Students come to counseling services for many reasons:

• To resolve personal problems that interfere with academic performance, such as anxiety, depression, loss, financial problems, relationship and family conflict.

• To develop more effective stress management, problem solving, decision-making, and communication skills.

• To build self-esteem and self-confidence.

• To clarify personal and professional values and goals.

Our goal is to provide a supportive, confidential setting in which these concerns can be addressed. Short-term individual, couple, family, and group counseling is available at no charge to enrolled Cal State San Marcos students . Students may be seen for up to 8 sessions per academic year, not including the Counseling Assessment session. Sessions are usually held weekly and are 50 minutes in length. Groups may be longer-term, and are usually 90 minutes in length.

Confidentiality is a basic client right. Counselors are legally and ethically bound to maintain confidentiality. Information about a student's contact with us may not be disclosed to University officials or anyone else without the student's written permission, except in situations where disclosure is required by law. These situations include times when . . .

• The counselor believes that a client may be a danger to him/herself or others, and disclosure is considered necessary to prevent harm.

• There is reasonable suspicion of actual or potential child neglect or abuse (emotional, physical, sexual) involving the client or others known by the client.

• There is reasonable suspicion that a child has witnessed domestic violence.

• There is reasonable suspicion of neglect or abuse of a dependent adult or elderly person.

• A client is “gravely disabled” (i.e., unable to take care of basic needs such as feeding self, getting home safely).

Clinical Files

The law requires that records of services be maintained to help assure that clients are receiving a consistent quality of care. Counseling services maintains written and electronic records of services provided to each student. Measures are taken to ensure that all records are secure. Records are kept separate from all other University records.

Cal State San Marcos students who have paid registration fees are eligible for services. Services cannot be provided to an enrolled student only when . . .

• The student has received the maximum number of counseling sessions allowed during the current academic year.

• Services are judged to be inadequate to meet the student's particular needs.

• Service provision is judged to be professionally unethical.

• The student has misused or abused counseling services in the past.

• The student refuses to sign the Consent for Counseling form or to comply with other policies and procedures deemed necessary to meet legal and ethical standards of care.

Under certain circumstances, students who have withdrawn from classes or disenrolled from the University can be seen with the Directors' approval.

Non-Students

"Significant others" who are not Cal State San Marcos students may be seen with an enrolled student in conjoint (e.g., couples) counseling. One to two individual sessions with non-students can be conducted for the purposes of assessment for conjoint counseling, or to assist with assessment and treatment planning for a student's individual counseling (e.g., meeting once with a partner or family member to gather additional information).

Staff & Faculty

Counseling services provides consultation services to staff and faculty seeking assistance in their work with students. Staff and faculty in need of counseling or other ongoing direct services are referred to the Employees Assistance Program (EAP).

The first meeting is a Counseling Assessment session during which the counselor learns more about the student's current needs and concerns, gathers additional background information, and identifies possible goals for counseling. The primary goal of this meeting is to determine what types of services would be most helpful and whether we can provide these services. If not, the counselor will provide referrals and try to assist the student in obtaining other services. Call or drop by our office to schedule a Counseling Assessment session.