Overview of Services
Siena College Counseling Center services are free and confidential. The Counseling Center also provides consultations for students to faculty, staff, and families regarding the mental health of Siena students.
Short-term Individual Counseling
The Siena College Counseling Center offers short-term counseling for students to reduce emotional distress, learn coping skills, foster resilience, and receive support. Students who visit the Counseling Center average six visits. The annual (September 1 to May 31) number of the Counseling Center sessions offered is 8 to 10. Beginning at the first session, the clinician and student will work together to determine if the student’s needs can be met in our model. For example, students with a history of multiple hospitalizations, severe eating disorders, or active psychoses will likely be referred to the community, given the need for more than 10 sessions of counseling. For students who require or wish to have more than 8 to 10 sessions annually, we can assist you in finding a community provider. Attending a group counseling session or a skills group (e.g. Healthy Hangout) offered by the Office of Health Promotion does not count toward the 10 session limit.
FREQUENCY AND LENGTH OF APPOINTMENTS
The intake appointment (i.e., first appointment) will be approximately 60 minutes in length. If deemed necessary, follow-up appointments can be held as often as biweekly. These follow up appointments will be approximately 45 minutes in length. Missed appointments without 24 hour notice are counted toward the annual 10 session limit. Students with repeated missed appointments without 24-hours-notice may be referred to the community.
WORRY-FREE WORKSHOPS
In addition to individual therapy, The Siena College Counseling Center offers clinical skill-building workshops for interested students who are enrolled in the Center. The workshops are thematic (e.g. Anxiety Toolbox) and curriculum-based, and convene once a week for three weeks during free period. They are offered on a rotating basis, every few weeks, so that students can take advantage of them without a long wait. Just a note: these are not drop-in groups, so participation is planned in advance, in consultation with Counseling Center personnel.
CASE MANAGEMENT
The Counseling Center has enlisted a first-year MSW intern to perform case management activities for students that would benefit from it. This individual manages and maintains an up-to-date list of on and off-campus referral resources, and helps students meet their mental wellness needs, outside of The Counseling Center, by collaborating with and/or referring to appropriate programs and services.
Confidentiality
The information shared in a psychotherapy relationship is treated with the deepest respect. The Counseling Center is committed to keeping records and information that is shared confidential. Only in situations where safety is a concern and there is imminent risk of harm can information be shared, and in these situations only for the purpose of ensuring safety.
Assessment of Treatment Progress
Students will be asked to complete a brief computerized assessment (CCAPS) before each appointment. This assessment will track how you are doing on your most pressing concerns on an appointment by appointment basis. Your therapist will review this assessment with you at every meeting and will also ask you how you feel you are doing in counseling.
Psychiatric Services
Siena College contracts with external providers to provide medication management. These providers are available free of charge. The cost to purchase medications will vary depending on the student’s insurance plan. Stipulations for seeing the psychiatry providers include:
- Psychiatry appointments can be scheduled for in-person or Zoom.
- Student must be engaged in concurrent counseling at the Counseling Center to be eligible for psychiatric services.
- Students with repeated missed psychiatric appointments may be referred to the community.
- First appointments with the psychiatrist are scheduled for 60 minutes. Follow-ups are scheduled for 30 minutes. Computer paperwork does not have to be completed for these appointments.
- No prescriptions for ADHD / ADD medications or benzodiazepines.
Services Not Provided
The Counseling Center is not able to provide some services. We can refer students to community providers for these services, if requested. These services include:
- ADD / ADHD evaluations
- Autism spectrum evaluations
- Learning disability assessments
- Disability evaluations for housing
- Disability evaluations for accommodations such as emotional support animals
Other Beneficial Resources
Please refer to the resources below at the college for questions on any of the following areas: