Frequently asked questions

Counseling is the development of a professional relationship between you and a therapist to help you with personal problems. Counseling relationships are unlike friendships or medical doctor-patient relationships. Counselors serve as skilled listeners who help you to clarify issues and uncover/explore your feelings, which can help you deal more effectively with your problems.

To utilize the counseling services you must schedule an appointment. Visit our services page to see the full list of services we offer.

Due to resources and scope of practice issues, there are a handful of services the counseling center does not provide. Visit our services page to see the full list of services we do not offer.

As stated in our policies, only currently enrolled undergraduate students are eligible for counseling services. We recommend faculty and staff visit Union College's Employee Assistance Plan to learn about services offered by The Wellness Corporation.

The college years are known to be extremely stressful for many students due to both academic and social pressures. At times students may find that the stress becomes unmanageable and interferes with learning. Students seek assistance from the Counseling Center for a variety of reasons, including: academic issues, anxiety, depression, grief, loneliness/isolation, relationship issues, stress, and substance use or abuse, among others.

You will still be solving your own problems. A counselor helps you clarify issues so you can more effectively resolve the issues yourself. The goal of counseling is to help you develop the skills needed for you to become more self-sufficient in the future.

There may be instances when you are concerned about someone else’s well-being. For example, someone may express difficulty with alcohol, drugs, or stress, or they may exhibit unusual or disruptive behavior. We encourage you to contact the Wicker Wellness Center whenever you are concerned about another person and are unsure as to how to help.

**You should always contact us if another student mentions suicide, whether directly to you or in an indirect manner (social media, email, etc.).**

Absolutely. Confidentiality is respected by all staff members at the Wicker Wellness Center. Both law and the ethics of professional practice require that information discussed during counseling sessions be kept strictly confidential. Confidential information about a student’s visit to the Wicker Wellness Center cannot be released without the student's written consent. Please read our confidentiality policy for more information.

Absolutely not. Visits to the Counseling Center are confidential and will not be revealed to the Registrar or other Union College offices. Counseling Center staff may confer with one another as needed to provide the best possible services.

Students can make requests for specific counselors however, we are not always able to accommodate these requests due to caseloads and areas of expertise.

The counseling center does not offer counseling in this manner. Email is used only for scheduling purposes.

The Wicker Wellness Center is committed to seeing students as quickly as possible. Students can schedule consultation appointments up to 3 days in advance, and as early as that same day. We do our best to schedule follow-up appointments within one to two weeks of the initial triage appointment. (We thank you in advance for understanding that during our peak stress times it may take a little longer).

**Students experiencing a crisis must let the receptionist know this in order to be seen as soon as possible.**

Triage consultation appointments are 20-30 minutes. Follow-up counseling appointments usually approximately from 45 minutes. They are often scheduled on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, depending on what is clinically appropriate. (We thank you in advance for understanding that during our busier times, we may need to schedule on a bi-weekly basis).

Due to increased demand for counseling services over the past few years, and to be able to accommodate all students seeking services the Counseling Center will be implementing session limits. All undergraduate students of Union College will be entitled to a maximum of 15 sessions per academic year. Scheduling will depend on clinical need and availability with your individual clinician. Due to the need to implement this change mid-year, we are hopeful we will be able to provide a maximum of 12 sessions for the remainder of this academic year.

Most issues that arise during the college years are conducive to a short-term therapeutic model. At Union College, over 80 percent of individuals seeking services from the Counseling Center have been seen for less than 15 sessions per year. For those who may need services above and beyond this, we will happily work with you to arrange for appropriate care.

Appointments can be made Monday-Friday between 9 am and 5 pm. The Counseling Center is located on the second floor of Wicker Wellness Center (next to the Alumni Gym).

The Wicker Wellness Center provides weekend and evening crisis on-call coverage. If you are have a mental health emergency, please contact your R.D. or Campus Safety and ask to speak with the on-call counselor.

Appointments are free of charge. Please note that psychiatric and nutrition appointments through the health center have a $30 no-show fee.

Call (518) 388-6161 during regular office hours and we will be happy to answer your questions and/or schedule an appointment.

Call (518) 388-6161 during regular office hours and we will be happy to schedule an appointment.

If you need to cancel your appointment please let us know as soon as possible so that we can accommodate all students in need. You can call Wicker Wellness Center at (518) 388-6161 or email your individual clinician to cancel or reschedule an appointment.