Helping You Improve Your Mental Health, Share Your Worries, and Reach Your Academic Goals
Confidential short-term therapy
It is well known that stress, associated with a highly demanding academic life at a critical developmental period, sometimes results in many complications, and these can be managed through professional psychological counseling.
The UCC offers a free-of-charge guidance space where you can talk with a certified professional about your personal issues and private or social life in a confidential setting.
The UCC psychologist focuses on helping you through personal transitions and adjustments associated with your university life.
Because confidentiality is a key part of our ethical practice:
- Your counseling sessions within the UCC are private and confidential.
- Information shared during counseling sessions are private and confidential.
- No record of your visit to the UCC will appear on your academic transcript or record.
The psychologist is nonetheless allowed to share information in the following cases:
- When there is an immediate threat of harm to yourself or others.
- Upon your request (through a signed written release) to reveal information to other individuals or agencies.
- In cases involving physical and/or sexual abuse of children or endangered adults.
- In case of a formal request or subpoena by court order or state law.
Psychologists engaged in the UCC preserve the right to safeguard and respect professional confidentiality without transmission to third parties attached or not to USEK.
To preserve confidentiality and avoid compromising therapeutic counseling, UCC staff members do not accept friend or contact requests on any social networks (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.) from USEK students.
Psychoeducational and awareness-raising programs
The psychologist assesses situations or events that constitute a risk to a student’s mental health, suggests possible solutions, demystifies mental health issues, especially for students and teachers, and develops, implements, animates or evaluates programs that include the following objectives:
- Prevention of violence and bullying
- Conflict resolution
- Promoting practices that encourage social inclusion and a sense of belonging
- Development of healthy lifestyle habits
- Prevention of addictions (alcohol and drug abuse, smoking, etc.)
- Intervention or postvention following a critical event (such as suicide)
Preventive interventions function on a specific supervisory structure aimed at informing and educating, among other things.
Crisis intervention and orientation
The UCC does not provide individual counseling if you are currently under therapy elsewhere, except if crisis interventions are needed.
Confidential counseling services at USEK are free-of-charge. However, in the case of severe psychological disturbances, psychiatric treatment or psychotherapy may be needed off campus, upon referral.
When do I have to reach out to UCC?
We are here to support you if you are experiencing one or more of the following personality changes:
- Inability to cope with daily activities and life events
- Apathy or depression
- Changes in sleeping/eating patterns
- Mood fluctuations
- Agitation
- Loss of interest
- Anxiety/fears
- Alcohol/drug abuse
- Anger, hostility, aggressivity, violence
- Social withdrawal/ isolation
- Hearing/seeing/feeling things
- Mental confusion
- Strange or unusual ideas, actions, or plans
- Suicide thoughts
- Communication problem
- Cognitive difficulties related to studies and academic requirements
- Physical/sexual/verbal abuse