University Counseling Center

The University of Toledo Counseling Center provides brief therapy for students, full and part-time, from the Main, Art, and Health Science campuses, whose concerns fall within the Center’s scope of practice. Brief therapy is defined as a type of counseling that is time-limited and present-oriented. Brief therapy focuses on the client’s presenting symptoms and current life circumstances, and it emphasizes the strengths and resources of the client. The therapist in brief therapy is active and directive. Termination of counseling is a major focus from the initial session. Services are provided by licensed staff or provisionally licensed or graduate level students who are closely supervised by licensed Counseling Center staff. Sessions are typically scheduled on a bi-weekly basis.

The UCC utilizes a stepped-care approach to services. This type of approach provides the opportunity for individualized care and allows room to consider all of your needs as a student and as a person. We utilize internal and external referrals to assist in meeting your needs. The following services are offered at the University of Toledo Counseling Center:

• Workshops: 60-90 minute presentations on specific topics to help individuals learn more about mental wellness and build upon healthy behaviors and coping skills
• Support Groups: spaces for individuals with shared identities to come together to gain and give support
• Brief therapy: individual, couple’s, and group, to address issues such as, but not limited to: anxiety, depression, relationships, family issues, loss and grief, drug/alcohol abuse, sexual violence, trauma, life decisions, sexual orientation, gender identity, multicultural concerns, homesickness, college-related transition, and academic concerns.
• 24/7 Crisis intervention options.
• Case management: support in accessing community resources for a variety of physical, mental, and financial concerns
• Mandated screenings when referred from the University of Toledo Office of Conduct, Athletics, Residence Life, and other university offices as appropriate.
• Referral to campus and community resources.
• Outreach programming: presentations and tabling events for mental health related topics to promote student and campus wellness.
• Consultation
• Stressbusters smartphone application- Free on Google and Apple Stores

As outlined in the services model, a model of brief, goals-oriented counseling is used by the Counseling Center. It is beyond the Counseling Center’s scope of practice to provide ongoing counseling and psychotherapy for students who may be diagnosed with a variety of serious, long-term psychiatric conditions, and individuals who appear to be a recurring high risk to themselves or to the University of Toledo community. Students who require more intensive or specialized services or those with long-term psychiatric conditions will be referred to area mental health agencies. In addition, students who require counseling in an area that a counselor is not qualified may be referred to an appropriate provider within the counseling center or within the community. Students who receive off campus counseling will be responsible for any fees associated with those services.

Examples of situations for which brief therapy is contraindicated and would be inappropriate to treat at the Counseling Center may include, but are not limited to:

• Chronic mental health conditions that require longer-term, ongoing care
• Comprehensive psychological evaluation of any type, including but not limited to:
• Neuropsychological evaluations (i.e. ADHD) 
• Forensic assessments
• Custody evaluations
• Assessment and documentation for service or emotional support animals 
• Fitness-for-duty evaluations
• Pre-surgical mental health evaluations
• Clients who cannot complete activities of daily living and function autonomously
• Clients who want an open-ended, potentially longer-term treatment relationship
• Ongoing treatment for clients who chronically present an imminent danger to self or others
• Current psychosis or having had a recent psychotic episode
• Severe eating disorders requiring a multi-discipline team of medical providers
• Clients who want/need sessions more frequently than bi-weekly
• Recent and/or history of multiple psychiatric hospitalizations
• Intensive substance abuse treatment
• Court-ordered treatment or treatment that is a stipulation of probation
• Evaluations for attorneys
• Clients who are not compliant with counselor treatment recommendation
• Treatment that falls outside the expertise of Counseling Center staff

Counseling Center staff utilize their clinical and professional judgment to determine if a student’s needs fit within the Counseling Center’s scope of practice. At the discretion of the UCC and through consultation, possible exceptions to the above criteria may be made for students who:

• Are identified as underserved or at risk students (e.g. academic risk, first year, racial or sexual minorities).
• Report trauma, harassment, discrimination and may need more assessment.
• Need immediate crisis intervention and stabilization prior to outside referral.
• Require several sessions for the counselor to obtain a more comprehensive clinical assessment.
• Have other counseling needs that could be addressed in shorter-term work, possibly in coordination with a referral for longer-term therapy services.
• Short-term deadlines are evident (e.g. graduation, need to make a time-limited decision)
• Clearly defined and realistic short-term goals could be agreed upon with the student.

*The Counseling Center does not prescribe or monitor psychotropic or any other medications.  (UT Psychiatry link)

* The University of Toledo Counseling Center does not offer court-mandated or forensically oriented services.