UNF - Counseling Center

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What is Counseling all about?

Counseling involves a collaborative relationship between the individual and the counselor. This dialogue aids in expanding self-awareness, identifying existing skills, learning new skills, and increasing understanding of situations, conflicts, people and choices. Counseling is a confidential process. Information you share in counseling will not be disclosed outside of the Center without your written permission (except when a failure to disclose could result in physical harm to you or others). Also, your records are not included in any of your official educational records.
Why consider Counseling?
Each of us will occasionally have concerns that bring about questions and conflicts. Some of these may cause us emotional stress or make it difficult to function as well as we would like. Reasons to seek counseling include, but are not limited to:
- Feeling lonely, alienated and isolated
- Finding direction and purpose
- Transition and life issues (e.g. separation, divorce, relocation)
- Relationships (e.g. families, friends, co-workers )
- Feelings of anxiety or depression
- Grief or loss
- Trauma (e.g. sexual assault, accident, catastrophic incidents)
- Drug/alcohol concerns
- Self-esteem
- Eating habits and patterns
- Academic difficulties
- Enhancing motivation and work performance
Who is eligible?

Counseling Center services are available to all UNF students enrolled in the current semester. Counseling services are voluntary, confidential and free of charge.
The Initial Consultation

Your first meeting with a counselor is an initial consultation. This is an opportunity for you to share your concerns and provide background information. This information will help our clinicians to match you with the most appropriate services for your needs. At the conclusion of your initial consultation, your counselor will provide you with recommendations, which may include a variety of services at the counseling center and/or referrals to community-based services and resources.
Confidentiality
Information shared with a counselor will not be disclosed to anyone outside the Center without your written permission first, except when:
1. The client presents as a serious danger to him/herself or others.
2. There is reasonable suspicion of abuse, neglect , or threat of harm to a child or minor, elderly person or other vulnerable adult.
3. The case file is subpoenaed by a court of law.
4. There is a threat to campus safety.
If you have any questions about our confidentiality policy, and how we protect your privacy, please view our informed consent document , contact our office at 904-620-2602 or walk-in for a consultation.
How to make an appointment?

If you are accessing services at the Counseling Center for the first time or have taken a break from services, you will need to complete an initial consultation. You may do so by walking into the center between 10 a.m and 2 p.m. any day the center is open. If you are a current client of the center you may contact us at 904.620.2602 or visit us in Building 2, Room 2300 to schedule an appointment with your provider(s).
Individual Counseling

The Counseling Center offers brief counseling for students on a one-to-one basis. Your counselor will help you identify specific goals, in keeping with your primary concerns. 45-50 minute sessions are scheduled bi-weekly, monthly, or as needed. On average, brief counseling lasts 6 to 8 sessions. Students in need of additional counseling, long-term counseling, or whose presenting concerns exceed our scope of services, will be provided referrals and support in connecting with community mental health providers.
Groups

Each semester the Counseling Center offers a wide variety of opportunities to enhance your college experience through working with others in a group. Knowledgeable therapists facilitate the group experience by creating an atmosphere of safety and respect that is conducive to learning and personal growth. Each semester, group programs that cover topics relevant to your success as a college student will be offered.

For further information go to Groups.
Psychiatric Consultation/Assessment

The UNF Counseling Center provides psychiatric consultation and medication management to students whose presenting issues suggest that evaluation by a psychiatric professional would be appropriate or helpful. When psychiatrically indicated, a student may be given a prescription for medication to treat their clinical symptoms (e.g., depression, anxiety). Often, students are encouraged to participate in counseling in addition to taking medication.
Prescription Medication Guidelines
The Counseling Center does not regularly prescribe any scheduled drugs (e.g. Benzodiazepines, Stimulants Sedatives, or Sedative-Hypnotics). These are medications that have a high potential for abuse recreationally, and dependency both physically and psychologically.

We do not prescribe medical marijuana at the UNF Counseling Center. If you have been diagnosed with a medical condition that you feel qualifies for medical marijuana, it is recommended that you consult with your primary care provider about a prescription.

Additionally, In order to provide psychiatric services to students who have been identified with ADD/ADHD , we have established the following guidelines.
- Only non-stimulant medications will be provided by the Counseling Center. Our providers will not prescribe stimulant medications, including but not limited to Focalin, Ritalin, Vyvanse, Adderall and Concerta.
- If you have an established diagnosis of ADD or ADHD, the Counseling Center will first need a copy of the related comprehensive assessment and diagnostic report for your file, prior to providing medication.
- If you do not have a documented diagnosis of ADD or ADHD, the Counseling Center requires a comprehensive assessment to clearly establish this diagnosis, prior to providing medication, and will be happy to refer you to a local provider who may provide such an assessment.
- Medication records will be requested from previous providers.
It is imperative that the client follow our recommendations which include attending follow-up appointments both for therapy and medication management. If a prescription for a controlled substance is lost or stolen, there must be a police report or the prescription will not be replaced.

If you have any questions, please contact your assigned counselor or the Center Director, Dr. Andrew King, for further information at (904) 620-2602.
SAP (Satisfactory Academic Progress) Appeal Letters

All new and first-time Counseling Center clients requesting a SAP Appeal letter must complete at least a screening and multiple other counseling appointments, such as individual counseling, group therapy, medication management, or assessment, before a counselor will write them a letter.

If you are a current client, or a previous client, you may obtain a SAP appeal letter by contacting our center and making a request for a letter. The Counseling Center asks that you provide us three (3) business days to complete your letter. Additionally, our counselors will only be able to speak to the circumstances you experienced during the time frame that you were an established client at the center.
What are the counseling center's and university's housing policy regarding service and emotional support animals?

UNF Counseling Center Policy
UNF Counseling Center policy is that we do not issue letters of support for emotional support animals. This includes, prescriptions for an emotional support animal and assessments for the purpose of determining disability and the need for a service animal as an accommodation. However, we will be happy to assist you with referrals for providers in the community that may be able to assist you.

UNF Department of Housing and Residence Life Policy

The policy states:

"For purpose of information for residential students at the University of North Florida, A Service Animal is defined as a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform a task(s) for a person with a disability. Examples of such work or tasks including guiding a student who is blind, alerting a student who is deaf, pulling a wheelchair, alerting and protecting a student who is having a seizure, reminding a student with mental illness to take prescribed medications, calming a student with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack, or performing other duties. Services Animals are working animals, not pets. The work or task a Service Animal has been trained to provide must be directly related to the student's disability.

A dog or other animal whose function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as a Service Animal under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

A Service Animal may not reside in University Housing without prior written approval by the Department of Housing and Residence Life."

For questions regarding disability documentation, please contact the UNF Disability Resource Center (DRC) by calling (904) 620-2769.
Personality Testing
The Center offers the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), a psychological instrument for personality testing. This is available for individual, classroom or small group interpretations. A nominal fee is charged for scoring.
Based on the assessment, individuals will receive a four letter "type" designation and explanation of their personality type. The MBTI is most commonly used to increase people's understanding of:
- Individual differences
- Interpersonal relationships
- Communication styles
- Leadership abilities
- Learning styles
- Career choices
Outreach Services

The Counseling Center conducts seminars, workshops and presentations for student groups, classes, residence halls and other departments on campus on a variety of mental health related topics. Some of these include stress management, dating relationships, eating issues, international student support, body image issues and drug and alcohol concerns. If you or your department would like to request an outreach presentation please contact our Center Director or the Coordinator of Outreach and Consultation at (904) 620-2602.

UNF Counseling Center Policy

UNF Department of Housing and Residence Life Policy