Frequently Asked Questions
The Counseling Center is located at 1006 Madison Ave. We are open for appointments during the academic year: Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm.
You can either call or come in. Students who walk in will be seen by a counselor, usually within 5 or 10 minutes, for an initial screening. The Screening is a brief visit (15-20 minutes) that assesses your particular needs. After the screening visit, a counselor will call you to schedule your first full appointment. First appointments are typically scheduled within a week’s time, depending on the time of year & how busy we are.
All full time and part-time students of the college are eligible for counseling services.
The Center is committed to providing highly confidential services to students. We will not break confidentiality or release information about you or your counseling sessions without your written permission to do so. Exceptions to this include the following: if you become a danger to self or others; and in cases where students report child or elder abuse.
The center provides individual, group, and family counseling. Couples counseling is provided if both individuals are current Saint Rose students.
You and your counselor will decide on the goals of your work and its time frame (this is called a Treatment Plan). Typically, students are able to receive individual counseling for short-term treatment. Sessions are typically 45 minutes long and offered on a weekly, bi-weekly or check-in type basis, depending on your particular treatment plan. If you return to the Counseling Center after you have completed a course of therapy, you may be offered a new intake/assessment of your needs and your therapist will determine whether or not maintenance/booster sessions will be offered in the center or referrals to off-campus therapy will be given.
Many issues are able to be resolved in just a few sessions, while others may require a greater number of sessions. That being said, if you are seeking treatment which is beyond the scope of our services, it is often appropriate to refer students to off-campus services such as long-term therapy or specialized services. There are a number of excellent referral options close to campus, which we can help to arrange. If you are in need of additional support, please speak to the Counseling Center staff so that we can provide you with options.
The reasons that individuals seek help from therapists are as varied as people themselves. An individual’s motives for seeking counseling might range from wishing to solve a particular concern, to desiring to enhance your own personal development, to working through past issues, to managing symptoms of a chronic mental health condition. There are many different methods that may be used to deal with the concerns that you hope to address. Psychotherapy is not like visiting a medical doctor, nor is it simply “venting.” Instead, counseling calls for a very active effort on your part. In order for your counseling to be most successful, you will have to identify goals & work on things discussed during sessions. It is not uncommon for therapists to recommend things like exercise, yoga & meditation, group therapy, completing behavioral or reading assignments to supplement the work you do in sessions. If you fully engage in the process, counseling can help you to cope better with the stressors in your life, and help you to take responsibility for your growth and change.
The mission of counseling services is to remove the barriers to students’ academic success, whatever those barriers may be. If you are struggling academically or financially, whether it be attendance issues; poor focus & concentration; failing grades; outstanding tuition; & more, counselors can help you to address these issue and refer you to other offices/resources on campus, if necessary.
No. All services in the Counseling Center are free to full-time and part-time students.
The center does have a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner on staff who is able to prescribe medication for specific situations. Contact the Counseling Center for more details.
Our staff consists of 3 NYS licensed mental health professionals, including our Director who is a licensed Counseling Psychologist, and supervised graduate level counselors-in-training. Both professional staff and counselors-in-training are trained & qualified to provide high quality psychological services
The Center has a 24-hour on-call system for psychiatric emergencies.
For emergencies after-hours, students living on campus should contact their Resident Assistants and/or call Security at 518-454-5187 and ask to speak with the on-call counselor. Students who are not living on campus should call/text 988 or call 911.
It may be helpful for you to sit down with a counselor for a consultation. Together you and your counselor can formulate a plan. Your counselor may coach you on how to assertively & caringly communicate your concerns with your friend and how to encourage your friend to reach out for help through the counseling center.
