Individual Counseling
Counseling and Psychological Services, a division of the Counseling and Career Center, provides individual psychotherapy for full-time students who are struggling with mental health, emotional, or behavioral issues which interfere with their ability to reach their potential as a student. All therapy sessions are free and confidential. Although we work with other concerned individuals (parents, faculty, bishops, etc.), your desire for, or participation in psychotherapy will not be discussed in any way with these entities without your written permission. Services are provided by more than 25 PhD-level psychologists, as well as doctoral students in training. To schedule a first appointment, complete the paperwork here and then call 801-422-3035.
What to Expect at your First Visit
What is it? One-on-one or group counseling for problems ranging from difficulties which are normal to young adult development (e.g., adjustment to the university setting) to more serious problems associated with acute or long-standing psychological disturbances. Counseling services are oriented toward short-term interventions designed to help students develop self-reliance and to succeed in their role as students.
How do I access it? You must be a full-time, day-time student (enrolled for 9 or more semester hours). Call 801.422.3035 or come to 1500 WSC to schedule with the receptionist for an initial intake session. Following a brief intake session to assess your needs, you will be referred for individual counseling, group counseling, psychological evaluation, or other appropriate services.
What should I expect? You will meet first with an intake counselor who will, with your help, assess your specific needs and determine which services, whether offered by the CCC or someone else, will be most helpful. The intake counselor will then refer you for the appropriate follow up services. These services will focus on helping you deal more effectively with problems that interfere with the attainment of educational goals and personal fulfillment. These problems or concerns may include such things as depression, anxieties and fears, self-esteem issues, sexual assault trauma, interpersonal conflicts, eating disorders, marital discord, stress management, family of origin conflict, physical/emotional/sexual abuse, and a wide variety of other distressing conditions. Counseling is provided within the established professional guidelines of confidentiality.
Anticipated Outcomes We expect that involvement in personal/emotional counseling should help you resolve or better manage the problems or concerns that brought you in. Once these concerns are under greater control you should be able to focus more clearly on your educational pursuits with fewer distractions.
Does it cost? Counseling services are free of charge to full-time students. If you are referred for psychological testing, there is a small charge for scoring of the tests and you will be informed of any such charges prior to your taking any tests.
Scope of Services & Referrals outside the Center
CAPS clinicians generally work from a short-term therapy model. We see 90% of our clients for fewer than 10 sessions in an academic year. The frequency of sessions varies from weekly, to every 2-4 weeks, to less than monthly. Our goal is to facilitate students’ growth and development by working towards alleviating psychological problems and distress, enhancing mental health, well-being, quality of life, and supporting aspirations for optimal functioning. Our primary focus is on providing brief, confidential counseling services aimed at helping students achieve their personal and academic goals. Providing short-term services allows us to keep our doors open, assisting a large number of students. When students require mental health services that are beyond the role and scope of BYU CAPS, we will make appropriate referrals to campus and community resources.
All students seeking services will receive an opportunity for an initial (triage or intake) appointment in order to determine whether the student’s needs fall within the role and scope of CAPS. Additional appointments may be needed to determine the appropriateness of services or for case management. The decision about whether or not the needs of a student fall within the role and scope of CAPS will be made either during the initial appointment or after consultation with the Clinical Director or Clinical Review Team.
In general, students with the following concerns and characteristics will likely need a higher level of care than what is within the role and scope of BYU CAPS:
A need for medical detoxification and/or medical stabilization.
A need for inpatient treatment
A need for forensic psychological services
A need for neuropsychological services.
A history of non-cooperation with treatment.
Risk of self-harm or harm to others that cannot be altered by the level of services that can be reasonably provided by CAPS (considering CAPS resources and level of student psychological/psychiatric status). Consideration of risk will necessitate an assessment of the individual’s treatment needs, including outpatient counseling, psychiatric care, and/or outpatient crisis interventions.
Chronic substantial (and current) risk of self-harm or harm to others, or evidence of progressive deterioration, as evidenced by one or more suicide attempts or multiple psychiatric hospitalizations.
Chronic, severe self-injury/mutilation (e.g. the student presents with history of self-injury that has required medical attention and the self-injury is still occurring).
Eating-disorders necessitating a high level of medical, psychiatric and/or dietetic care and monitoring in addition to psychological treatment (as assessed by medical status, body weight, risk of self-harm, risks with purging and restricting behaviors, and ability and motivation to structure eating behaviors and reduce exercise independently).
History of treatment that is beyond the resources of BYU CAPS and evidence that the need for the previous level of care continues or is likely to be needed (e.g. need for frequent consultation after hours) Students at BYU CAPS are typically seen every other week or bi-monthly for therapy. CAPS cannot guarantee weekly sessions.