{"id":17,"date":"2017-04-10T15:59:02","date_gmt":"2017-04-10T15:59:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wcsu.wpengine.com\/counseling\/sessions\/"},"modified":"2025-07-18T19:44:23","modified_gmt":"2025-07-18T19:44:23","slug":"sessions","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/counseling\/sessions\/","title":{"rendered":"Frequently Asked Questions"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"content\">\n<p style=\"color: #00457a;font-weight: bold\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt\"><em><strong>Who is eligible for counseling?<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt\">Counseling Services are available to any full-time or part-time matriculated student who is enrolled at Western. Services are free, confidential, and voluntary. Students may receive up to 12 sessions between August 1st and July 31st.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt\">If you are currently receiving services from a community provider, it is contraindicated for you to receive on-going treatment from Counseling Services.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"color: #00457a;font-weight: bold\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt\"><em><strong>What can I expect\u00a0during a counseling session?<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt\">During the first intake session with a counselor, you will be asked to describe your presenting concerns to establish appropriate treatment goals.\u00a0This assessment will determine if your needs are best met by the Center\u2019s services.\u00a0If it is determined that you would be better served by a community provider, you will be offered referrals.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"color: #00457a;font-weight: bold\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt\"><em><strong>How do I\u00a0make the most out of my experience?<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt\">Being committed to the counseling process is extremely important to achieve desired outcomes. It may be helpful to think ahead of time about what issues you would like to discuss with your counselor. It is beneficial to be prepared to explore treatment goals.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt\"><strong><em><span style=\"color: #00457a\">How do I set up an appointment to see a counselor?<\/span> <\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt\">Appointments can be scheduled by calling (203)837-8690 or walking into Counseling Services. The suite is located in the Student Health &amp; Wellness Center (Connected to Newbury Hall). At that time, you will be asked for contact information, your availability, and a short series of questions to determine whether an urgent or personal counseling session is needed. If it is determined that a personal counseling session is appropriate, you will be contacted within 24 hours with a scheduled appointment. If an urgent counseling session is indicated or requested, a counselor will be notified and a clinical decision will be determined. Hours of Operation are Monday \u2013 Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #00457a;font-size: 14pt\"><strong><em>Who will know I made an appointment?<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt\">No one will know unless you give specific, written consent to a counselor. The counselors in the office and the department\u2019s clerical staff are bound by ethics and confidentiality laws that prohibit them from revealing any student information to anyone.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #00457a;font-size: 14pt\"><strong><em>What if I miss my appointment?\u00a0have to cancel? or reschedule?<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt\">A personal commitment to the counseling process is critical to\u00a0success. We strongly encourage students to keep all appointments made, however,\u00a0if you cannot keep an appointment due to illness or other extenuating circumstance, please call 203-837-8690 as soon as possible.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #00457a;font-size: 14pt\"><strong><em>How can I refer someone I am concerned about?<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt\">In the event that you are concerned about someone, Counseling Services provides consultation to students, faculty, staff and family members. The Counseling Services staff is available to discuss concerns, provide guidance and referrals, as well as, recommendations via the phone or in person.\u00a0 Additionally, a student can be accompanied to Counseling Services. It is helpful that your concerns are clearly communicated with the Counseling services staff prior to sending a student. In an emergency or after hours: <span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><strong>call <\/strong><strong>911<\/strong><\/span> or Campus\u00a0Police<span style=\"color: #ff6600\">\u00a0<strong>(203)<\/strong><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><strong>837-9300<\/strong><\/span><strong>.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt\"><span style=\"color: #00457a\"><strong>Note:<\/strong><\/span> Due to client confidentiality laws, we cannot inform you as to whether the student makes or keeps and appointment without the student&#8217;s written permission.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt\"><em><span style=\"color: #00457a\"><strong>How can records be obtained?<\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt\">Counseling Services must comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Consistent with this federal law, in the event that treatment records are requested, upon receipt of the student\u2019s written consent, records will only be sent directly to the provider designated by the student. The Counseling Services policy is not to review or release treatment records to students. 34 CFR \u00a7 99.3 \u201cEducation Records\u201d (b)(4).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt\"><em><span style=\"color: #00457a\"><strong>Does Counseling Services close during inclement weather?<\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt\">If classes are cancelled due to inclement weather, your regularly scheduled appointment with Counseling Services will be cancelled.\u00a0 Please contact Counseling Services during the next business day to reschedule your appointment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"counselingfooter\">\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">WCSU Counseling Services<br \/>\nStudent Health &amp; Wellness Center<br \/>\n(Connected to Newbury Hall)<br \/>\n181 White Street, Danbury, CT 06810<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">Phone: (203) 837.8690<br \/>\nEmail: <a href=\"mailto:CounselingServices@wcsu.edu\">CounselingServices@wcsu.edu<\/a><br \/>\nInstagram: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/wcsu_counselingservices\/\">wcsu_counselingservices<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>DISCLAIMER<\/strong><br \/>\nThe Counseling Services Web Site is designed for educational purposes only. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for personal medical or psychological attention, diagnosis or face to face treatment. If you are concerned about your mental health, it is recommended that you consult a mental health provider immediately and do not wait for an electronic response from web page professionals or from the Counseling Services staff.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Who is eligible for counseling? Counseling Services are available to any full-time or part-time matriculated student who is enrolled at Western. Services are free, confidential, and voluntary. Students may receive up to 12 sessions between August 1st and July 31st. &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"left-navigation.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-17","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/counseling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/counseling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/counseling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/counseling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/counseling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/counseling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/counseling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}