Individual counseling is a process that can help you explore challenging situations in your life with the goal of developing awareness and skills to work towards improved mental health, personal wellness and success as a Kalamazoo College student. Personal and confidential counseling services follow a short-term solution-focused model to address common concerns which may include: Anxiety, Mild to Moderate Depression, Stress Management, Test Anxiety, Grief and Loss, Family/Social Relationship Issues, Self-Esteem/Body Image concerns, Life Transitions, Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity, Motivation, Perfectionism, Trauma, and Crisis Support. Counseling can, in some cases, evoke unpleasant memories and/or strong emotions related to events in your life. Should feelings like these arise, they will be supported within the context of the counseling process. Please note that it is impossible to guarantee specific results regarding your counseling goals. Counselors at Kalamazoo College Student Health and Counseling Center are licensed in the State of Michigan. Counseling and Integrated Behavioral Health services are available to current Kalamazoo College students located in the state of Michigan at the time of service. Students who are located outside of Michigan may be supported with consultation only and referred to follow-up with local agencies in their state.
Counseling Fees
Brief, short-term counseling services are provided at no cost to currently enrolled Kalamazoo College students. We do not bill insurance.
Assessment and Testing
Counselors may use assessment and brief evaluations to help you gain personal insight and/or monitor progress in counseling towards your goals.
Scope of Practice Guidelines
Kalamazoo College Student Health and Counseling Center provides short-term, goal-focused mental health counseling for enrolled Kalamazoo College students. The goal of Kalamazoo College Student Health and Counseling Center is to provide Kalamazoo College students who seek support with the most appropriate and best care available. Students already established with individual counseling may not be appropriate for ongoing services but can utilize crisis support, group and referral services. Students who need long-term, intensive, and/or a particular type of expertise that fall outside of our scope of practice will generally be referred to community resources for ongoing treatment. In cases where a student’s ongoing needs necessitate a referral to community resources, Student Health and Counseling Center staff will assist students in accessing appropriate resources and provide referral options during triage or initial appointments, or as these factors become more apparent. Counselors can often assist students in managing presenting concerns and provide support until the student is able to connect to the appropriate resources.
Referrals to Other Resources
When a student’s needs fall outside our scope of practice and cannot be met by our services at Kalamazoo College Health and Counseling Center, we will work with the student to make a referral to another resource.
Students with the following concerns will likely need a higher level of care than what is within the role and scope of the Counseling Service:
Long-Term Counseling/Case Management
Kalamazoo College Student Health and Counseling Center utilizes a brief, short-term, goal-directed model of treatment for individual and group counseling. If a student’s concerns or situation requires longer-term therapy, referrals will be provided for off-campus resources.
Mandated Counseling
Students seeking documentation for court-mandated treatment, legal proceedings, disability support, or ESA documentation will be referred to appropriate resources.
Substance Use Disorder Treatment
Students with significant drug or alcohol problems needing long-term, intensive or inpatient treatment will be referred for treatment.
Formal Psychological Testing
Kalamazoo Student Health and Counseling Center does not perform formal psychological evaluation (to diagnose disabilities, neuropsychological testing, court-ordered evaluations, substance-abuse assessments, or assess student’s suitability for an academic program) but can assist with referrals and resources.
High Level of Risk of Harm to Self or Others
As an integrated health and counseling center, counselors and medical providers provide a multidisciplinary treatment approach. Cases involving chronic/severe suicidality, severe self-injury, multiple psychiatric hospitalizations, evidence of worsening mental or emotional functioning, active psychotic symptoms tend to require more intensive intervention. In these cases, staff will assist students in accessing appropriate resources.
Termination of Services
You may choose to discontinue services at any time. Kalamazoo College Student Health and Counseling Center also reserves the right to terminate services if it is determined that care is not beneficial, policies are not adhered to, if a higher level of care is needed, or if there is inconsistency with appointments or engagement in behaviors that disrupt the therapeutic process. In such cases, we will assist in referring you to an appropriate provider or facility that can offer the necessary level of care.