The University Counseling Center is currently offering free online screenings for students concerned with issues such as anxiety, depression, alcohol, drug abuse and eating disorders.
The online screening is designed by the counseling center to help students overcome struggles that may be adversely affecting their lives and education.
The screening starts by collecting demographic information regarding age, gender, race and continues with questions about one’s mood, feelings about oneself, others and the future.
Following these questions, students will receive a response to their screenings that may include prompting to seek out the help of a mental health professional.
However, U psychologist Lauren Weitzman said that seeking out the help of a mental-health professional does not necessarily mean that a student has a serious mental disorder.
Weitzman said that students do not always have to be in desperation to come to the counseling center.
The center offers services to all students and wishes to provide a valuable support system.
It also offers services to those who are adjusting to being away from home, struggling academically or who need couple counseling.
To find out eligibility for these services, as well as the many other services offered by the counseling center, students can call the office to set up a one-time free intake interview to map out students’ needs and set up plans for any necessary treatments.
Because of the large staff at the center, students who feel a need to meet with a particular type of counselor-a woman or an ethnic minority counselor, for example-can most likely have their requests met.
Following the free intake session, students may receive up to 12 counseling sessions per year. The fees are $10 for an individual session, $5 for a group session and $20 for a couples session.
There are outreach services also available, including crisis intervention, stress management, drug and alcohol education, communication skills and AIDS education. Students with severe crises in their lives may even do a walk in visit without a previous call for an appointment.
Also on staff at the center are psychiatrists, in case someone needs treatment with medication. These medications may be prescribed by the counseling center for depression, anxiety and other disorders in addition to basic counseling.