Eppler-Wolff Counseling Center

Counseling Center

The Counseling Center supports the mission of Union College by encouraging the intellectual, emotional, and social development of students by providing comprehensive mental health services focused on personal growth and decision making, promoting healthy lifestyle choices, relationship-building, and problem resolution. We are committed to supporting diversity, social justice, and treating all members of the Union community with respect, recognizing a special duty to those of underrepresented and historically marginalized groups. Here at the Counseling Center, we embrace a definition of diversity that includes ethnic/racial identity, sexual orientation, age, sex, religious beliefs, socioeconomic status, gender identity, nationality, body shape/size and differences in physical abilities. We value respect by treating everyone equally, valuing all contributions, cultivating autonomous decision making, and celebrating diversity. The Counseling Center is located on the second floor of the Wicker Wellness Center.

The Counseling Center offers both in-person and telehealth therapy at this time. If you are feeling ill or have been potentially exposed to covid-19, please let us know so that you can have a virtual appointment. To schedule a consultation appointment, please call (518) 388-6161 to speak with an administrative assistant. Consultation hours are currently Monday-Friday from 1-4 PM. Regular therapy sessions are available Monday-Friday between 9-5 PM. Masks are no longer required at Wicker Wellness Center, however, if you are feeling ill, we ask that you do wear one.

The Eppler-Wolff Counseling Center extends its support to ALL our students who are being impacted by the current violence in Israel and Gaza. We recognize the understandable grief, fear and anger that many of our students may be experiencing right now, especially our students who are Israeli, Palestinian, or have ties to or loved ones in those regions. We encourage all of you to take care of and be compassionate with yourselves and each other.

  • UWill Telehealth Counseling Services

    We are excited to partner with Uwill, the leading mental health and wellness solution for colleges and students, to provide free access to teletherapy for currently enrolled students. This is an immediate, secure, and convenient way to receive online-based counseling services should the need arise.

    • Choose a therapist based on your preferences including issue, gender, language, ethnicity
    • Choose a time that fits your schedule
    • Choose your appointment type: video or phone
    • Visit https://app.uwill.com/ to get started

    If you have support or technical questions when using Uwill, you can reach
    out directly to Uwill by calling 833.99.Uwill or emailing
    support@uwill.com.

  • Counseling Services
    • Individual counseling
    • Group counseling
    • Couples counseling
    • Drug/alcohol and health education
    • Crisis intervention services
    • Coping skills education
    • Consultation for students, staff and faculty on how to recognize and respond to students who may be at serious risk
    • Consultation/individual counseling for any undergraduate student who is participating in a conduct hearing on campus
    • Telehealth appointments
  • Consultation Services
    • Monday-Friday from 1-4 p.m - solution-focused consultation appointments are available.
    • Please call (518) 388-6161 to speak with an administrative assistant to get scheduled.
    • If you are an established client, please note you will be seeing the on-call clinician who will likely not be your regular clinician.

    For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call us at (518) 388-6161.

  • Highlighted Services

    Therapy Dogs

    You can find Ace, Eve, Hunter, Mally, Margo & Sparky at the Wicker Wellness Center on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Thursday is our dog-free day. They all love it when visitors come to play with them and give them attention! You can sign them out for a walk too! For more information, on our Therapy Dog Program, contact Joan Thompson.

    Psychiatric Medication Management

    We collaborate with Health Services in order to provide medication management to students.

    • A Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner from Wicker Health Services is available on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons to provide medication management.
    • Students being treated for ADHD who are requesting to have Health Services collaborate with their home prescriber are required to have a current letter of testimony from that provider. The form can be accessed here. This document must be completed and returned to the Wicker Wellness Center before we can assume prescribing responsibility. The standard of practice that we follow is to work collaboratively with the prescribing provider in order to bridge the prescribing responsibilities for students while they are at school.

    **A No-Show fee of $30 for an intake or follow-up visit will be billed to students' tuition for any appointment not canceled at least 24 hours in advance (due to high demand of services).**

    Nutrition Consultation

    Individual nutrition counseling services are available to students at no cost to you. Our Consultant Dietitian-Nutritionist, Anna Ipsen, provides nutrition consultation for the following.

    • General Wellness
    • Eating disorders/disordered eating
    • Sports nutrition
    • Weight management
    • Food Intolerance and allergies
    • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
    • PCOS
    • Vegetarian diets
    • Diabetes/Dyslipidemias/Hypertension

    Anna is on campus all day Wednesdays and Thursday mornings. To schedule an appointment phone Wicker Wellness Center at (518) 388-6120 or use your student portal.

    Anna Ipsen, MS, RDN, CDN

    Registered Dietitian, Certified Dietitian Nutritionist, Certified Health Coach

    **A No-Show fee of $30 for an intake or follow-up visit will be billed to students' tuition for any appointment not canceled at least 24 hours in advance (due to high demand of services).**

    Relaxation Room

    Do you need a breather from the fast pace of everyday life? Perhaps you need a quiet spot for meditation, a telehealth appointment with an off campus provider, or just to relax. If so, call us to reserve our relaxation room M-F from 9-12 and 1-5.

  • After Hours Crisis
    • During the academic year, when the residence halls are open, a staff member is available evenings and weekends as the counselor-on-call to provide crisis support.
    • Please call your R.A., R.D. or contact campus safety (518) 388-6911 to access these services.
    • The National Suicide and Crisis Line is 988
  • Additional Wellness Resources
  • Off Campus Medical Emergency Resources

    Ellis Hospital ER, Nott Street: (518) 243-4121

    Ellis Health Center ER, McClellan Street: (518) 382-2222

    Albany Med EmUrgentCare: (518) 264-9000

    Urgent Care, Community Care Physicians, Niskayuna, NY: (518) 713-5341

    Urgent Care, Surya Immediate Care, Latham, NY: (518) 867-8080

  • Services Not Provided

    Services The Counseling Center Does Not Provide

    The Counseling Center strives to provide as many clinical services to our students as possible. However, some services taking up tremendous personnel resources, presenting a conflict of interest, ethical constraints/beyond the scope of our mission, or require specialization, there are some we do not provide, including:

    • Services are available only to currently enrolled students. We do not serve:
      • Incoming first year students prior to arrival on campus for academic purposes,
      • Seniors who have graduated,
      • Alumni
      • Students returning from time away prior to the beginning of the academic term;
    • Clinical services to staff or faculty (we will provide consultation regarding student matters or referrals for personal matters)
    • Long-term counseling;
    • Specialty care (EMDR, psychoanalysis, body work, etc.);
    • Intensive substance abuse treatment;
    • Intensive outpatient treatment;
    • Testing for learning disabilities and/or attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD);
    • Assessment and documentation for service or emotional support animals;
    • Forensic evaluations;
    • Neuropsychological evaluations;
    • Court-ordered treatment or treatment that is the stipulation of probation;
    • Evaluations for attorneys or courts related to difficulties such as alcohol infractions (e.g., driving under the influence) or other domestic matters such as parents seeking custodial authority of a student;
    • Services to students who are not medically stable or require intensive medical treatment.

    Although we do not provide these services, we will work with students to help them access these resources off-campus. If you would like assistance in accessing these resources off campus, please contact the Counseling Center at (518) 388-6161.