FAQs

Have a question we haven't answered below? Please contact us and we will be happy to help.

1. What types of services are offered by the Counseling Center?
2. Why do students typically come for counseling?
3. How does counseling work?
4. Does counseling really help?
5. Who is eligible for counseling services?
6. How much does it cost for individual or group therapy?
7. Is there a session limit?
8. What should I do in an emergency?
9. How do I make an appointment?
10. How can I make an appointment with the medication prescriber?
11. What if I need to cancel or change an appointment?
12. What are the qualifications of the Counseling Center's staff?
13. What if I have a preference about the kind of counselor I want to see?
14. Can I use the Center while maintaining a relationship with a counselor or psychiatrist at home?
15. What can I expect during my first counseling visit?
16. What is the Counseling Center's email policy?
17. How long will you keep my records on file?

1. What types of services are offered by the Counseling Center?
The Counseling Center offers individual, couple’s, and group counseling, medication evaluation and follow-up, consultation for faculty, staff, parents, and students, and educational outreach programs to the campus community.

2. Why do students typically come for counseling?
Students come to the Counseling Center with a wide range of concerns. Many students are coping with normal developmental issues, such as relationship and friendship issues or managing the stresses of college life. Other students are coping with more specific mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, grief or loss, body image or eating issues, or problems with substances, to name a few. A counselor can help sort out what might be wrong in order to help get you back on track.

3. How does counseling work?
Counseling works by helping you objectively look at behaviors, feelings, and thoughts in situations that you find problematic. It helps you to learn more effective ways of dealing with those situations. Counseling is a collaborative effort between you and your counselor. You and your counselor will identify goals, what you would like to change or improve, and agree on how you will know when you are making progress.

4. Does counseling really help?
Counseling isn’t for everyone, but most people that come to the Counseling Center say it was a helpful experience for them. There are many factors that can determine how effective the counseling experience can be, including the type of problem being addressed, a person's ability to talk about the problem or concern, the type of treatment, and the relationship with the counselor. If you are curious about counseling, you can always come in and talk with a counselor just to see what it is like, and then make a decision if you would like to continue treatment.

5. Who is eligible for counseling services?
Any matriculated FSU undergraduate or graduate student may use the services of the Counseling Center.

6. How much does it cost for individual or group counseling?
There is no charge for any of the services the Counseling Center offers. If you see the medication prescriber and you are prescribed medication and want to use your health insurance, you are responsible for paying any co-payment associated with your prescription coverage. You may also choose to pay out of pocket for your prescription.

7. Is there a session limit?
There is no session limit per se. All students will be offered up to 4 initial evaluation sessions. After that, every other week therapy will be provided for those students who can safely and effectively be seen in that manner.

8. What should I do in an emergency?
In any emergency involving imminent harm or a threat to life, please call FSU’s Police Department at 508-626-4911 immediately for assistance. If you are experiencing a psychological emergency Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., please come to the Counseling Center and we will assist you. If you are experiencing a psychological emergency after business hours or on the weekends, please call Advocates Psychiatric Emergency Services at 508-872-3333, and someone will assist you. If you are a resident student, you may also contact your residence life staff at any time for assistance.

9. How do I make an appointment?
If you are interested in meeting with a counselor, you may call our office at 508-626-4640 or stop by the Center's office, located on the second floor of the Health and Wellness Center, Foster Hall, Monday-Friday, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

10. How can I make an appointment with the medication prescriber?
You will need to meet with a counselor first who will talk with you about your symptoms and how you are functioning. A referral to the medication prescriber can be made after the evaluation with the counselor is complete. You must remain in treatment with your counselor at the Center if you are prescribed medication by the Counseling Center prescriber.

11. What if I need to cancel or change an appointment?
Please notify the Counseling Center at 508-626-4640 to cancel or change an appointment. The Center appreciates having as much notice as possible so that another student may be scheduled in any open time slots.

12. What are the qualifications of the Counseling Center's staff?
The FSU Counseling Center staff are committed to providing compassionate care utilizing a variety of counseling techniques and styles.  To that end, licensed mental health clinicians staff the Center. Additionally, the Center serves as a training site for master’s level graduate students in social work, who are supervised by a licensed senior staff member.

13. What if I have a preference about the kind of counselor I want to see?
If you have a preference regarding the kind of counselor you wish to meet with (e.g., man, woman, trainee, senior staff member, etc.), you can make this known. The Center’s administrative assistant will try to accommodate such requests whenever possible.

14. Can I use the Center if I also have a counselor or psychiatrist at home?
Yes, the Center's staff may want to consult with your mental health provider to assure continuity of care, but we encourage students to maintain those relationships as well as build relationships with an on-campus support system.

15. What can I expect during my first counseling visit?
After you arrive for your first appointment, you will check in with the Center’s administrative assistant. You will be asked to fill out brief background information sheets and will be given some information to read about counseling and confidentiality. During the first contact with your counselor you will explore what issues you would like to focus on and together you can set up a plan for beginning to work on your treatment goals.

16. What is the Counseling Center's email policy?
The Center does not communicate with students via email as this is not a secure form of communication. If you need to reach the Center or your counselor, please call the Center at 508-626-4640.

17. How long will you keep my records on file?
The Center follows the state and federal guidelines for confidential records. All records are required to be kept on file for ten years after your last treatment session unless you are a minor and then your records will be kept for seven years after you reach the age of 18. After the ten year requirement period, your records would normally be destroyed by shredding.

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