CTS FAQ

There are many kinds of therapy so there is no single answer to this question. Generally for most people, discussing issues, problems, behaviors, feelings, values, choices, goals, wishes, and wants help them clarify how to move from a problem (often a "stuck" point) toward change and solutions.

Be aware though that change is neither easy for most nor is it linear. Talk to you counselor about where you are going and what you want from counseling. Frankly, most bright college students already know what the problem is and how they want to change but have been unable to change it on their own. This still doesn't make change easy and this is where counseling can often help. None of us can be completely objective about ourselves, nor can people close to us, so it is often helpful to talk to an objective trained professional to get a new angle on things.

The answer is "sometimes". Meditation has been shown to help so many people with certain kinds of problems that it would be unfair not to recommend it. IF we believe you would be a good candidate to benefit from medication, we would make a referral to a physician or psychiatrist for a valuation.

On the other hand, we don't always recommend medication if we believe you might respond just as well with other forms of counseling (i.e. therapy). Feel free to talk this over with your therapist if you feel you might, or might not, want medication. You will not be forced to take any medication to receive services unless to do so is strongly contraindicated. 

No, we do not withhold services because someone chooses not to be taped. Our practicum or internship students are video taped but our senior staff members are not video taped.

Our taping is state of the art and extremely safe and confidential, as this was our number one criteria for our new equipment. Also, all taping is erased either immediately after supervision is done (in the case of someone who needs supervision) or at the maximum of 3 weeks when it is automatically deleted, with no record of it remaining.

Taping is advantageous for both your counselor and the client however as a licensed psychologist or licensed professional counselor (supervisors) to help your counselor, help you more, and you could say it's like getting two for one, and much more experience to help you with your problem. If you see a practicum student counselor, it benefits them immensely in learning to improve their skills and knowledge and to help you more with your specific situation. There are some cases where if you choose not to take, you may be requested to change counselors to someone who doesn't require supervision.

It is our policy that all staff seeks in-house consultation as needed, but remembers all of this is done with the same strict privacy as you have with your original counselor.

Counselors sometimes use these as tools to help students. If your counselor thinks it may be helpful, they will discuss it with you. 

No, we do not do full assessments that are required for the Office of Disability Services or other agencies for many reasons. But, we will be glad to help you locate a site or professional that can do these extensive evaluations, including a referral to the Psychology Clinic in Terrell Hall. We also may be able to give you names of professionals in the community who do these assessments.

The staff at Counseling and Testing Services work closely together with the staff of the Student Health and Wellness Center (as well as off-campus health professionals) for the mutual benefit of the student, with the individual client's permission.

For some clients, medication is a very beneficial part of the overall treatment process, and referral for a medication evaluation will be made when it is suspected that it might prove helpful. Other related health issues will also be referred to the health center or the client's physician.

The office is focused on providing short-term counseling that is designed to assist students with issues that can benefit from this counseling model. Some psychiatric disorders may require treatment and or monitoring beyond the scope of what the counseling center can provide, and if this is the case, referral to appropriate agencies or professionals will be provided. If in doubt, or if you have questions, please contact us.

Due to the significant and continuing increase in demand for counseling services and our limited staff resources, CTS provides brief individual therapy, group therapy, drop-in workshops, and assistance in obtaining appropriate resources/referrals. Duration and type of services is based on individual needs and concerns.

Individual counseling at CTS tends to be brief/short-term, while group counseling sessions can be unlimited. If neither of these services appears to be an ideal fit for your needs, CTS clinicians will assist you in determining and obtaining services that meet your needs.

In some situations, students may benefit from more frequent, longer-term, or specialized care. In these cases, a student will meet with the CTS Case Manager to consult about which resources may be most beneficial. The Case Manager assists students in making initial contact with an outside provider or agency and can provide follow up support.

When possible, we will try to help with finding referrals to other professionals on and off-campus and to help in providing information about other universities, community, and regional resources. We offer these services in sessions but we also do case management services where you can receive referrals and resources.

Students are expected to be prompt for appointments or call to cancel well in advance if they cannot make an appointment so other students have the opportunity to use our resources. Students are also expected to complete the required paperwork that we request.

Students are expected to use counseling to their full ability because any kind of change, growth, awareness, and benefit is contingent on the client's willingness to engage and work openly and honestly in the process of counseling. No counselor can MAKE you change, only help guide you in the direction YOU want to go. Counseling is an ACTIVE process and requires your efforts and work.

Generally, we do not do counseling to meet the requirements of probation or the courts. Remember we are a time-limited short-term counseling center, and usually, that is incompatible with counseling needed for probation.

Also, depending on the situation, we may not have staff that has the expertise to deal with certain kinds of problems that may be part of the legal process. We do not do forensic evaluations of any kind nor do we go to court for/with clients. All of this is not to say that a student, who is on probation, cannot access our serves like other students, but they cannot do so to satisfy a court requirement.