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Counseling Services

The Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) offers a range of psychological services to help students manage their personal, social, and/or academic concerns.

Types of Counseling Offered:

Individual Counseling

Individual counseling consists of meeting one-on-one with a counselor on a regular basis (usually once a week) with sessions lasting from 50 to 60 minutes. Counseling may include discussing your concerns in great depth and how you may have tried to solve problems and issues. Some of the more common reasons student seek individual counseling include depression and anxiety; stress; interpersonal conflict; relationship difficulties; mild substance use issues; and academic difficulties.

Group Counseling

CAPS offers a variety of groups to fit students needs and schedules. Our groups usually consist of 5 to 8 members (students) and are facilitated by two therapists. Groups meet weekly for 90 minute sessions. Groups conducted in the past have included “Men’s Group,” “Relationship Survival Group,” "Art Therapy," and general therapy groups which address depression, anxiety, bereavement and stress management, among other concerns.

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List of our groups this semester:

Men's Therapy Group
Empowerment 101 - Finding your Inner Power
Anxiety Skills Group
It's Complicated - Healthy Relationships Therapy Group
Creating Connections - Spring 2024
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Telehealth Counseling

CAPS is offering both Telehealth and in-person counseling services, based on client preference and clinical appropriateness. CAPS counselors have completed Telehealth training and will be using Doxy.me and WebEx to meet with students for telehealth appointments. Students will be able to request services by calling the main CAPS line (860-465-0181) to schedule Telehealth intake appointment or can come in-person to 182 High Street. 

Below is some information about Telehealth Counseling, which we have provided to our students. Please call our main line (860) 465-0181 if you have any questions.

Also, follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/escucaps/ and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ecsu.caps/

What is Telehealth Counseling 

  1. Telehealth counseling services include the use of a digital platform that provides secure, encrypted, audio-video conferencing to communicate with a client in real time.
  2. Telehealth involves audio and visual communication. If one telehealth platform has connections difficulties an alternate telehealth platform will be utilized, typically Doxy.Me or Webex.
  3. Telehealth counseling services must be delivered by a licensed Clinician in the state that the client is located in.  If a student is remote and residing out of state, please inform your Clinician so that License reciprocity can be applied for if applicable in your home state prior to the sessions beginning.  If you should have questions regarding counseling services in your state please call us at 860-465-0181.

What are client rights in regard to telehealth counseling?

  1. Clients have the right to withhold or withdraw consent for telehealth services at any time. If consent is withheld or withdrawn, clients may have the option to meet with a CAPS Counselor on campus or may be referred to a community provider in their area.
  2. The laws that protect the confidentiality of my personal information in a face-to-face counseling setting also apply to telehealth. As such, the information disclosed by me during the course of my sessions is generally confidential. The dissemination of any personally identifiable images or information from the telehealth interaction to other entities shall not occur without my written consent except in the case of mandatory or permissive exceptions to confidentiality.

When is telehealth counseling appropriate?

  1. A CAPS staff member will inform me during my phone consult if telehealth counseling services are appropriate.
  2. Certain situations, including emergencies and mental health crises, are inappropriate for telehealth  counseling services at CAPS.
  3. Telehealth providers may not be available for contact between scheduled sessions. If a person is in an emergency or crisis situation, they should immediately call 911 or seek help from a hospital or crisis-oriented health care facility in my immediate area. If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide without a clear commitment to safety, you should contact one of the following resources:
    • 211 Mobile Crisis (In Connecticut)
    • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Call 1-800-273-8255 or Suicide Hope Line: 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433)
    • Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
    • LGBTQ+ Suicide Prevention Hotline (The Trevor Project) 24/7: 1-866-488-7386

Appointment Information

  • If you would like to schedule an appointment to speak with a counselor, please call (860) 465-0181 (5-0181 from campus). You may also go to CAPS and schedule an appointment; most often, appointments can be arranged within the next few days. CAPS is open from 8:30am to 4:30pm Monday through Friday. We are located at 182 High Street.

    If your need is URGENT, we offer "urgent access" hours Monday-Friday, 1pm -3pm, when you will meet with the “on-call” counselor to assess safety and determine treatment direction.

    At times, counseling demands may exceed our Department’s resources. If you come during one of these high demand periods, you might be placed on a waiting list or referred to another outside agency or provider. If you are referred to an outside resource, you are responsible for any fees associated with such service.

  • Professional ethics, state, and federal laws protect the confidentiality of the information shared in counseling. Therefore, no acknowledgement of your status as a CAPS client will be made, nor will information about your actual counseling be released to any outside agency or individual without your written permission, except as may be required by law (please see Confidentiality section). Counseling files are NOT part of academic records and no one has access to them except the staff of CAPS.

  • All students go through the same process after the phone consult at their Intake.  For telehealth Intake appointments your Counselor will email you the morning of your Intake appointment with instructions on how to complete the Intake paperwork online.  Please complete the intake paperwork 20-30 minutes prior to your Intake session start time.  Your Counselor will review the Intake paperwork prior to starting the telehealth Intake session.  For in-person Intake session, students should arrive approximately 20-30 minutes before their scheduled appointment to fill out paperwork for the intake counselor. During the Intake appointment Counselor will complete a full history assessment including assessing your concerns and the services you may need. During this appointment, available counseling options will be discussed and decided upon between the Counselor and the student. If we determine that your counseling needs require resources beyond what we can provide at CAPS, we will assist you with a referral to an appropriate mental health provider (see Referrals section). We will also offer you referrals to any on-campus resources that can provide additional support. At CAPS we make it a priority that students receive the most appropriate support based on your individual needs and will work with you to ensure you receive this support whether that is on campus or within the community setting.

  • What is a No Show and Late Cancellation?

    The Office of Counseling and Psychological Services strives to be an accessible resource to the greatest number of students while meeting the very high demand for counseling from students. Due to the extremely high demand and limited availability of appointments, CAPS has a missed appointment policy that may result in termination of services after 3 MISSED OR LATE CANCELLED APPOINTMENTS. The missed appointment policy applies to all appointments, including individual counseling, group counseling, and medication services. Timely cancellation will allow appointment times to be offered to another student.

    What Counts as a Missed or Late Cancelled Appointment?

    1. If a student cancels or reschedules an appointment without notifying CAPS at least 24 hours prior to the appointment.
    2. If a student misses any appointment without notifying CAPS.
    3. The policy applies to all appointments, including individual, group, and medication services.

    How Do I Cancel My Appointment?

    You can cancel your appointment by:

    • Calling CAPS at 860-465-0181
    • Cancelling in person by coming to CAPS at 182 High St. Willimantic, CT
    • Email your Counselor directly

 

Referrals