Full-time students enrolled in degree programs are eligible for all UCS services. Part-time or non-martriculating students (including those on dissertation status, on leave of absence, or in special programs) are eligible only for consultation, evaluation, and referral.
Our Services
Individual Counseling and Psychotherapy
Individual psychotherapy can range anywhere from few sessions to ongoing sessions within a semester or more (frequency and duration is determined by student and clinician depending on clinical and schedule needs). Group psychotherapy typically runs the length of a semester and meets each week that school is in session. Groups offered vary each semester, but typically include interpersonal process groups, coping skills groups, anxiety management skills groups, disordered eating groups, and support groups for survivors of sexual assault.
Keep in mind:
- Average number of psychotherapy sessions for most students are 6-8 sessions.
- Most students meet with their individual clinicians every other week.
Consultation
Students and others who desire psychological advice regarding concerns about others may make an appointment. At various times this option has been utilized by clubs, teams, groups of roommates or friends, as well as individuals.
Same-Day Consultation
In our efforts to provide quicker access to services to students who need support in problem solving a specific issue and not necessarily ongoing therapy, we are offering same-day 30-minute consultations with one of our clinicians. These are meant to be one-time consultation sessions to clarify your goals for treatment and problem solve a specific concern (e.g., advice on roommate or relationship conflict, how to best manage stress, coping skills regarding anxiety, help making a decision). The consultation meeting is designed to be goal-oriented so that you can leave with set of next steps. If a student wants/needs a follow-up in the future, they can call and request another one-time, same-day consultation.
Keep in mind:
- Appointments are only scheduled for the same day and are first-come, first-served
- This is a one-time consultation and is not meant for ongoing psychotherapy
- Any follow-ups may be with a different clinician
- It will help to have an identified goal in mind
- Arrive to the session 10-15 minutes early to fill out demographic and clinical information
Triage
If a student is looking for short-to mid-term counseling or needs help figuring out what treatment is most appropriate, they can schedule a 20-minute triage phone appointment during which a clinician will gather information regarding the primary concern and collaborate with the student to make appropriate treatment recommendations (e.g., short-term individual therapy at UCS, group therapy at UCS, off- campus therapy, or other campus resources).
Keep in mind:
- Find a quiet and private space to receive the 20-minute phone call from UCS
- This is a quick assessment of your clinical needs and not a full evaluation session
- There could be multiple outcomes including suggestion for group therapy, off-campus referral, short-term psychotherapy, or other campus or web-based resources.
Group Therapy
In group counseling, a small number of people meet together with one or two of our therapists to help themselves and one another. Joining a group provides opportunities to learn with and from other people, to understand one's own patterns of thought and behavior and those of others, and to perceive how group members react to one another. You learn that perhaps you're not as different as you think, or that you're not alone. You'll meet and interact with people, and the whole group learns to work on shared problems. Group counseling helps people make significant changes so they feel better about the quality of their lives.
"I'm not comfortable talking in a group or sharing my problems with strangers.”
- It is common to feel uncomfortable at times when sharing, but most people find their feelings of safety and willingness to talk increases as the group progresses.
- Individuals often come to look forward to group because they feel some connection to other members and start to feel some confidence in building new skills.
- In these skills-based groups, you do not have to share a lot to gain a lot.
“How can this group help me?”
- Our skills-based groups focus on developing strategies for coping with stressors faced by students at Boston College.
- If you have been referred to a group, a UCS clinician believes that this is the best step at this time.
"All anxiety is bad, and group will eliminate all anxiety."
- Some anxiety is a natural and adaptive part of life. Avoidance in fact builds and maintains unhealthy anxiety. The goal of group is to develop skills for making anxiety more manageable.
- These skills require practice, but will help you form healthier habits for managing the distress we all experience.
- Some students may opt to schedule a consultation with the group clinician at the end of group to discuss best next steps if they feel additional help is needed.
"My problems are not as bad as others, or are worse than others' problems, so I won't fit in."
- Group may provide a place for you to experience compassion for yourself and others, without having to decide who deals with the worst problem.
- Relief can be accelerated when we truly recognize that we are not alone in our struggles.
“I am uncomfortable being in group with one of the other members.”
- The group leader can confidentially help you explore the extent of the conflict and make adjustments as needed. We will work with you to find the best fit and solution for your level of comfort and progress in treatment.
“If I decide I don’t like group, can I just stop coming?”>
- Group members are encouraged to attend all sessions in the cycle as each session will provide new tools and support. However, you may decide to stop coming at any point. We encourage you to speak with the group clinician prior to leaving to explore any other possible resolutions.
"I will be forced to tell my deepest thoughts and feelings and group members will talk about me outside of group."
- There’s an expectation of confidentiality within the group. Everyone will be encouraged to participate but you decide for yourself how much personal information you would like to share. You only share as much as you feel comfortable with.
Psychiatric Services (medication management)
Psychiatric appointments are available for students who are concurrently engaged in talk therapy with one of the clinicians at UCS and are in need of combined treatment. We cannot offer medication-only treatments. We do not prescribe medications solely to treat ADHD.
Referral to Providers in the Community
Sometimes students know that they are looking for long-term, open-ended counseling, weekly psychotherapy or specialized care and in this case we can provide local referrals that match your clinical and insurance needs.
Keep in mind:
- We will need your insurance information.
- If you have BC’s Student Insurance Plan, there are no longer co-payments for off-campus psychotherapy. This is a significant benefit for BC students.
- Many of the off-campus clinicians on our referral list are close by and easy to get to. They also have experience working with BC students.
Emergency Services
If there is an urgent clinical/personal crisis, students can come in on the same day to meet with the psychological emergency clinician (PEC). These are as needed sessions that focus on crisis management. The primary goals are stabilization and safety so that the student can move on to next steps.
Keep in mind:
- Although urgency is defined by each student’s experience, typical presenting issues to emergency services are: thoughts of harming oneself or others, being at risk of failing classes due to mental health issues, paralyzing anxiety that limits everyday functioning, and BC community is concerned about a student’s behavior or level of distress.
- Similar to any urgent care or emergency room, one might have to wait for the next available emergency clinician. Most waits do not exceed 30 minutes and we try our best to triage most clinically urgent cases.
WellTrack
WellTrack is an online resource that provides evidence-based tools to promote mental health and wellness on campus.
WellTrack is a secure and anonymous way for users to assess their personal well-being and quickly gain access to resources tailored to help them make progress in changing thoughts and behaviors that are not working for them. Some of the specific tools WellTrack offers are videos, relaxation exercises, mood-tracking tools, and written exercises to help raise awareness and work on addressing unhelpful thought patterns.
How to Access WellTrack
WellTrack is available online at https://bostoncollege.welltrack-boost.com/, and University Counseling Services has paid for access for the Boston College community.
MoodCheck, the companion mobile app to WellTrack, provides users with a quick and easy way to check their mood while on the go.
You only need the access code, BCWelltrack, to use this service for free.
To Create an Account:
- Go to https://bostoncollege.welltrack-boost.com/
- Click on sign up
- Use your BC email address or the non-BC email account
- If prompted, Enter your access code: BCWelltrack, and create an account.
- Watch for an email from support@welltrack.com to confirm your account.
- You are now logged in and ready to begin your course