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Counseling Appointment Types

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, 8:00 a.m. – 4 p.m.):

  • Call the Counseling Center: 603-646-9442 (Leave a message with your call back number and be sure your phone can receive messages).

After Regular Business Hours:

  • Call the Inpatient Department (IPD): 603-646-9440 (fall, winter, spring terms)

•    Call Safety & Security: 603-646-4000 (summer term and term breaks)
 

Triage Appointments

The first appointment with the Counseling Center is called a "triage" appointment. The appointment is scheduled for 60 minutes but can take less time. The student spends the first several minutes of the appointment completing an online questionnaire and/or assessment. Once the questionnaire is complete, the counselor will call the student to conduct the triage appointment by phone. At the end of the appointment, the counselor will make recommendations for the next step. Sometimes, students find the triage appointment has met their needs and no further services are necessary.

When further services are needed, the triage counselor will discuss their recommendations with the student. Options might include the following:

  • a referral to one of our workshops or group discussions
  • a referral for short-term individual counseling within the Counseling Center (Generally, the appointment following the triage appointment is scheduled at least a week after the initial triage appointment to allow time for students to think about their goals for therapy).
  • a referral to meet with a nutritionist
  • a referral to other campus or community resources
  • a referral for a psychiatric medication evaluation
  • a referral to an off-campus mental health provider
  • if your situation is critical, we offer same-day crisis appointments

Individual Counseling

At the end of the triage appointment, the student may be referred for individual counseling. During individual counseling, the students meet one-on-one with a counselor to establish goals for their work together. Session length, duration, and frequency vary and are determined by treatment goals.

The Counseling Center adheres to a short-term therapy model with the focus on helping students resolve or manage specific concerns. Since challenges vary from student to student, the length of short-term therapy also varies; it is based on goals set by the counselor and student, as well as an ongoing clinical assessment of the effectiveness of treatment.

If students' goals do not fit within a short-term model, or, if their treatment goals are not sufficiently managed in a short-term model, they can work with a counselor to get a community referral for treatment.

For additional information or to schedule a triage appointment, please call the Counseling Center at 603-646-9442.