FAQs

What types of services are offered by the Counseling Center?

The Counseling Center offers short-term individual, group and relationship counseling, consultation for faculty, staff, parents, and students, and educational programs to the campus community. The Health Promotion and Substance Abuse Prevention Program offers services for high-risk students, peer advocacy, and Alcohol-Wise, an on-line prevention program for incoming students. Comprehensive services are available during the academic year (fall and spring semesters). 

What is meant by "short-term" counseling?

Any enrolled student can make an appointment for an initial visit with a counselor, at which time the student’s needs are assessed. Follow-up sessions are scheduled as appropriate to help a student work through his or her problems. Sessions are time-limited and solution-focused.  Students who want or need more frequent or longer-term contact with a counselor are referred to off-campus resources. Students may use group counseling as an adjunct or primary form of treatment. Group sessions are only limited by the number of groups available and the number of times any group meets. 

What types of problems are commonly encountered by the counselors?

Students come to the counseling center with a range of problems. Many have issues related to their normal development, such as identity or relationship issues. Others are dealing with more specific psychological issues such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, bereavement, substance abuse, or eating and body image issues. Some students aren’t sure what the problem might be—they just know they are having a hard time studying, eating, sleeping, or otherwise functioning. A counselor can help students sort out what’s wrong in order to help get students back on track. 

What are the qualifications of the Counseling Center staff?

The Counseling Center is committed to providing the highest quality of psychological services to its students. To that end, full-time licensed or license-eligible psychologists and social workers staff the center. The center also serves as a training site for area colleges and universities and uses some graduate counselors-in-training under close supervision of licensed or certified staff. In addition, the Counseling Center is fully accredited by the International Association of Counseling Services (IACS). 

Can your staff prescribe medication if it might be helpful?  

No. Medication can only be prescribed by psychiatrists and other medical personnel. The Counseling Center staff works closely with local psychiatrists as well as with physicians and physicians’ assistants in the IC Health Center for evaluation for medication, prescriptions, and follow-up. 

What is the cost of your service? 

There is no cost for any counseling center service. 

Can a student use the Counseling Center while maintaining a relationship with a counselor or psychiatrist with whom the student may already be working with at home?

Absolutely; the Counseling Center staff would probably want to consult with the home mental health service 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.

How does a student make arrangements to see a counselor?  

Appointments are required (except for emergencies) and can be made in person at the Counseling Center (located on the ground floor of the Hammond Health Center) or by calling 274-3136. Business hours are 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday.  

What about emergencies? 

For emergencies, counselors are on-call 24 hours a day during the academic year. Counselors can be reached after hours through the Health Center, Residential Life, or the Office of Public Safety. Crises during business hours are handled by the counselor on-call—call or stop by the Counseling Center office for assistance.

What if a parent, another student, or a faculty and staff member is concerned about a student? 

Counselors are available during business hours to consult about a concern a third party might have about a student. Strategies for helping the student and, if appropriate, getting the student in to see a counselor can be discussed. Counseling Center staff members do not contact students and ask them to come in or inquire about their mental health. It is our belief that counseling is most effective when it is voluntary, and students often perceive such calls as intrusive. If a situation exists in which a student is in imminent danger as a result of a psychological problem, appropriate law enforcement or emergency medical personnel will be contacted.

Can a third party, such as a parent, be kept informed of a students’ progress in counseling? 

By law, and according to ethical principles, information about counseling is confidential except in rare circumstances. No information can be released, including whether or not a person is attending counseling, without the informed written consent of the client. If it seems that there would be a therapeutic benefit to release information to a third party, a counselor will discuss this with the client and come to a mutual understanding about the nature of such a release.

Where can I get additional information about Ithaca College Counseling Center services?

Visit our web site for more information and self-help links: http://www.ithaca.edu/counseling or call us at (607) 274-3136.