Counseling Services at Le Moyne College

The counseling staff at the Wellness Center for Health and Counseling offer a variety of services to support our students.

***For thoughts of suicide and other emergency needs, call 911 or 211. For other immediate assistance, text "START" to 741-741 for crisis text line or call 1-800-273-talk (8255).

Coping with COVID-19 update

Le Moyne Counseling Services is aware that all members of our campus community are currently being impacted by general distress related to coronavirus (COVID-19). Although the situation remains fluid and changing hour-to-hour, our plan is to respond to whatever changes occur.

Here is what we are planning so far:

As we are working remotely from off-campus, we are cancelling ALL upcoming in-person appointments. We have already contacted students scheduled in the coming weeks. Be sure to check your Le Moyne email.
We plan to move to offering online services ONLY to students. If you would like to schedule a Zoom session with one of our counselors, you must email counselingservices@lemoyne.edu to schedule.

**Please be aware that at the present time, Le Moyne College counselors, all of whom are licensed in New York State, are NOT able to provide teletherapy services to students who reside out of New York State. We will, however, assist you in finding resources in your community. You may contact the Counseling Center at counselingservices@lemoyne.edu

If you need assistance with finding a therapist back home or elsewhere, please email us at counselingservices@lemoyne.edu and we will send you a referral list.

We understand not being able to meet with your counselor in-person may be distressing, however we will do our best to ensure that your needs are met, whether through our Zoom counseling sessions, self-help options, or referrals to off-campus providers.

Below is a list of resources compiled to help with the natural range of emotions that arise when there is a public health situation.

For coping with anxiety and other symptoms:

From Shine, Virus Anxiety Toolkit

From the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Taking Care of Your Mental Health in the Face of Uncertainty

From the CDC, Mental Health and Coping During COVIVD-19

From the CDC, Stigma and Resilience

From SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), Coping with Stress During Infectious Disease Outbreaks

From the Institute for Disaster Mental Health, COVID-19: Managing Stress in this Anxious Time

One-on-One Meetings

Probably the most frequently used service of the center is individual meetings with the counselors. Students come in for a variety of reasons to confidentially talk with a trained professional. We offer a number of types of interviews for one-on-one personal exploration or individual counseling.

Discussion and Support Groups

Consultation

The staff of the Wellness Center for Health and Counseling is available to consult with students, faculty, staff, or parents to share any student concern. Within the consultation relationship, the consultee and the Center staff member work together to understand the issue(s) or problem(s) and to collaboratively work toward a solution. The center staff consult with members of the campus community about a wide array of issues including:

dealing with difficult people such as roommates, classmates, coworkers, and supervisors;
managing crisis situations in the classroom or residence hall;
locating campus and community services;
helping emotionally disturbed or addicted friends or family members.

Explore the services we provide to our students, faculty & staff, and parents (click on any topic to learn more):

Services for All Students

Individual Sessions

Our most commonly used services are individual sessions for students. Sessions are completely free of charge and confidential. Students come to us with a wide variety of concerns, including anxiety, homesickness, depression, substance abuse, relationship problems, or difficulty with stress. Our highly trained and experienced staff is ready to help. If any of these or other issues have become concerns for you, give us a call to set up an appointment with one of our counselors.

Discussion and Support Groups

Groups in our Center involve a small number of students coming together. Students can come to talk, or just listen. Students in a group generally feel that they themselves benefit by being of help to others who are dealing with similar issues, and they feel comforted by knowing that others are dealing with issues similar to their own. If you are interested in a group, call us to find out what groups are currently running and when they meet, contact us for our calendar of events

Consultation for Students

Are you concerned about a friend? Do you want to refer someone to counseling and don't know how? We are here to help students connect other students with resources that may help. Our staff can advise you on how to handle situations with a friend, roommate, or partner and give you tips and guidance on how to refer someone to counseling.

Services for Faculty & Staff

Consultation

Often times, faculty and staff are the first to notice that a student is in need of support. If there is a student that you are concerned about - maybe he or she doesn't seem themself, maybe they have had a sudden decline in their grades - we can help connect that student with the help he or she may need to thrive at Le Moyne College.

If you need some help getting the student in to see us, please call and one of our counselors will be happy to advise you.

Please refer to our Wellness Handbooks for some helpful information:

Outreach

Counseling center staff is available to come to your classroom to speak about any and all topics related to counseling or mental health. Although we are frequently utilized by Core classes, our services are available to the entire campus community. Some past topics we have presented on include: introduction to the counseling center, stress management, and helping other students in distress. Please call if you would like to arrange a presentation.

Parent and Family Services

Parent Consultation

If you have concerns about your son or daughter's overall happiness and well-being at Le Moyne, please contact us. Often, we can assist you in connecting the student with supports he or she may need in order to excel at Le Moyne. Consultations are not legally confidential because the legal privilege extends only to clients; however, we use our discretion regarding what information we share and we do our best to discuss confidentiality with faculty, staff, and students when they consult with us.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why would someone want to go to counseling? Learn more

Students come to us with all kinds of concerns. Some might be having a conflict with a friend, roommate, or partner. Others may be struggling with the adjustment to college. Others still may be feeling down or anxious or having some other kind of distressing feeling. Some students may have been in counseling in the past and are looking to continue that work. Some other common concerns that bring people to counseling are:

Making friends and establishing a social life
Time management
Managing greater responsibility for your own learning
Concerns about the future
Relationship problems and break-ups
Financial problems
Life after college
Worried about things at home
Illness in the family
A troubled sibling/ family member
Death of a family member, friend or pet
Recent or past sexual trauma
Alcohol or other drug use
Gambling problems
Homesickness
How much does counseling cost? Learn more

Counseling and consultation are available to all registered students at no cost.
Do I need health insurance to go to counseling? Learn more

No, insurance is not needed when you receive counseling services on campus.
Where are you located? Learn more

We are located in the second floor of Seton Hall, which is on Springfield Road, across the street from the baseball diamond. If you are having difficulty finding us, call us at (315) 445-4195 and we'll get you here.
When is the office open? Learn more

We are open Monday through Friday from 8:30AM to 4:30PM. We are generally closed for services when class is not in session (i.e., winter break, holidays, etc.).
How do I make an appointment? Learn more

Just give us a call at (315) 445-4195. Or stop by in person. We will ask you for some basic information (name, class year, phone number, etc.) and set up an appointment for you with one of our counselors.
What can I expect during my first appointment? Learn more

Many people feel nervous about their first counseling appointment. Your counselor understands that it may be hard to talk to someone you don't know about your personal problems. It might help you to feel less nervous if you know what to expect on your first visit.

When you get to the counseling center office, you will be greeted by the receptionist. You should plan to arrive 10-15 minutes early to fill out some paperwork and read some information about the counseling center and your rights as a client. When you are finished with your paperwork you should give it back to the receptionist and she will call your counselor to let them know you are ready.

Your counselor will come to the office to meet you and escort you to their office. Your counselor will probably begin by telling you about him or herself. Then she/he will discuss your rights as a client and issues of confidentiality.

After that, the counselor will probably ask you to describe why you came for counseling. The counselor may ask questions about all the different parts of your life in order to get to know you more and to understand how the problem fits into and/or affects other areas of your life. Don't worry, the counselor can take the lead in this part of the conversation and help you to explain why you are there.

It is important to understand that you and your counselor are partners in understanding and working on your problem. If there's something you want your counselor to know but she/he hasn't asked yet, feel free to offer the information. If you have questions or concerns about counseling or any other issue, it is important to ask. The better you can communicate your worries or needs to your counselor, the better your counselor will be able to respond to your concerns or needs.

At the end of the first meeting, you and your counselor will together develop some goals for counseling. Its helpful to discuss some goals for counseling so that you and your counselor are on the same page and understand what you want to accomplish in counseling. The counselor may then make recommendations about how they feel you could best achieve your goals, which may include short-term individual counseling at the counseling center, group counseling, referral for more evaluation or treatment by a specialist in your area, or a consultation with a health professional about medication.
What's counseling like? Learn more

Your counseling experience depends a lot on the concerns you are bringing and your counselor's style. However, we do what we can to provide students with a safe, judgment-free place to express themselves and to get help with something that is bothering them. Your counselor will likely spend your first session asking questions about the problem at hand and about your personal history. After that, you will collaboratively come up with a plan to address that issue and work toward it together.
Is counseling appropriate for both men and women? Learn more

Yes. Some men may think that counseling is not for them or cannot help them, but that is untrue. Many men have been taught to think that it is weak to talk about problems or to need some kind of help. However, coming to counseling is not all about weakness and having problems. Many people use counseling to strengthen themselves and develop new coping skills. When scheduling a first appointment, you can request a male counselor who can help you become accustomed to counseling.
If I start going to the counseling center, how often do I need to go and for how long? Learn more

This depends on the student and the problem at hand. After meeting with you, your counselor will discuss with you your treatment recommendations, which are tailored to you and your particular set of circumstances. Some students see a counselor for one or two sessions and others are here for a little longer. In general, the counseling center works with a short-term, solution-focused model. Most students who use our services report feeling better within 4-5 sessions. Once you start counseling, you are not obligated to continue, but we would encourage you to discuss those feelings with your counselor.
Does counseling help? Learn more

Yes! The counseling staff can help you to make positive changes in your life, based on established and well-researched therapy techniques. Sometimes, just having someone to listen to you can be very helpful. However, going to counseling does not necessarily guarantee that your problems will go away. A lot of this depends on you. Regular attendance, a commitment to making changes in your life, and thinking about your sessions afterward help counseling work. If you feel like counseling is not helping you or not helping enough, talk to your counselor about this. You can both discuss how to make counseling more effective.
Will people know that I'm in counseling? Learn more

Counseling is confidential. The counseling staff has an ethical and legal obligation to maintain your privacy. We will not tell anyone, including parents and professors, that you are coming to counseling or what is discussed in sessions. There are some limits to confidentiality (typically invoked when someone is in serious danger) that you counselor will discuss with you during your first session.
What if I want to tell someone about my counseling experience? Learn more

You are free to tell anyone whatever you want about counseling, but the counseling staff will not share this information with anyone without your express written permission. Sometimes students give us this permission so that we can confirm counseling attendance with professors or parents or if they are seeing another therapist in the community, so that everyone involved in the student's care has the relevant information.
What if I don't feel comfortable sharing personal information with a counselor? Learn more

This is a common concern. Remember that counseling is confidential. All of our counselors are highly trained professionals who are quite accustomed to helping people with these problems. Sometimes it is hard to disclose personal information, but your counselor will treat your personal information with dignity and respect and will only ask about things that are relevant to the problem at hand. Sharing such information usually gets easier once you have been working with the counselor for a few sessions.
What about medication? Learn more

Medication for issues such as depression, anxiety, and other mental health diagnoses can sometimes be an important part of treatment. The Wellness Center for Health and Counseling can refer students to off-campus resources such as a Psychiatrist, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner or even a Primary Care Provider if they do not already have one. If you are interested in medication, please let your counselor know. These providers can prescribe medication if necessary, and follow up regularly.
Can my friend come with me for my first counseling session? Learn more

Yes, your friend can accompany you to your first counseling session. Counselors understand that starting therapy can be hard and its ok to have a friend with you to make it easier. However, your confidentiality is important to us so we may ask your friend to wait for you in the waiting room for a few minutes at the end of the first session and for subsequent counseling sessions in order to give you a chance to talk with your counselor about things that you might not want to discuss in front of your friend.
What if I can't make my scheduled appointment? Learn more

That's fine. Just call us at (315) 445-4195 to reschedule. We ask that you give us as much notice as possible if you need to cancel, so that your appointment time can be given to another student who may want to be seen.
What crisis services are available? Learn more

If you are in crisis, the counseling office is open (Monday through Friday, 8:30AM - 4:30PM), you can call or walk in. We will try to schedule you with a counselor as soon as possible. If you are in crisis after hours or on the weekend and cannot wait until the next business day, contact your AD (Area Director) or RA (Resident Advisor) or call campus security at (315) 445-4444. If you are off campus please call 911.