Services Provided

Services

• Initial Assessment

  During the initial appointment, you will complete paperwork and then meet with a counselor to discuss your concerns. The counselor will gather information to gain a better understanding of your needs. 
  
  Once your goals have been identified, you and your counselor will work together to develop a plan for follow up. Brief therapy at the Counseling Center is one treatment option. Other options may be explored.

  • Group therapy
  • TAO Connect (online modules combined with counselor-led coaching sessions)
  • As needed Timely Access services
  • psychiatric/medication services
  • Referral to other campus resources (e.g., students4support) or to a community provider
• Individual Therapy

  Our individual therapy services are designed to be short-term, with sessions occurring every other week. Most students find their concerns can be addressed in 3-4 sessions. Others may need more time to meet their therapy goals. Your counselor will help you identify your goals and determine whether those goals can be achieved within our short-term model. If your needs would be better met through one of our other services, your counselor will discuss this with you at your inital appointment.  

• Psychiatric/Medication Services

  Like our counseling services, our psychiatry services are designed to be short-term. Our psychiatrist will conduct an initial consultation with the goal of determining the proper medication and dosage to help you achieve symptom relief. Once stable on medication, you will be referred to an off-campus provider for medication management (i.e., refills and continued monitoring).

  To qualify for our psychiatric services, you must be engaged in counseling at our center and referred by one of our counselors. Our psychiatrist is not available to students already taking medication and needing refills only, or to those who are not using our counseling services. For those that are looking for simply medication refills, and are not seeking counseling services, can go to Student Health Services (please note that they will not provide refills for controlled substances). 

• Group Therapy

  Group is a poweful way to create change in your life! When you attend an intial assessment in our office, your counselor will discuss our group therapy program and may reccommend this as the best therapy modality to fit your needs. Groups we offer include: 

  • Understanding Self and Others: general therapy focused on fostering healthy boundaries and relationships
  • Women's Empowerment: healing for survivors of interpersonal trauma
  • True Colors: LGBTQIA+ support group
  • Building Social Confidence: help managing social anxiety
• Crisis Support

  If your concern is urgent or you feel you are in crisis you DO NOT need to make an appointment. Please come in during office hours to consult with a counselor.  

  If you need immediate assistance after 5pm or on weekends, you can speak with a counselor-on-call by dialing 843-953-5640 and choosing menu option #3. If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, please call 911. 

• Mandated Assessment

  Sometimes students are referred to The Counseling Center due to a College of Charleston policy violation. The goal is to provide an opportunity for you to reflect on the factors that contributed to the violation and help you identify whether those factors represent an area of concern you want to create change around. Our counselors are NOT involved in any disciplinary decisions and are here to support you as you navigate the conduct process. You will be asked to complete a release of information allowing us to notify the referring party that you attended the session and engaged in the assessment. Depending on the situation, we may also be required to provide recommendations back to the office or department that refe

• Referral Services

  Thriving Campus is free for all College of Charleston students and includes local in-person options as well as teletherapy with clinicians licensed to practice in South Carolina.