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Mental Health and Counseling Services

The Center supports and enhances student health and wellness by providing person-centered and strengths-based mental health services.

Mental Health Services are a collaborative effort between counselor and client that involve the development of a unique, confidential helping relationship.

"We serve students by assisting with problem resolution, enhancing coping skills, providing support during times of crisis, enhancing personal growth and supporting academic success."

Mental Health Services

Individual and Couples Therapy

Our primary focus is on short-term, goal-oriented therapy. Counseling sessions are scheduled every other week. If students need or want weekly therapy, referrals to alternative resources will be made. Wait times for initial appointments average 5-7 business days during the first half of the semester. After mid-semester, however, wait times can increase up to 15 to 20 business days.

We view our role as counselors as helping you to gain insight into your situation, strategize solutions, and develop valuable coping skills that will allow you to more effectively manage the challenges of college and life.

We believe your role as a client is to form a partnership with us, identifying specific goals for yourself and help us help you find solutions to the challenges you face. Couples are welcome for therapy. However, both members of the couple must be SUNY Plattsburgh students.

Group Therapy

Group therapy focuses on developing insight, changing behavior, and improving relationship skills. In the group setting, students struggling with similar concerns can share feedback with each other and learn new ways of coping. Group members typically meet weekly for 45-60 minutes with one to two group facilitators for the duration of scheduled groups. Groups can change from semester to semester based on student and staff interests. To inquire about current groups please call 518-564-3086. All calls are strictly confidential.

Crisis Service

If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency or are in immediate danger, call 911.

"You are free to call the office to speak to a counselor and remain anonymous. Contact us at 518-564-3086."

Consultation

A consultation is a first time appointment with a counselor in the Student Health & Counseling Center. You will be asked to arrive 15 minutes early to complete paperwork for this appointment. You will then have the opportunity to meet with a therapist for a 45-50 minute initial consultation. During this appointment you will provide information about your presenting concerns and history relevant to your presenting issue(s). You and the therapist will then determine a plan for moving forward. For issues that might be better served by on-going long-term therapy, a referral to a community provider might be explored.

Confidentiality

All contacts with the Counseling Center are treated with the utmost confidentiality.

In general, mental health ethics and law protect the privacy of all communications between a client and a counselor, and a counselor can only release information about you with your written permission.

Due to legal and ethical guidelines, there are certain situations in which all counselors will break confidentiality and are obligated to take action to protect a client and others from harm. These situations include the following:

  • Your counselor has any cause to believe that you are at imminent risk of killing yourself or someone else.
  • If your counselor believes that a child, an elderly person, or a member of a vulnerable population is being abused or neglected, he or she will be required to file a report with the appropriate state agency.
  • In the event of a legal proceeding, a judge may order or subpoena your counseling records if the judge determines that the case demands it.

Mental Health Referral Options

Both on and off-campus referral options exist for students.

On Campus Resources include:

Outreach

Counseling staff are available to provide interviews, training and educational outreach on a variety of mental health topics. Requests for interviews and outreach should be directed to the Assistant Director of Counseling at [email protected] at least 10 business days prior to your event.

Please also understand that in regard to trainings and programs, during certain times of the year the clinical demands of our students take precedence. If we cannot meet your request, we will make attempts to assist you in considering alternative options.

Additionally, we do work collaboratively with the Title IX office in supporting programming for sexual and relationship violence.

Frequently Asked Questions

Resources

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