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To Connect with a Counselor

• Attend our walk-in hours Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-noon and 1:30-4:30 p.m. You can schedule a follow-up appointment or request a specific counselor moving forward. 
• If walk-in hours do not fit your schedule, you may email us at counselingcenter@colgate.edu to request a scheduled appointment.
• To join a therapy group, attend a walk-in appointment or email the group leader to schedule a pre-group meeting.
• If you have a mental health need after business hours or on the weekend, call the on-call counselor at 315-228-7385 and dial #2.
  
  *Due to our walk-in hours, we can avoid a wait list and students can be seen quickly

What to Expect at Your First Appointment

Counseling is a collaborative process tailored to help you cope with your concerns and identify a support plan.

1. Check in at the front desk when you arrive, and complete your check-in forms. Most first counseling appointments are about 30 minutes.
2. During your initial session, you and your counselor will review your immediate concerns and discuss any relevant history.
3. The counselor will focus on learning about your goals for treatment and collaborate on a plan for achieving the goals. 
4. The counselor will discuss treatment options which might include individual sessions, group therapy, or referrals to psychiatry, community provider, or other °Ä²Ê¿ª½± health, campus, or community resource. 
5. At the end of the appointment, the counselor will make recommendations and discuss follow-up options based on your individual needs.

Confidentiality

Counseling sessions are strictly confidential. Your privacy is very important to us and, thus, the Counseling Center adheres to state laws and ethical standards, which require that all client information be held in confidence. Except in emergency circumstances, no one outside of the Counseling Center is given any information even the fact that you have had an appointment without your consent.

There are a few rare exceptions to confidentiality, as follows:

• Abuse of children: If a staff member has reason to believe that a child under the age of 18 is being abused or neglected
• Imminent harm to self/others: If a staff member has reason to believe that you are in danger of physically harming yourself or someone else
• Age limitation: If you are under 18 we cannot guarantee you confidentiality. If contacted by your parents, we would have to answer their questions in regard to your treatment.
• Security clearance/certification: If you apply for state licensure or certification in some professional fields or apply for a job requiring security clearance
• Third-party payment/insurance: If you are referred for other services for which you might need insurance coverage
• Court orders: When ordered by a court of law

Our guiding principle is to respect a student's right to confidentiality. Trust is an essential aspect of effective therapy. We will exert our greatest effort to ensure the respect and confidentiality of our clients. 

A student's medical records at the Counseling Center are confidential, and information from them is only released with the student's request and written permission. Medical records are kept for seven years (immunization records for 10) following graduation and then are destroyed.

Diversity and Inclusion

Counseling and Psychological Services is committed to promoting and affirming diversity. We acknowledge the negative impact of all forms of discrimination, including but not limited to those based on age, citizenship, country of origin, ethnicity, gender, physical and mental ability, race, religion, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status. We work toward improving the culture and climate to affirm diversity and help students build community.

We strive to reduce barriers to accessing resources for holistic wellness to support students' success at °Ä²Ê¿ª½± and beyond. Therefore, as a staff we are committed to fostering cultural humility, examining our personal assumptions regarding diversity and how they impact our interactions with others.