Q. What is counseling?
A. The simple definition: "Counseling is a way to get confidential help for problems or concerns from a trained professional." A more detailed definition: "Counseling is a cooperative process in which a trained professional helps the student identify the sources of difficulties or concerns that he or she is experiencing. Together they develop ways to deal with and overcome these problems so the person has new skills and increased understanding of themselves and others. The effectiveness of counseling is measured by each student's increased ability to function successfully at Oxford College and in other important areas of his/her life.
Q. What issues are appropriate to bring to counseling?
A. Examples of the kinds of concerns for which students seek counseling include:
- Conflicts with friends or family members
- Homesickness
- Difficulties adjusting to new environment, culture, lifestyle, etc.
- Performing poorly in academics
- Feelings of sadness, depression, moodiness or irritability
- Concerns about alcohol or drug use
- Difficulty sleeping or feeling low in energy
- Procrastination
- Preoccupation with food and/or weight
- Concerns with self-esteem
- Feelings of anxiety and/or fear
- Lack of clarity on an educational or career direction
- Problems managing anger
- Difficulties in romantic relationships
- Unwanted habits and/or self-defeating behaviors
- Questions about whether to remain enrolled at Oxford
- Feeling stressed
- Issues related to having been sexually abused, harassed or assaulted, either recently or in the past
- Questions about sexual orientation
If a student's problem or concern is something the counselor is unable to help with or if the student's concerns require services beyond what Counseling and Career Services can reasonably provide, the counselor will refer the student to an appropriate off-campus resource. Another reason for a referral to a provider off-campus is a personal preference on the part of the student and again the counselor will assist the student to access a qualified off-campus resource.
Q. Do I need to have a mental health illness to see a counselor?
A. Absolutely not! Many normal and high functioning people seek counseling for help with challenging stressors and/or developmental challenges that everyone faces within the course of a lifetime.
Q. What kinds of services does the Counseling and Career Services provide?
A. In regard to services offered, Counseling and Career Services (CCS) offers individual counseling, couples counseling, problem-solving sessions, career assessment, career counseling, and psychiatric evaluation and medication management. CCS does not provide psychological testing, long-term psychotherapy, or psychiatric evaluation and medication for ADHD.
Q. What will my counseling cost?
A. The majority of our services are free. There is a nominal fee for career assessments. All other services, however, are provided without cost. However…
Students will be charged $10 for first, second and third No Shows (missed appointments) with personal counselors and psychiatrists. Students will be charged $25 for their fourth No Show and all consecutive No Shows with personal counselors or psychiatrist. Counseling appointments are in high demand and appointment availability can be extremely limited. When appointments are scheduled and not kept, appointment times that could have otherwise been offered to other students hoping to access our services are wasted. This policy is designed not to punish students, but to encourage students to be mindful and respectful of the needs of others. To avoid incurring any fees, students must cancel their appointments within 24 hours by calling 770-784-8394, day or night, and leaving a message.
Q. Who is eligible to use the Counseling Center?
A. Students who are currently enrolled at Oxford College may see a staff member of the Counseling and Career Services without charge. College employees, alumni, and community members are not eligible to receive counseling services through Counseling and Career Services. Emory offers an employee assistance program that provides short-term counseling and referral services to faculty and staff members. Counseling and Career Services also maintains a list of community resources and mental health practitioners available to provide mental health and related services to Oxford faculty, staff, and their families.
Q. Are there time limits as to how long I can meet with my counselor?
A. In general, sessions are limited to 12-15 sessions per year.
Counseling and Career Services (CCS) typically provides short-term counseling for the kinds of concerns and difficulties students encounter in early adulthood. These can be "developmental" or "psychological" in nature. Examples of developmental concerns include homesickness, choosing an appropriate major and a future career direction, learning or improving interpersonal and communication skills, and developing one's own identity separate from family. Examples of psychological concerns include depression and low self-esteem, recovering from traumatic incidents, eating disorders, anxiety and substance abuse. For issues such as eating disorders, severe depression or anxiety, substance abuse and traumatic stress, a longer course of counseling is usually recommended.
Q. What are the hours for the Counseling and Career Services?
A. CCS is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. We typically close for the lunch hour (12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.). We are closed for Labor Day, Thanksgiving break, winter break, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, spring break, and summer holidays.
Q. Where is the Counseling and Career Services Center located?
A. Counseling and Career Services shares a suite with Student Health Service. We are located in East Village, Beta Hall, by the Moore Street breezeway.
Q. How long will I have to wait for a first appointment?
A. Oftentimes, you will be offered an opportunity to meet with a counselor within three business days. Same day appointments are possible. A student has the best chance of being seen within one or two days if he/she has a flexible schedule and is willing and able to miss a class if needed.
Q. How long will the appointment take?
A. Counseling sessions are 45 minutes in duration. Medication management appointments are 20-30 minutes in duration.
Q. What about confidentiality in counseling?
A. Staff of the Oxford College Counseling and Career Services adheres to the ethical principles of the American Psychological Association. We have a strong commitment to keeping your records and the information you share confidential. Information about you and records regarding your concerns and treatment are privileged and will not be disclosed to anyone without your written consent.
Under rare and specific circumstances, however, our counselors may be ethically and legally obligated to breach your confidentiality. The circumstances in which confidentiality may not apply are as follows:
Your counselor believes that you or someone else is in clear and imminent danger of harm. In this circumstance, your counselor is legally obligated to inform proper authorities and others in order to help prevent the harm from occurring; your counselor may also decide that it is in your best interest to contact your family and Oxford College administrators.
You provide information indicating that someone under 18-years-old is being abused. In this circumstance your counselor is legally required to notify proper authorities.
A court orders or subpoenas your counselor to disclose information about you.
You are under 18 years old. Students under 18 years of age must have parental consent before they can receive our services. And for students under 18 years of age, their parents or legal guardians, by law, have access to their medical information.
Q. Will my sessions go on my official student record?
A. No. Counseling records are not part of the student official record. Counseling records are protected by HIPAA and are not released without the consent of the adult-age student or parent of students 17 years of age or younger.
Q. What will happen in my first appointment?
A. On or before your first appointment you will be asked to fill out a simple intake form. It will have contact information, questions about your current concerns. You will review the confidentiality policy. And you will also be asked to complete a computerized intake that will collect demographic information and information regarding your level of distress, medical and psychosocial history. In your first session you and your counselor will discuss what brings you to counseling, as well as the information on your intake form and the computerized report generated from your responses to the computerized inventory.
Q. What if someone just needs information about a referral?
Q. If I'm worried about someone other than myself, what should I do?
A. To discuss your concerns, please contact our support staff and request a consultation appointment. You will be given an appointment to meet with a counselor and you will have the opportunity, then, to express your concerns regarding a peer, roommate, etc.
Q. What if I feel that I am not a good match or I'm not comfortable with my counselor?
A. If you are not feeling comfortable with the counselor assigned to you, you can discuss your feelings and concerns with your counselor as a first step towards getting the help you need. If you would rather not discuss your concerns with your counselor, you can let the support staff know that you would like to continue counseling but you would like to work with a different counselor. There are absolutely no negative repercussions associated with changing counselors at any time during your course of counseling.
Q. Can someone request a particular counselor?
A. Yes, certainly. Students can request to be seen by a specific counselor, though the desired counselor may not be accepting new clients at the time of the request. The student may then need to wait to get an appointment with the counselor of his/her choosing.
Q. Can someone come in to talk about someone else (friend, roommate, family member, etc.) that they're worried about?
A. Yes. When contacting our office, please request a "consultation appointment" to discuss the concerns you have regarding a peer/resident.
Q. Can someone receive counseling by email, Instant Messaging, Facebook, etc.?
A. Offering counseling via email, instant messaging, and Facebook would pose a potential breach of confidentiality, as these vehicles of communication are certainly not secure. CCS staff do not offer counseling via any of these computer-based avenues of communication to protect your privacy!
Counseling and Career Services, however, does have a Facebook page! Check it out for information regarding upcoming health education and career-related events and workshops!
Q. Where can someone get help with study skills like note-taking or doing better on exams?
A. CCS counselors are skilled in working individually with students wanting to improve their study skills, improve test taking performance, cope with test anxiety, and improve their effectiveness as a student, overall. Also CCS sponsors workshops throughout the academic year on topics of Time Management, Study Skills, and Test Anxiety.
Q. Where can someone get help with career-related questions?
Q. Where can someone ask health-related questions or get help for medical problems?
Q. Which office can help with disability questions or requests for accommodations?
A. Access, Disability, Services and Resources (ADSR) can answer questions in regard to disabilities and needs for special accommodations. To speak with a representative from ADSR, please call 770.784.8394.
Q. Can faculty and staff go to the Counseling and Career Services?
A. Unfortunately, no. Oxford College Faculty and Staff are encouraged to contact the Faculty Staff Assistance Program for counseling and consultation services. To contact FSAP, please call 404.727.4328.
Q. What if I need assistance after hours?
A. In the event of a mental health crisis and/or an urgent need for assistance with a mental health problem, please contact Emory Police at Oxford 770.784.8377 and request to speak with an RLC on call.
If you have been prescribed medication by our psychiatrist and you are experiencing a negative reaction to the medication and our office is closed, please call Emory Police at Oxford, 770-784-8377, and ask to speak with the RLC on call.
