How do I get to speak with someone at the Counseling Center?
The best way to initiate contact with the Counseling Center is to call (724)357-2621 or stop in at Suites on Maple, East, Room G31, to set up an introductory interview. During this interview, the person with whom you meet will help you decide the best plan of action for your concerns.
How much does counseling cost?
There are no fees for students who have paid tuition and the student health fees. The number of sessions per student vary, however the maximum is twelve individual sessions per academic year. There is no limit on group counseling sessions.
What about my privacy?
The faculty and staff are highly concerned about your privacy. In addition, federal law, laws of the commonwealth, professional standards, and ethical guidelines all establish that your privacy is afforded the most serious protection.
As a result, the fact of your making contact with the center, in addition to whatever you tell us, is kept confidential by our personnel. Records pertaining to your work are maintained in locked equipment in secure facilities. There are some exceptions to this protection. You may provide us with written permission to release specific information to specific people or to discuss your concerns with persons you designate. Finally, we are obliged to notify relevant individuals if you are at risk to harm yourself or someone else or if there is direct evidence of ongoing harm to a child.
What kinds of things do people talk about in the center?
The center works with students who are dealing with a wide variety of personal, social, educational/vocational, and family concerns. Anxiety, depression, and grief are often reported as a result of problems in these areas. Coming to the center does not mean someone is crazy. We see four hundred to five hundred students for counseling and take three hundred to four hundred other calls about other student-related concerns in a typical academic year.
Who provides the service?
Six faculty psychologists provide services directly, with the assistance of eight to ten graduate trainees. Trainees receive direct, individual and group supervision every week and are experienced clinicians.
