Scope of Services
The Counseling Center provides clinical and campus-based services to help students maintain and develop their emotional well-being and achieve their educational and personal goals. We promote a healthy and inclusive community through relationship-building, education, crisis intervention and support.
Our individual services are based on a brief therapy model and are designed to help students manage immediate problems and provide short-term therapy. These services are ideal for issues that have arisen recently or that are expected to resolve relatively quickly. If you are facing ongoing difficulties (6 months or longer) or if you have engaged in ongoing therapy in the past, it is likely that the Counseling Center will recommend that you establish a relationship with a provider in the community to ensure you have access to mental health treatment that is not limited. Due to ethical and professional standards, students who are actively in treatment with an off-campus therapist are unable to engage in concurrent individual therapy with a Counseling Center therapist. Crisis services, Let’s Talk sessions, and group counseling options are available for all students. Decisions regarding treatment recommendations are made by counselors in consultation with the clinical team of the Counseling Center.
In addition to short-term individual therapy, the Counseling Center offers a strong group counseling program with many helpful options. Our group program has been very popular, and counselors often recommend group as the preferred mode of treatment. Whereas our individual counseling is brief, students may participate in one or various groups throughout their time at Loyola. We run multiple groups each year, some specifically themed and some aimed at more general concerns. Themed groups include those for grief and loss, stress management, unhealthy eating or body image, and sexual/gender or racial/ethnic identity concerns. The typical group involves about 8 students, meets weekly for 60-90 minutes, and is facilitated by one or two counselors.
When off-campus therapy is recommended or preferred by students, a counselor will support the student through the process of getting connected. We will help to identify several referral options selected specifically for their personal situation. Depending on the student's needs and presenting concerns, The Counseling Center will recommend an appropriate level of mental health treatment. We can help with accessing health insurance benefits and navigating transportation options. Local counseling options include some providers within walking distance to campus and some that provide low or sliding scale fee services.
Access to the Counseling Center for an emergency meeting and assistance with navigating on or off-campus resources remains available to all students throughout their college career, regardless of whether they have been referred to an off-campus provider for on-going treatment.
Examples of concerns addressed in short-term therapy
- Mild to moderate anxiety and depression
- Adjustment and developmental concerns
- Interpersonal concerns (friends, family, roommates, romantic partnerships)
- Self-esteem concerns
- Concerns related to the transition to college
- Identity development related to various dimensions of identity (sexual, racial/ethnic, religious, gender, etc.)
- Academic performance and motivation
Examples of concerns addressed with off-campus providers
- Students whose needs warrant treatment over multiple semesters
- Students needing more than once a week intervention on an ongoing basis
- Long-standing and/or significant depression, mood disorder, or anxiety concerns
- Active, significant eating disorders—please view treatment options for eating disorders for more information
- Students with alcohol or drug problems as the primary issue (may be referred for on-campus support through the Office of Student Support and Wellness Promotion or to an off-campus provider)
- Forensic evaluations
- Medication evaluations and/or management for students who are not being seen for short-term counseling at the Counseling Center
- Medication evaluation and/or management for attention deficit disorder
- History of inpatient treatment for mental health purposes
- Mandated mental health evaluation or counseling
- Court appearances/testimony/evaluations or court-ordered assessment and treatment
- Students requiring specialized or more intensive treatment
- Students who require counseling to meet an academic requirement and/or are interested in counseling solely to gain clinical experience
- Students whose needs are determined to be beyond the scope of the Counseling Center services through assessment with a counselor and for whom short-term counseling would not be an effective form of treatment
- Learning disability assessments: The Counseling Center does not conduct psychological evaluations for the purpose of determining disability status and also does not make accommodations recommendations for persons who have been diagnosed with a disability. For this reason, we cannot provide documentation for students seeking authorization for an emotional support animal, even if the student is a current or former Counseling Center client. The Counseling Center can provide students with a referral to a community provider for a disability evaluation. An off-campus psychologist or psychiatrist can evaluate a student's disability status and determine if based on the student's condition, an emotional support animal is medically necessary. Alternatively, students may choose to consult with their primary physician.
The Counseling Center does not provide documentation or "excuse notes" for missed classes or assignments. Concerns related to missed classes or assignments should be addressed with the class professor or Office of Undergraduate and Graduate Studies.
Students seeking academic accommodations related to their mental health should contact Disability and Accessibility Services. The Counseling Center can assist with connecting students to these resources, when needed.
For more information or to schedule an appointment to discuss what treatment options are best for you, please call 410-617-CARE (2273).
Please note that the clinical services of the Counseling Center are intended for students and are not available to Loyola University employees. Employees may contact Human Resources or the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for resources and assistance.
Contact Us
Humanities, Room 150One flight up the turret entrance
Phone: 410-617-CARE (2273)
Call to schedule an appointment
Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.