If you didn't have a chance to go to Active Minds' Counselors Out of the Center event but still have questions about Counseling at Dartmouth, check below! :)
What is CHD & Where is it located?
Counseling & Human Development (CHD) is the College’s counseling center dedicated to student mental health and well-being. We are housed within Dartmouth College Health Service and are located on the second floor of Dick’s House, 7 Rope Ferry Road. We offer a variety of psychological services to assist students in managing the many demands and developmental challenges of college. These services, provided by a diverse and multicultural competent professional staff, include short-term counseling, group counseling, medication evaluation and monitoring, and consultation. Additionally, we provide same-day services for crisis and emergency situations.
Why do students go to CHD?
Each year between 20-25% of all Dartmouth students come to CHD for help. The reasons vary, but students do come for help with the day to day issues they face like stress, anxiety, procrastination, and difficulty with relationships. Additionally, some students come for help with concerns that involve depression, eating disorders, trauma, and substance use/abuse among other reasons.
Why does it 2-3 weeks to get an appointment at CHD?
This was an issue that we also identified and took steps to remedy. In the Fall of 2012, we were able to increase our staff from 5 to 11 clinicians. As a result, we have been able to offer students an Intake appointment within 1-5 business days of the initial call. Occasionally, a student’s schedule will not accommodate the initial time offered so that their appointment may have to be scheduled beyond the 5 business days. As always, we provide same day services to students with urgent needs.
Do you offer a way for students seen at CHD to provide feedback?
We are always interested in hearing feedback from students who have used our services. With that in mind, we sent out an invitation to take the CHD Satisfaction Survey to over 200 students who were seen at CHD. We received a 40% return rate. Below are some of results.
· 92% of students felt that they were offered an Initial appointment in a reasonable amount of time.
· 91% of students felt that they were offered a follow-up appointment in a reasonable amount of time.
· 96% of students would refer a friend to CHD.
· 96% of students stated that they plan to continue counseling at CHD (those who responded “No” stated as the reason “I felt ready to end counseling and that my issues were resolved enough to handle them on my own.”).
How much does counseling cost?
Our clinical services are available to all full-time enrolled students at Dartmouth College. There is no charge for counseling services at CHD. To schedule an appointment, call (603) 646-9442 or stop by CHD in Dick’s House.
At your first appointment, you will meet with a counselor to discuss your personal concerns and expectations from counseling. The counselor will ask questions that will help to clarify immediate issues. At the end of the session, you and your counselor will discuss treatment options that will best address your needs. These options may include: individual counseling, group therapy, psychiatric medication evaluation, or a referral to an off-campus mental health provider.
What if it is after business hours or a weekend and I need to talk with a Counselor?
CHD offers 24-hour crisis counseling for enrolled students or for those who are concerned about an enrolled student.
After Regular Business Hours: the counselor on-call can be reached by calling Dick's House Inpatient Department (IPD) at (603) 646-9440 or by calling Safety and Security at (603) 646-3333.
During Regular Business Hours: call (603) 646-9442 and ask to speak with the Counselor on-call or come to CHD on the second floor of Dick's House. Please inform our administrative staff that you have an urgent concern.
Will my counselor share with others what I talk about in my sessions?
All CHD clinicians recognizes the importance of privacy and safety as the basis of effective therapy. We do not share information about students seeking help at CHD with anyone without written permission. Exceptions to confidentiality are rare and specifically mandated by law and professional ethics. We make sure to review confidentiality during our first contact with all students and are available to answer any questions about confidentiality as they may arise in the course of treatment.
Safeguarding information shared by students in the context of the counselor-client relationship is an ethical and legal responsibility of all CHD clinicians.
For further information, please see Confidentiality & Release of Information
www.dartmouth.edu/~chd/confidentiality/<http://www.dartmouth.edu/~chd/confidentiality/>
Why doesn’t CHD treat long-term conditions like bipolar disorder, eating disorders, or substance use disorders?
CHD provides counseling services to all enrolled undergraduate and graduate students. To accommodate the increasing number of students who seek our services, we have a session limit of approximately 10-12 individual sessions per academic year. The session limit does not include emergency appointments, group counseling sessions, or medication evaluations and monitoring. If longer term counseling is needed, a CHD counselor will help a student find a referral to a therapist in the community.
Session limits enable us to keep counseling services accessible to all students in a timely manner.
How can we rent happy lamps?
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that is related to the changes in seasons. For many people who experience SAD, symptoms start in the fall and continue through the winter months. It is normal to have some days when you feel down. But if you feel down for days at a time and can’t get motivated to do activities that you normally enjoy, you should consult with a CHD counselor. Treatment for SAD may include light therapy, psychotherapy, or psychotherapy and medications.
Light therapy is often the first line of treatment for fall-onset SAD. Research on light therapy is limited, but it seems to be effective for many people in relieving SAD symptoms.
Students interested in Light therapy can borrow one of the six SAD desk lamps from the CHD office. We allow students to check-out these lamps for up to two weeks. However, if demand for the lamps increases, a student may be asked to return the lamp after one week.
How can I get help for a friend whose behavior is troubling?
CHD provides consultations for students who are concerned about friends. We will work with you on how to express your concerns in a respectful and effective manner. We can also provide information about campus and local resources. In situations where a student of concern may be engaging in behaviors that present a danger to self or others, please call S&S at 603-646-4000. S&S will immediately assist you.
|
