaps you're not as different as you think, or that you're not alone.
Psychiatric Services (medication management)
Psychiatric appointments are available for students who are concurrently engaged in talk therapy with one of the clinicians at UCS and are in need of combined treatment. We cannot offer medication-only treatments. We do not prescribe medications solely to treat ADHD.
Referral to Providers in the Community
Sometimes students know that they are looking for long-term, open-ended counseling, weekly psychotherapy or specialized care and in this case we can provide local referrals that match your clinical and insurance needs.
Keep in mind:
- We will need your insurance information.
- If you have BC’s Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance, there are no longer co-payments for off-campus psychotherapy. This is a significant benefit for BC students.
- Many of the off-campus clinicians on our referral list are close by and easy to get to. They also have experience working with BC students.
Emergency Services
If there is an urgent clinical/personal crisis, students can come in on the same day to meet with the psychological emergency clinician (PEC). These are usually 20-30 minute as needed sessions that focus on crisis management. The primary goals are stabilization and safety so that the student can move on to next steps.
Keep in mind:
- Although urgency is defined by each student’s experience, typical presenting issues to emergency services are: thoughts of harming oneself or others, being at risk of failing classes due to mental health issues, paralyzing anxiety that limits everyday functioning, and BC community is concerned about a student’s behavior or level of distress.
- Similar to any urgent care or emergency room, one might have to wait for the next available emergency clinician. Most waits do not exceed 30 minutes and we try our best to triage most clinically urgent cases.
WellTrack
Welltrack is an online tool that promotes mental wellness on campus, and is available at your fingertips.