The University Counseling Center offers mental health counseling services to all *qualifying part-time and full-time Â鶹´«Ã½ students, including undergraduate, graduate, law and medical students. These services can be offered in person and/or virtually to accommodate student needs and preferences.
Each qualifying SLU student will receive up to 10 individual sessions of care per academic year. Once a student approaches the 10-session limit during the academic year, the treating provider will consult with the UCC director to identify a clinically appropriate course of action.
Highly trained mental health professionals provide counseling services that can address the following concerns:
- Depression
- Uncontrollable mood swings
- Anxiety/stress
- Panic attacks
- Obsessive-compulsive behaviors
- Attention/concentration problems
- Self-harming behaviors
- Sleep disturbance
- Adjustment problems
- Relationship issues
- Identity/orientation concerns
- Family of origin concerns
- Eating disorders
- Substance use
- Sexual assault
- Crisis intervention
- Cultural/diversity concerns
- Post-traumatic stress
- Developmental disorders
For those whose counseling needs are outside of the scope of the center’s practice, the UCC care manager can assist with community referrals and resources.
*A qualifying student is one who pays the University wellness fee.
Individual Counseling
Before receiving individual counseling services, a student will participate in an initial consultation session facilitated by an intake specialist or staff counselor. The specialist or counselor will share pertinent information with the student regarding the UCC and the therapeutic process as well as conduct a brief assessment to determine what services are most appropriate and will best meet student needs.
Care Management
In addition to counseling services, the UCC supports students in connecting to community resources, offers linkage to external providers and assists those students who experience psychiatric hospitalizations.
Our UCC care manager works closely with the Dean of Students Office and maintains a comprehensive guide for those interested in additional resources.
Outreach
The UCC actively participates in the growth and development of the campus community by responding to requests for well-being support (e.g. workshops, faculty/staff training, panels and presentations) and by serving as consultants on issues such as managing disruptive classroom behavior, addressing students in crisis, handling grief and loss and psychoeducation regarding emerging student mental health needs.
Crisis Support
- The UCC provides support services to any qualifying student who may be having an extremely difficult time managing emotions, coping with grief and loss or who are dealing with the impact of a traumatic incident (e.g. sexual assault/interpersonal violence). Crisis services are also designed to work with a student experiencing a crisis or mental health emergency that disrupts functioning abilities and/or results in feelings or behavior that indicate the intent to self-harm or harm others.
- For those students who present with high-risk needs, behaviors and/or suicidal/homicidal ideation, a UCC clinical staff member/clinical graduate assistant will meet immediately with the student for a crisis support session.
- These sessions are available between 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
After-Hours Crisis Support
Outside of normal business hours (including weekends and holidays) students in crisis have several options:
- Call 911 immediately if you are facing a life-threatening emergency
- Call 988 if you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or having an emotional crisis
- Contact your resident advisor or residence life professional staff
- Call the Department of Public Safety at 314-977-3000
- Consult the University Counseling Center 24/7 behavioral health nurse triage line by calling 314-977-8255 and pressing option #9. Information about this service is explained below.
The triage line, operated by telehealth company Fonemed, provides students immediate access to a behavioral health nurse for routine and crisis assistance 24/7. The scope of the triage line is not to provide immediate counseling, but to assess a presenting concern and advise a student on what to do. Students who desire a connection to a licensed mental health professional can request to be connected to MDLive, which will arrange for the student to have a virtual counseling appointment later (typically within 24-48 hours). For urgent safety needs, the nurses will instruct a caller to either contact 911, the Department of Public Safety or proceed to the nearest emergency room for a full safety assessment. For routine needs, a nurse will offer self-help suggestions and refer the student to an appropriate level of care if that is indicated.
Additional After-Hours Resources
- Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988
- Behavioral Health Response (BHR): 314-469-6644 or 800-811-4760
- SSM Health Â鶹´«Ã½ Hospital: 314-577-8000
- Life Crisis Services: 314-647-4357
- National Hopeline Hotline (English and Spanish): 1-800-784-2433
- First Call for Help Hotline (English and Spanish): 1-800-492-0618
- The Trevor Project (LGBTQ+ support): 1-866-488-7386
- BlackLine (Black, Black LGBTQ+, Brown, Native and Muslim community):1-800- 604-5841
- TransLifeline 1-877-565-8860
Learn more about crisis support and identifying students in distress
Collegiate Recovery Community at SLU
The University Counseling Center oversees the Collegiate Recovery Community (CRC) for recovering students and their allies who are interested in making positive changes regarding their alcohol and/or other substance use.
The mission of the CRC is to help students achieve their academic, personal, and professional goals while participating in the collegiate experience without the negative consequences of substance use. A committee of members, including the UCC coordinator of drug and alcohol services and other partners (faculty/staff) from across campus oversees the CRC.
Our meeting times vary each semester; please contact the University Counseling Center for the schedule of meetings and events. Our newly decorated space is above the Eckelkamp Center for Campus Ministry in room 227, near the Office of Student Responsibility and Community Standards and the University Counseling Center.
The SOBER@SLU space is where we hold meetings, but participants can also hang out on their own time to study, play video games, watch Netflix, or just relax in a quiet and substance-free environment.
During the Fall 2023 semester, Sober@SLU meets on Tuesday nights at 5 p.m. in Wuller 227.
The CRC hosts a variety of events, such as bowling outings, movie nights, 12-step meetings with pizza and community service projects. These drug- and alcohol-free events are hosted both on the Â鶹´«Ã½ campus and in locations around the St. Louis area, sometimes in conjunction with other local universities. All of our programming is designed to provide:
- Fellowship: A safe place to meet like-minded people, hang out, study or just relax.
- Community: Support from alumni, faculty, staff and people from the community to help you achieve your goals.
- Achievement: A place for personal growth, accountability and academic support.
The CRC is an inclusive community, welcoming participants who are interested in attending a single event, or in making a commitment for the full academic year. The only requirement is that you are alcohol and drug-free when you participate in an activity.
As a part of its group therapy offerings, the UCC, in conjunction with the CRC campus chapter at SLU, also provides weekly substance use support groups called Sober@SLU to students in recovery. Facilitated by the UCC Coordinator of Drug and Alcohol Services, the group provides a safe and confidential environment where students can speak freely regarding their substance use, potential triggers and obstacles. Participants set goals about their substance use, ranging from abstinence to using in a more responsible or safer manner. This group provides education about addiction, and resources for facilitating and maintaining recovery.
Participants in the SOBER@SLU group are interested in living sober or making positive changes to their substance use for various reasons. Some are involved in 12-step recovery programs like AA, Al-Anon and ACOA, while others are just starting to question their substance use. Some participants have a family history of alcoholism, while others want to serve as allies to people in recovery.
Although a clinician refers most student participants, students may also self-refer. Some students are mandated to attend weekly groups per sanctions imposed by the Office of Student Responsibility and Community Standards, following a substance use assessment conducted by the UCC.
For more information or questions, contact the Collegiate Recovery Community Chair, Jay Winig or the University Counseling Center at 314-977-TALK.
Patrick Cousins, Mission and Ministry
Bill George, Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business
Andrea Hitsman, Office of Admission
Stephen Irwin, Alumni
Michelle Scheipeter, Flight Center for Aviation Science
Molly Thompson, Graduate Career Advisor
J.J. Janulis, Office of Student Responsibility and Community Standards
Psychiatry
- Psychiatry appointments are available at the Â鶹´«Ã½ Student Health Center by calling 314-977-2323.
- The UCC Care Manager can also assist students in identifying community-based psychiatrists.
WellSPACE
- For students who are looking for an opportunity to decompress and socialize in a calming and relaxing environment, the UCC has created the WellSPACE (Supporting and Promoting Artistic and Creative Expression) just outside of the UCC offices. The WellSPACE offers a variety of art materials, a hammock swing, weighted blankets, yoga mats, an oversized bean bag, a sand garden and plenty of other items to spark creativity and reduce stress.
- The WellSPACE can be accessed 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday
- For student groups wanting to reserve the space for special events, please email UCCDirector@health.slu.edu.