Services

When a student first calls or goes to the Counseling Center, they will speak with one of our program support assistants/administrative staff members. Our program support assistants will ask the student some brief questions about themselves, including their reason for coming to the Counseling Center at that time. Students would then be scheduled for an intake with a counselor, which will help determine the most appropriate type of treatment to suit their needs, be it at the Counseling Center or an outside treatment resource.

Students are asked to attend a 60-minute intake appointment. Before the start of the intake appointment, students are asked to complete intake paperwork the morning of their intake (before the appointment) through our online web component.

The directions to complete the paperwork will be emailed to student by administrative staff the day of the intake. The paperwork may take an hour or so to complete. Students are encouraged to read the whole email that will be sent to them, which provides directions on how to access the paperwork and what buttons to select.

Students would need to either have a computer connected to the on-campus internet (PSU Wireless or ethernet), or use the VPN (GlobalProtect) from off-campus to be able to access the paperwork website. If students are off-campus and need the VPN, they can download the VPN anytime before their intake appointment; doing this before the day of their intake will save students time the day of the intake. IT can help to connect to the VPN (Pulse Secure) if needed. ChromeBook laptops cannot download the VPN, and thus a different device should be used.

The intake paperwork to be completed includes the Agreement for Counseling form, the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms (CCAPS), and the Intake Questionnaire. The Agreement for Counseling form provides informed consent about our services, confidentiality, maintaining professional and other boundaries, office hours, and our emergency services. The CCAPS is a normed psychological assessment used at many college/university counseling centers, which we also use to help assess mental health challenges, including progress over time. As part of the CCAPS, the student will be asked if they would like to contribute their de-identified data to the Center for Collegiate Mental Health (CCMH), which helps to further develop the CCAPS as an instrument. The Intake Questionnaire asks for information about students’ current mental health concerns, mental health history, substance use history, medical history, academic life, environmental data, and social history.

If a student does not  complete the intake paperwork, they will have a shorter intake session and may have to return for an additional intake session.

After completing the intake paperwork, the student will then meet with one of our intake counselors. The intake counselor will review the Agreement for Counseling form with the student, and answer any questions they might have. The intake counselor will also review the Intake Questionnaire and CCAPS with the student; the intake counselor will ask any additional questions to help them assess the most appropriate treatment type for that particular student’s needs.

At the end of the intake evaluation, the student’s intake counselor will determine the most appropriate type of treatment to suit their needs. It is our goal to tailor the most appropriate treatment to the specific needs of each individual student who comes to the Counseling Center. The previously mentioned treatment types include group counseling/skill building groups, 1-2 time individual therapy sessions, and short-term individual therapy (3-8 sessions ). We also provide emergency services for students in crisis.

Please note that the Counseling Center has a limited scope of practice, and certain mental health challenges may be better served at outside treatment resources (see Scope of Practice). If students are seeking services outside of our treatment model, the intake counselor will be able to refer the student to outside treatment and community resources.

After students meet for an intake evaluation, their intake counselor will determine the most appropriate type of treatment to suit their needs. It is our goal to tailor the most appropriate treatment to the specific needs of each individual student who comes to the Counseling Center. Please note that the Counseling Center has a limited scope of practice, and certain mental health challenges may be better served at outside treatment resources (see Scope of Practice).

With the information that students provide at the intake evaluation, the intake counselor will determine the most appropriate treatment type for the student. These treatment types include group counseling/skill building groups, 1-2 time individual counseling sessions, or short-term individual therapy (3-8 sessions ). We also provide emergency services for students in crisis.

After meeting for an intake evaluation, the intake counselor may identify individual counseling as an appropriate treatment type.

Meeting one-on-one with a counselor gives students a professional and confidential relationship in which to discuss problems and feelings that are important to them. Some areas of concern that we often address with students include:

• Anxiety and Stress
• Depression
• Adjustment to College Life
• Grief and Loss
• Eating Disorders
• Study Problems
• Loneliness
• Family Issues
• Sexuality
• Substance Use
• Self-esteem

In addition, we address concerns regarding relationships with parents, friends, teachers, partners, and roommates. We also work with students to help them better manage the many stressors that college students face.

We also coordinate with other medical and psychiatric providers, when appropriate, regarding students’ psychopharmacological needs.

After students meet for an intake evaluation, their intake counselor will determine the most appropriate type of treatment to suit their needs. It is our goal to tailor the most appropriate treatment to the specific needs of each individual student who comes to the Counseling Center. Please note that the Counseling Center has a limited scope of practice, and certain mental health challenges may be better served at outside treatment resources (see Scope of Practice).

With the information that students provide at the intake evaluation, the intake counselor will determine the most appropriate treatment type for the student. These treatment types include group counseling/skill building groups, 1-2 time individual counseling sessions, or short-term individual therapy (3-8 sessions ). We also provide emergency services for students in crisis.

After meeting for an intake evaluation, our intake counselors may identify group counseling/skill building groups as the most appropriate treatment resource.

The Counseling Center offers a variety of therapeutic groups and workshops. Therapeutic groups can be a great opportunity to share and be with other people who face similar challenges, with the goal of mutual learning, growth, and healing. Please note, research has demonstrated that group counseling is as effective and sometimes more effective for certain mental health challenges, as compared to individual counseling (American Group Psychotherapy Association).

The Counseling Center currently offers 3 open psychoeducational groups available to all PSU students. Students do not need to be clients of the Counseling Center to attend these groups. These groups include the following; please click on the links for posters of the group:

• Survivors’ Support Space Group
• Yoga Group
• SMART Recovery Group

The 3-session skill building groups we have offered include:

• Anxiety Toolbox Group
• Getting Unstuck (Depression) Group
• RIO (Recognition/Insight/Openness) Group
• Seeking Serenity

view group Workbooks

Other groups we offer include:

• Relationship Group

We often consult with students, faculty, staff, and parents about students’ adjustments to university life as well as how to best deal with a mental health issue. Our staff is happy to answer your questions about our services and to help find answers to difficult questions.

Please call us at (603) 535-2461 if you would like a consultation.

More Information by Audience: 

• for Students
• for family members
• for Faculty & Staff

Throughout the year, the PSU Counseling Center offers workshops and time-limited groups for students, faculty and staff. Topics have included test anxiety, diversity in the classroom, dealing with stress, fighting the “winter blues,” and various groups addressing alcohol and other drug education.

If you are concerned about the drinking or drug use of a friend, family member, or your own use, confidential help and consultations are available. Consultation services are available to faculty regarding concerns about student behavior, with Residential Life Staff (namely RD’s and CA’s) regarding programming in their residences or management of high-risk situations involving their residents, or with parents of PSU students regarding AOD-related topics and/or concerns about the student, e.g., “do’s and don’ts” of parenting a son or daughter addressing an AOD issue.

AOD evaluations that are requested by courts and other outside agencies, are provided for a fee to PSU students. AOD evaluations, not required by outside agencies, are provided free of charge. AOD evaluations required by Plymouth State University (PSU), may or may not have a fee assigned. In most cases, our Drug and Alcohol counselor can conduct the AOD evaluation. However, if this is not possible, you will be referred to another agency that can conduct the evaluation

Sessions are also provided to help students meet sanctions required by the PSU Dean of Students Office [Frost House/Conduct Office Representative].

If a student has an AOD related academic project, AOD staff can help you brainstorm ideas and refer you to online resources and those available in the Jim Hagedorn Library, located at the Counseling Center.

The PSU Counseling Center staff members reach out to the PSU community and endeavor to make others aware of our services and resources. We participate in New Student Orientation programs, national health screening days, and programs for faculty such as “Recognizing and Responding to Distress in Students” and “Diversity Issues in the Classroom.” Members of our Counseling Center staff are active with local, state, and national professional organizations and boards promoting high-quality mental health and social services.

The PSU Counseling Center offers immediate response to students in crisis, and will also facilitate community support in times of crisis affecting the community at large (i.e., fire, natural disaster, sudden death of a PSU community member). The Counseling Center coordinates after-hours crisis response services with Lakes Region Mental Health Center, a local community mental health provider.

The shelves in our one-room library, located at the PSU Counseling Center, are filled with books about relationships, spirituality, psychology, gender issues, self-esteem and other human relations topics. Please call or stop in at the front office to make sure the room is available. Then feel welcome to browse, borrow a book, or sit and relax.

The PSU Counseling Center engages in programmatic assessment practices aimed to ensure the quality of the services we offer. The Counseling Center also administers a biannual survey measuring attitudes, behaviors, and perception of use regarding alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use of PSU students. This anonymous state-wide survey allows PSU to track and evaluate data, monitor trends, and provide assistance in the development of related programs and services for our students on campus.