The easiest way to initiate counseling services at the Center is to visit during our walk-in hours, from 3:30 – 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday when classes are in session.
Walk-in sessions are provided on a first-come, first-served basis, with emergencies taking precedence, and generally consist of brief consultations designed to assess needs and provide a referral to a counselor or to other appropriate services.
Students may also call the Center at ext. 3388 to arrange for an initial visit if their schedules do not permit them to attend walk-in hours.
Counselors at the Counseling Center provide an opportunity for students to explore any personal problems or concerns that they may have. During your initial appointment, you and your counselor will discuss the issues that brought you to the Center and work on developing a treatment plan to address your concerns.
When the Center is unable to provide the type of service you need or request, your counselor will refer you to appropriate mental health professionals in surrounding communities and assist you in obtaining services there.
Individual counseling is offered on both a short-term and a long-term basis. You and your counselor will discuss the options available and together will decide on the number of sessions necessary. This number will hinge on your needs and on availability of services.
A counseling group is a small group of people (usually 6-10) who meet weekly along with one or two Counseling Center staff members to talk about their concerns. Some groups focus on a specific topic (such as depression, weight and body image or social anxiety), while others address a number of different concerns. A group can be the optimal form of therapy for some people and some issues. Groups are offered based on student interest and demand.
The Counseling Center provides educational programming relating to psychological concerns—particularly those that are common to college students.
These workshops vary in format, but typically involve attending a limited series of meetings devoted to learning about and discussing the topic of interest. Recent workshops have focused on grief, assertiveness, social anxiety, relationship issues and body image.
Students are sometimes referred for a medical or psychiatric consultation when it appears that they might benefit from a medication. Medication in addition to counseling can be helpful when someone is experiencing depression, anxiety and other psychological issues.
In these cases, the Counseling Center may refer students to HWS Health Services staff or to private psychiatrists in the surrounding communities. Payment for outside psychiatric services is the responsibility of students. Contact the counseling center to learn more about the availability of private psychiatrists in the surrounding communities (ext. 3388).
The Counseling Center offers seven-day/24-hour emergency counseling services for students whenever school is in session. Examples of mental health emergencies include thoughts of hurting yourself or someone else; thoughts of suicide; intense feelings of depression, confusion or disorientation; and other disturbing thoughts or feelings.
During regular office hours (9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday), students can secure emergency counseling services by coming directly to the center.
After office hours, students can talk to a counselor by calling Campus Safety and asking the dispatcher to page the “counselor on call.” The dispatcher at Campus Safety can be reached by calling ext. 3333 when dialing from campus or (315) 781-3333 when calling from off campus or from a mobile phone.
Here are some other steps students can take to help manage times of distress:
If you have thoughts of harming yourself (or others), secure help right away by coming to the Counseling Center or contacting the counselor on call. Also consider calling the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
If you feel dangerously out of control, consider going to the nearest emergency room or calling 911. The closest emergency room to campus is at Geneva General Hospital, located where North Main Street ends at North Street.