Frequently Asked Questions

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.

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

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.

If you are accessing services at the Counseling Center for the first time or have taken a break from services, you will need to walk into the center or call us to schedule an initial appointment. 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).

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.

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.

The UNF Counseling Center provides psychiatric services, including consultations 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.

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.

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.

The counseling center has a licensed counselor who is located and embedded in the Department of Housing and Residence Life (Building 14 B). This counselor is available to meet with students for individual counseling appointments at this location. However, all appointments must be scheduled through the UNF Counseling Center's main office by calling 904.620.2602 or by walking into the main office, located in Founder's Hall, Building 2, Room 2300.

The embedded Housing and Residence Life counselor is also available for walk-in consultations in Building 14B during select days and times. For more information regarding the embedded Housing and Residence Life counselor's walk-in consultation schedule, please visit or call the UNF Counseling Center's main office at 904.620.2602. Students experiencing a mental health crisis or who are in imminent need of services should come or be escorted directly to the Counseling Center's main office.

Other than the embedded Housing and Residence Life counselor, all other counselors staffed by the UNF Counseling Center are located in our main office.

UNF Counseling Center Policy

While many of our staff love animals and are pet owners, our office is unable to provide assessments to document the need for a Service Animal or an Emotional Support Animal (ESA). As a result, we do not issue letters of support for service and/or emotional support animals.

If you want to be evaluated to see if you are eligible to have a Service Animal or an ESA, you must find a mental health provider in the community that is qualified to diagnose you and recommend that obtaining a Service Animal or an ESA is a reasonable course of treatment given your condition.

To find a mental health professional in your area to help you meet this need, a good place to start is to contact your health insurance provider. As an additional resource, Psychology Today allows you to search for local therapists.

UNF Department of Housing and Residence Life Policy

P2.0 Pets/Wildlife You may have a non-aggressive fish, in no more than a 10-gallon tank with the consent of your roommate(s). Other service animals, emotional support animals, and/or pets must be registered and approved with Housing and Residence Life prior to being brought to campus.

For questions regarding the process of registering to receive accommodations for service and/or emotional support animals on-campus, please contact the UNF Disability Resource Center (DRC) by calling (904) 620-2769.

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

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.