The Counseling Center was established by St. Olaf College to enhance the personal growth and development of its students. The Center supports students in their academic pursuits and facilitates personal and interpersonal learning and growth. The programs it provides are preventive as well as remedial. A variety of services and programs are offered by the Counseling Center. They include individual counseling, group counseling, workshops, testing, consultation and referrals. Services are provided without cost to all currently enrolled St. Olaf students, and we follow the ethical and confidentiality guidelines of the Minnesota Board of Psychology.
When contacting us to schedule an appointment, please keep in mind that our schedule is often very busy with an average wait of two weeks for an appointment; during peak times (end of the semester) the wait is longer. Appointments with the psychiatrist and nutritionist are often three to four weeks. The “Helpful Resources” link on the left provides a list of local providers which may be useful if you are interested in pursuing options in the community.
To Schedule a Counseling Appointment:
To schedule a counseling appointment, please call the Counseling Center at (507) 786-3062 or email us at vonruden@stolaf.edu Nutritional counseling and medication consults are available on a limited basis. Students must be referred to the nutritionist and psychiatrist by a counselor. Note that emails and phone messages are only reviewed during regular office hours (Monday thru Friday 8:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 to 5:00 p.m., excluding holidays and breaks).
To Schedule a BASICS Appointment:
To schedule a BASICS appointment, please call the Counseling Center at (507) 786-3062 or email us at vonruden@stolaf.edu and request an appointment with a BASICS Team Member. Please use the eCheckUpToGo link on the left to complete the online assessment — upon completion, please print the “output summary” and bring it with to your appointment. If you do not have access to a printer, please bring your eCheckUpToGo ID# and we’ll print the summary when you arrive. Note that emails and phone messages are only reviewed during regular office hours (Monday thru Friday 8:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 to 5:00 p.m., excluding holidays and breaks).
If You Need to Cancel an Appointment With a Counselor:
The counseling center is quite busy and we often have a list of students waiting for appointments. Therefore we appreciate having at least 24 hours’ notice of cancelations so that we can offer your slot to another student. If you cancel your appointment without sufficient notice, we reserve the right to cancel any future appointments you have on the schedule.
If you are in an emergency or crisis situation, please contact 911,
St. Olaf Public Safety at (507) 786-3666,
Rice County Social Services 24 Hour Crisis Line at 1-800-422-1286,
or
National Suicide Hotline 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Counseling Center Location:
We are located in Boe House, 1308 St. Olaf Avenue; we are the second house on the left as you walk down St. Olaf Avenue from campus. (Our mailing address is 1520 St. Olaf Avenue, Northfield, MN 55057.)
Counseling Center Hours:
The Counseling Center is open during the academic year from 8:00 a.m. to noon and from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m., Monday thru Friday, excluding holidays and breaks. Typically, morning appointments are scheduled on the hour and afternoon appointments are scheduled on the half hour. We do not usually have drop-in appointments available. Summer hours vary; please call for an appointment.