Counseling Services

Getting Connected

 
Call our office at 970-351-2496 to schedule appointment.  

Services

We offer a variety of services, including group, individual, and couples therapy.  Students also have access to psychiatry consultations and after-hours support.  If you have questions about which of these services might be the best for you, contact us to schedule a consultation.  One of our counselors can provide a treatment recommendation based on your specific needs.

• Group Therapy

  The Counseling Center offers a variety of support, process, and skills-based groups for students. Students have the opportunity to meet with others who have similar concerns in a safe and supportive setting. Group therapy is proven to be clinically beneficial and is often the service of choice by many of our students.  Groups meet weekly for hour-and-a-half once the minimum number of members is reached.  They run through the end of the semester and new groups form at the start of each semester.  Below you will find the groups that are currently offered and when they are held. If you are interested in any of the groups below, please give us at a call at 970-351-2496 or come in for an initial consultation.

  PTSD Group (Skills Group)

  The PTSD Group is a 7-week, skills-based workshop where students will learn tools to help them cope with the symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.  The group will be especially helpful for students who have experienced a traumatic event and lack effective coping tools, and are still in a place of wanting to avoid painful internal experiences or make them go away altogether. The way we recover from trauma is through “acceptance” of our current situation and “commitment” to trauma recovery.  In order to cope with the difficult experiences we are having, we must first accept that those experiences are currently real for us so that we can begin to undo them.  The commitment piece – this helps us take action and figure out solutions to recover from the trauma.  The main purpose of this group is to incorporate acceptance and commitment skills into trauma recovery in order to take back your life.   

  Virtual
  Fridays 1:30- 3:30pm
  Starts February 17th
  
  

  Anxiety Workshop (Skills Group)

  The Anxiety Workshop is a 6-module/week skills group designed to provide information about anxiety, help students explore the impact, and provide the tools to cope with and manage anxiety.  The workshop covers biological, psychological, and social/environmental aspects of anxiety and helps students explore their unique factors in each domain that contribute to their anxiety.  Workshop members also provide support to one another in implementing strategies and coping with anxiety. 

  The Anxiety Workshop is for students who experience general, social, or testing anxiety, and/or panic attacks.  It can also help students experiencing high stress, persistent worry, negative beliefs about self, or can be a part of treatment when addressing acute anxiety stemming from a traumatic event. Students who can benefit are those who want to learn more about anxiety, build awareness of their unique triggers and manifestation of anxiety, gain tools to manage and decrease anxiety, and receive support while coping and implementing those tools.

  Anxiety Workshop Syllabus

  Virtual
  Tuesdays 1:00- 2:30
  February 21st - April 4th
  
  

  Coping Skills Group

  The Coping skills group teaches members mindfulness, emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and distress tolerance skills to effectively regulate emotions, navigate their social environment, and manage crises. Groups begin with learning core mindfulness skills which allow members to learn and practice living with full awareness of the present moment without judgment. The dialectics of DBT teaches us to look at a situation from multiple perspectives and encourages us to find the middle path in thinking and behaviors while honoring our unique experiences.

  The Coping Skills Group is for students who are struggling with difficult emotions, uncertain how to approach a difficult conversation, or wondering how to better manage life stressors in general.  The group is helpful with a range of concerns including anger management, healthy expression of emotions, asserting one's needs, and general coping.  Any person who wants to gain coping skills can benefit from this group.

  Virtual
  Wednesdays 3:00- 4:30pm
  Start date TBD
  
  

  Interpersonal Process (IP) Groups

  Process groups are a space in which students are provided the opportunity to receive multiple perspectives, support, encouragement, and feedback from other individuals in a safe and confidential environment.  Common themes addressed in an IP Group include, but are not limited to: depression, anxiety, homesickness, college adjustment, family dynamics, social and romantic relationships.  The connection to others students who are experiencing similar, and even different, situations can be very therapeutic. 

  Get the most out of IP Group (PDF)

  All IP Groups are in person; groups start once they reach capacity
  Monday group: 5:00- 6:30pm
  Tuesday group: 4:00- 5:30pm
  Thursday group: 3:00-4:30pm

   

• Emergency/Drop-in Services

  The Counseling Center provides same-day emergency care to students experiencing situational problems or an immediate crisis. Emergency/Drop-in services are focused on decreasing distress and problem solving to help a student cope with their current situation and be able to continue functioning while helping to ensure the safety of the student.  Emergency/Drop-in services do not require an appointment and can be accessed between 9am-12pm and 1pm-5pm (with the last opening at 4:00pm). Students do not need to complete an initial consultation or to be an established client/patient to access this service.

• After-Hours Phone Services

  We recognize that students often struggle during times that our center may be closed. We offer after-hours emergency services that are available when we are not, including the lunch hour, nights, weekends, and holidays. Much like our Emergency/Drop-in appointments, after-hours phone services provide students with a solution-focused approach, aid in decreasing distress, and work to ensure the safety of callers. To access these services you can call our Counseling Center number (970) 351-2496 and select option 2 to reach a counselor. Students do not need to be an established client/patient to access this service.

• Couples Therapy

  The Counseling Center provides couples therapy.  This service is designed to address relationship concerns between people who are involved in a romantic relationship. Both partners will need to be current students at UNC to receive couples therapy.  The couple must first complete an initial consultation with one of our counselors.  If couples therapy is the appropriate service, you will be referred to one of our staff members to begin couples therapy.  Other services may be recommended instead of or concurrently with couples therapy.  A therapist will discuss the recommended course of treatment at your initial consultation.  Students are allotted 1-10 couples therapy sessions per year, and the number of sessions will depend on the goals set for therapy.

  Couples work can help with:

  • Communication Techniques
  • Effective Partnership
  • Goal Setting
  • Argument de-escalation
• Individual Counseling

  Individual counseling sessions assist students in addressing a wide variety of issues related to adjustment to college and more complex mental health and wellness concerns. You and one of our staff will work collaboratively to map out your concerns while developing the best therapeutic approach to your specific needs.  Students interested in individual counseling must first complete an initial consultation. Students are allotted 1-10 individual therapy sessions per year, and the number of sessions will depend on the goals set for therapy.

  Due to the high demand for services, we are typically unable to accommodate individuals requesting weekly individual appointments, except in acute crisis situations.  The vast majority of clients are seen by their counselor every 2-3 weeks.  While many of our staff offer specialty services (e.g. EMDR) and varied approaches to treatment, we will do our best to accommodate requests although we cannot guarantee availability. If we are unable to accommodate your request, we can discuss various options including providing appropriate off-campus referrals or supplementing individual therapy with group services.

  *Please note that we are not able to provide individual therapy to those who are solely requesting services to meet the extra credit requirements for classes.  Contact the Psychological Services Clinic for more information on this type of request.*

• Liaison Counselors

  We recognize that not all students feel comfortable accessing services at the Counseling Center for a variety of reasons. To accommodate these students, we have established several relationships with campus partners and are able to offer services in alternative spaces, particularly for underserved groups. Below is a list of the places where liaison services may be accessed. Please click on each link for more information and the times available with each liaison. Appointments are made on a first-come-first served basis. To schedule a time with our liaison staff at one of these locations, please call (970) 351-2496.

  Athletics

  Cultural Centers

  Center for Human Enrichment (CHE), McNair Scholars Program, & Disability Resource Center

  Gender and Sexuality Resource Center (GSRC)

• Psychiatric Services

  The Counseling Center offers psychiatric services for students who may benefit from medication evaluation and ongoing care. Students must first complete an initial consultation session with a Counseling Center staff member prior to scheduling an appointment for psychiatric services.  Due to the high demand for psychiatric services, students who have an established relationship with a prescribing provider are encouraged to continue their care with current providers when at all possible.  Students who experience general, uncomplicated concerns (e.g. depression, anxiety) may be referred to a general practitioner or primary care provider.  We are only able to accept the UNC student insurance for psychiatric services. If the fee for this service would present a barrier to accessing care, please let your counselor know during your initial consultation.

  Services & Fees

  Without UNC Insurance

  With UNC Insurance

  Initial Appointment

  $100.00

  $37.00

  Follow-up Appointment

  $50.00

  $18.00

  No-show Fee

  $185

  $185

Services We Do NOT Offer:

Due to increasing demands for general psychotherapy services, we are unable to offer the following services:

• Emotional Support Animal (ESA) evaluations, accommodations, or services solely related to ESA documentation
• Counseling for extra credit requirements of a class (contact the Psychological Services Clinic for more information on this type of request)
• Mandated counseling
• Intensive substance abuse treatment
• Intensive eating disorders treatment

 While we are not able to provide these services at our center, we are able to provide a referral to connect you with the services that will best meet your needs.  Please give us a call at (970) 351-2496 or come in to see us if you have any questions related to the scope of our services.