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What is Counseling?

About Counseling

Counseling is a process that can help people identify more effective strategies both to cope with difficult situations and to achieve their goals. While some people who seek counseling have chronic emotional difficulties, most are dealing with normal life events and are simply in need of an objective listener- someone who doesn't judge and who can help them see new alternatives.

For college students, help may come from friends, family members, significant others, etc., but in some cases, help is needed from a trained professional.

When to Seek Counseling?

While counseling might be helpful in numerous situations, there are some conditions in which we strongly encourage you to seek counseling services:

  • You are unhappy on most days or feel a sense of hopelessness
  • You worry excessively or are constantly on edge
  • You are unable to concentrate on your schoolwork or other activities
  • You are unable to sleep at night or constantly feel tired
  • You have experienced a change in your appetite or your weight
  • You have experienced a loss (e.g., a relationship breakup, a parent's death)
  • You have increased your use of alcohol or other drugs (including cigarettes)
  • You feel overwhelmed by what is going on in your life
  • You are having thoughts about hurting yourself or someone else

Other Reasons for Seeking Counseling Services

  • adjusting to college life (roommate issues, time management and study skills)
  • adjusting to life after college (What's next? Career issues)
  • relationship troubles with family, friends, or romatic partners
  • difficulties arising from ethnic, cultural and racial differences
  • alcohol and other drug issues
  • LGBTQIA+ issues
  • food and nutrtion, body image
  • sexual assualt/harrassment/relationship violence/stalking
  • stress: stressful academic and/or social pressures
  • troublesome feelings such as anxiety, depression, loneliness, shyness, fear and anger
  • taking care of ourselves and building community, response to tragedy, building vs. dividing community, helping others, taking care of self
  • loss of a loved one or other bereavement including loss by suicide
  • same day emergency/crisis situations (self-injury, suicidal thoughts/behaviors)

Crisis Mental Health Services

The Counseling Center offers 24-hour crisis (emergency) mental health services for enrolled students or for those who are concerned about an enrolled student. While most counseling services are scheduled on an appointment basis, there may be crisis situations that require immediate or same-day intervention.

A crisis might involve:

  • Thoughts and/or plans to hurt yourself or someone else
  • Engaging in a behavior that is life-threatening
  • If you have been assaulted, physically or sexually
  • Concern for a friend

* During Regular Business Hours (M-F, 8am-4pm): call (603) 646-9442 and ask to speak with the counselor on-call.

* After Regular Business Hours: call (603) 646-9442 and choose option #1 to be connected with an on-call provider.

If you are not able to call and you are in the US, please contact The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Chat that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, across the United States. 

If you are outside of the US, please find crisis phone numbers at the Suicide Prevention, Awareness, and Support website, or call a local hospital. You can also find information at the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP). IASP is an online resource that provided phone numbers to crisis crises centers in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania and South America.