Individual Counseling
Student Well-Being offers brief, solution-based treatment to Missouri S&T students. 

Schedule a time below using the green button ("Schedule a Screening") to complete a screening with a staff member. During the screening, the staff member will ask you a short list of questions. They will then walk you through the Personalized Care Model, a visual way to help determine what support type is best for you based on your individual needs.

For help scheduling a screening, email wellbeing@mst.edu or call 573.341.4211. 

Schedule a Screening

What to expect

By phone or in person, we will ask for some identifying information:

  • Name
  • Student ID number
  • Phone number
  • Email address

When scheduling online using the Student Health Patient Portal, you may be asked to give identifying information if you have not used the portal before.

The support staff at the front desk will work with you in person, via email, or over the phone to schedule a mutually convenient time to meet. You can now schedule first time screening/consult appointments online which can be done at any time using the Student Health Portal.

Student Well-Being support staff and counselors.

All appointment information is confidential. 

You are responsible for canceling your appointments in advance. To cancel, you can call 573-341-4211, email wellbeing@mst.edu, or stop by the front desk in 204 Norwood Hall and notify the front desk staff of the appointment change. Please notify the office 24 hours in advance for a cancellation or as soon as you are able. If you are unable to make it in person, you may change to a remote session via zoom up until the time of your appointment.

You can meet with a counselor for an individual session in the counselor's office (204 Norwood Hall), via Zoom, or walking around campus in our new Walk and Talk Therapy sessions (learn more about Walk and Talk Therapy below).

When meeting via Zoom, students can either videochat from their own space or choose to use one of Student Well-Being's hybrid rooms for extra privacy. For distance learning students, counselors can only meet virtually if you are in the state of Missouri.

No. We offer brief, solution focused counseling and the number of sessions is determined by the counselor (on average, students engage in 3-4 sessions). Participation in groups of any amount and frequency is not limited. 

After your appointment has been scheduled, we will ask you to complete online forms through the Student Health patient portal. Completing these forms prior to your session will help your counselor better support you.

All services offered through Student Well-Being, including individual and group counseling, are eligible for all enrolled students who have paid the Student Health fee.

If a student is NOT enrolled in classes over the summer semester, but would like to engage in counseling, they are able to contact Student Health Services and pay the fee in order to utilize services over the summer.

Any individual under the age of 18 must submit a Minor Consent for Treatment form giving permission from their legal guardian to be treated prior to making an appointment for medical services or mental health services. Access the form here: Informed Consent for Minors Form Spring 2024

How We Can Help
Some common concerns we can assist with:
  • Stress management
  • Depression
  • Grief
  • Anxiety
  • Motivation
  • Family concerns
  • Clarifying interests
  • Conflict resolution
  • Assertiveness
  • Self-esteem
  • Procrastination
  • Social connections
  • Career planning
  • Selecting a major
  • Changing a major

Some examples of services not available in our scope of care, or when a student would be referred to an off campus resource:

  • If a student is needing psychiatric care for medication management
  • For a diagnosis of any kind (often for test accommodations, an emotional support animal, or for ADHD)
  • Couples or family therapy
  • Mandated or court ordered assessments and/or treatment
  • For long-term or intensive therapy
  • Significant substance use requiring specialized care
  • General interest in seeing a provider off campus
  • Other specific needs or desires as they arise

Confidentiality

Our counseling staff members and their direct support staff (i.e. front desk) are legally and ethically required to maintain confidentiality. They are NOT Mandated Reporters. This means they are NOT required to promptly report any details they possess in relation to a Title IX or Equity policy violation. Learn more about mandated reporters on the Title IX website. If you would like us to disclose specific information to anyone (e.g. a professor or doctor), we will need your written permission to do so. 

Exceptions to confidentiality

  • If there is a possibility that you might harm yourself or someone else
  • If abuse of a child or vulnerable adult is suspected
  • Contact with non-counseling Student Well-Being staff members is not confidential. Non-counseling staff members (such as Wellness Coordinators) ARE Mandated Reporters.
  • Outside of our office: contact with the care manager is NOT confidential (more info)

Common Misperceptions of Counseling Services

It is important that counseling services are known about and understood fully in order to best support you. Check out some common misperceptions below and the truths behind them.
  • "The wait time for individual counseling services is too long."
  • "Speaking with a counselor is not confidential and others will know."
  • "There are not enough counselors on campus."
  • "I can be turned away from counseling services."
  • "College counselors are not real professional counselors."

"The wait time for individual counseling services is too long."

The average wait time to be seen for your first counseling appointment is 1-2 days, oftentimes students can be seen in the same day. This first appointment acts as a screening where you will meet with a counselor to determine your needs and what the best next steps will be. If individual counseling is the decided course of action, the average wait time for your next appointment is within one week. During this waiting period, counselors will often provide other resources or services that can support you in the meantime.

"Speaking with a counselor is not confidential and others will know."

Our counseling staff members and their direct support staff (i.e. front desk) are legally and ethically required to maintain strict confidentiality. They are NOT Mandated Reporters, meaning that they are NOT required to report any details they possess in relation to a Title IX or Equity policy violation. The ONLY exceptions to this confidentiality are if a student is in life-threatening danger, is threatening the lives of others, or if there is an immediate safety concern for a child or vulnerable adult. These confidentiality guidelines are state and national laws and are not set by the university.

NO ONE, including other students, staff, or family members, will receive information regarding your appointment(s) without your verbal and written consent to do so.

Outside of the Student Well-Being department, the only other non-Mandated Reporters on campus that interact with students are health care providers in Student Health Services. ALL other employees of the university are mandated reporters and are required to promptly report any Title IX or equity violations. If you are unsure if the staff member you are speaking with is a Mandated Reporter or not, simply ask them before sharing any private or confidential information.

"There are not enough counselors on campus."

According to the Clinical Load Index, a metric developed by the Center for Collegiate Mental Health for assessing college counseling center staffing, Student Well-Being has an ideal staff-to-student ratio. Our staff consists of three part-time counselors, one part-time psychologist, four full-time counselors, one part-time practicum student/intern, and two support staff. Student Well-Being also has four wellness coordinators that meet with students in a non-clinical setting, for wellness consultations, presentations, and more.

"I can be turned away from counseling services."

Students who are seeking counseling services will always be seen and will work with the counselor or staff member to ensure the best next steps are taken. Individual counseling is brief, solution-focused, and goal-oriented. The number of sessions is determined by the counselor and student, though on average, students engage in 3-4 individual sessions. Participation in support groups of any amount and frequency is not limited. Our goal is to provide availability for as many students as possible who desire our services.

Student Well-Being counselors practice within a scope of care, so there are certain concerns that would be referred off-campus to a provider who can meet their needs. Learn more about our scope of care above. 

"College counselors are not real professional counselors."

All Student Well-Being counselors are at least Masters level educated and are fully licensed as either a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Social Worker (LSW), Provisional Licensed Professional Counselor (PLPC), or Licensed Psychologist (PhD) in the state of Missouri. The only exception to this is if there is an on-staff Practicum Student, who is Bachelors level educated and is working on completing their Masters degree. Counseling staff follow all state and federal counseling/ therapeutic laws and regulations.

Want to meet with a counselor, but don't want to meet in our offices?

Walk and Talk Therapy is a new type of individual counseling offered by Student Well-Being, starting in Fall 2022. Walk and talk Therapy differs from regular therapy sessions in that clients interact with the counselor while walking outside. This can help change the overall dynamic between client and counselor by using a more casual approach, empowering people to feel more comfortable when discussing difficult or sensitive concerns.

Student Well-Being counseling staff will work with you to ensure your confidentiality is maintained. To learn more about the service or to make an appointment, contact Student Well-Being using the contact information at the top of the page.

Want to talk to a counselor, but don't want to schedule an appointment just yet?

Let's Talk is a program that provides easy access to informal, private conversations with trained Student Well-Being staff at various spots around campus. No appointment or fee necessary. Let's Talk offers resources for concerns, a listening ear from a trained professional, or simply a place to relax and chat. Let's Talk sessions are not confidential as they are in public spaces, with some sessions lead by Mandated Reporters.

Below are the Fall 2024 Let's Talk locations. Sessions are held throughout the entirety of the semester, with the exceptions of any campus closures and holidays. Staff will be available in the listed spaces below from 12:00pm - 1:00pm. 

Mondays: Student Success Center (Innovation Lab Room 117)

Tuesdays: Miner Oasis (201 Norwood Hall)

Wednesdays: Student Health Services

Thursdays: Design Center

Fridays: Miner Oasis (201 Norwood Hall)

Faculty and Staff

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

The UM System's Employee Assistance Program (EAP), through Optum, is a confidential, professional service provided to all employees, their families, retirees, and organizational work units. The EAP provides a variety of services to help employees influenced by a range of personal concerns or stressors. The EAP also assists work units and the larger organization to improve quality and productivity. Learn more from the website using the link below.

LEARN MORE