Eligibility & Resources

Counseling services are available to all EHC students free of charge. The Counseling Center operates on a semester calendar, meaning that counseling services are offered only for the duration of each academic semester (spring, summer, winter). All students are closed to services at the end of each semester; if a need arises to return to counseling, a student will collaborate with their counselor to assess and modify treatment goals as needed. If a student needs or desires counseling during breaks in the academic year, it is likely that the Counseling Center will recommend you establish a relationship with a provider in the community, or with a virtual provider, to ensure uninterrupted care.

If you are facing ongoing difficulties (6 months or longer) or if you have engaged in ongoing therapy in the past, it is likely that the Counseling Center will recommend you establish a relationship with a provider in the community, or with a virtual provider, to ensure you have access to mental health treatment that is not limited.

Because of the high demand for our services, we urge our clients to contact us 24 hours in advance to cancel a scheduled appointment. Repeated “no-shows” may result in termination of that service.

What’s treated on campus:

Academic-related issues (motivation, perfectionism, interpersonal communication, self-discipline)
Mood or self-esteem (depression, anxiety, self-esteem, social anxiety, self-destructive behaviors)
Relationship issues (conflicts, communication, break-ups, assertiveness, etc.)
Adjustment (dealing with transitions, new life circumstances, etc.)
Grief and loss
Trauma, sexual assault

What’s not treated on campus:

Students needing medical detoxification and/or medical stabilization
Students who are already receiving ongoing therapy with another mental health provider
Mandated mental health evaluation or counseling
Students who are unable to comply with treatment
Recent or multiple psychiatric hospitalizations
Chronic thoughts of suicide, frequent self-injury behaviors, or history of repeated suicide attempts
Need for drug testing
Presence of severe or long-standing eating disorder symptoms
Request for formal psychological assessment (e.g., ADHD testing)
Request for psychological evaluation for the purpose of employment clearance or other non-academic purpose
Request for services to fulfill students’ court-mandated assessment or treatment requirements
Students seeking therapy for the sole purpose of obtaining documentation for another office
Court-mandated counseling services (i.e., anger-management or substance abuse), forensic or custody evaluations
Counseling or assessment services required by employers, government agencies, or academic departments
Documentation of psychological conditions for purposes such as special academic, employment, travel, or housing accommodations (i.e., emotional support animals), except when the student making the request is, or has been, a Counseling Services client, and available clinical records and information are sufficient, in the opinion of the clinician, to do so.
Individual counseling initiated only for course credit

Brief therapy

In order to meet significant student demand for service and use resources most effectively, the counseling center utilizes a brief therapy model. Brief therapy is short-term and focused on helping students to resolve or effectively manage a specific problem or challenge, or to make a particular desired change.The therapy is typically goal-oriented, and sessions are geared towards direct and active intervention to help clients achieve specific goals. Frequency of sessions may be weekly at first, but more often are every other week.

When a student decides to pursue counseling within the college, services begin by developing a treatment plan. Developing a treatment plan is a collaborative process between a student and a counselor, designed to maximize effectiveness of therapeutic services and give you a sense of empowerment and autonomy in your mental health journey. A treatment plan includes a specific goal or goals to help with current mental health challenges, as well as an estimated number of sessions needed to achieve goal(s).

Learning disability assessments

The Counseling Center does not conduct psychological evaluations for the purpose of determining disability status and also does not make accommodations/recommendations for persons who have been identified as differently abled. For this reason, we cannot provide documentation for students seeking authorization for an emotional support animal, even if the student is a current or former Counseling Center client. The Counseling Center can provide students with a referral to a community provider for a disability evaluation. An off-campus psychologist or psychiatrist can evaluate a student’s disability status and determine if, based on the student’s condition, an emotional support animal is medically necessary. Alternatively, students may choose to consult with their primary physician.

Referral Process

If a student’s needs are outside the scope of practice for the Counseling Center, or if a student prefers a counselor, appointment availability, treatment method etc. that is not provided by the Counseling Center, counselors will work with students to identify the most appropriate course of action for treatment. Emory & Henry values its partnerships with community providers, and our counselors maintain positive working relationships with our local CSBs (Highlands Community Services for our main campus students and Mount Rogers Community Services for our Marion students). When services from a community provider such as a CSB are deemed appropriate, a counselor will typically make a phone call to said provider with the student present and have a collaborative conversation about need and availability. Other parties may be involved in the referral process if the student wishes and completes a release of information for said parties (i.e., a parent, previous provider). Students are also welcome to reach out to community providers independently of a counselor.

Counselors can also help connect students with a provider via the TimelyCare app-based platform. TimelyCare is a new resource available to students as of Fall 2022, offering all virtual services for both medical and mental health issues. For mental health needs, students can access one-on-one personal counseling with a licensed provider of their choosing. TimelyCare also offers a 24/7 “Talk Now” feature for students experiencing non-life threatening challenges that need immediate attention. The Counseling Center maintains a private, confidential space inside of our suite, allowing students to access TimelyCare services if a private space is not available to them.

Resources

Counselors in the PRC often collaborate with area partners to meet the needs of our students. Some of our area partners include Highlands Community Services (serving Washington County), Mount Rogers Community Services Board (serving Marion & Smyth County), Abuse Alternatives, and more.

Mount Rogers CSB Highlands Community Services

The Red Flag Campaign

Red Flag Campaign The Red Flag Campaign uses a bystander intervention strategy to address and prevent sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking on college campuses. The campaign encourages friends and other campus community members to say something when they see warning signs (“red flags”) for sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking in a friend’s relationship.

Mental Health America

Mental Health America is a leading community-based nonprofit dedicated to addressing the needs of those living with mental illness and to promoting the overall mental health of all Americans.

The Jed Foundation

The Jed Foundation has a wonderful online Mental Health Resource Center designed to connect students to valuable information. Students may wish to consult with a Counselor in the PRC further regarding these topics.

Paul Adrian Powell, III Student Success Center