Mission Statement: The mission of the Counseling Center is to provide services that enhance the well-being, growth, and development of St. Olaf students. Through counseling, consultation, education, and advocacy, our office works toward encouraging and upholding a positive and cooperative campus environment that promotes the success and health of all students.
Eligibility for services:
- Students who are currently enrolled in at least one course at St. Olaf College
- Over Summer, students who are employed by the college are eligible for summer counseling during their employment
- Students must be in MN at time of services due to mental health licensing laws
Services Provided by the St. Olaf Counseling Center:
- Short-term, biweekly individual counseling for current students and summer student employees
- When more frequent sessions are clinically indicated, weekly individual counseling sessions may be arranged on a short-term basis depending on availability in counselor’s schedule
- Relationship Counseling where all members of the relationship are currently enrolled students or summer student employees of the college
- Group Therapy (when available)
- Let’s Talk Drop-In Consultation (M-F from 1:30pm-2:20)
- Same day or next daily Crisis Hour M-F for crisis concerns related to plan and/or intent of harm to self or others, recent death of a loved one, recent physical/sexual assault, and/or emerging psychotic or manic symptoms.
- Outreach
- Consultation
- Training and education
- Advocacy
- Documentation for DAC or off-campus entities for accommodations (when clinically indicated)
Services that are not provided by the Counseling Center:
- Assessments or letters for students requesting emotional support animals
- Assessments or letters for students requesting documentation for gender-affirming care (except in rare circumstances)
- Primary substance abuse treatment
- BASICS appointments for alcohol/drug infractions on campus
- Therapy or assessments that are ordered or mandated by the court
- Comprehensive psychological assessments, such as evaluations for ADHD, Learning Disorders, or Autism Spectrum Disorders
- Psychiatric services or medication management
- Crisis counseling after hours, on weekends, or during holidays or university closures
- Assessments of “mental fitness” for the purpose of predicting a student’s future mental stability (except in rare circumstances)
- Assessments of “fitness for duty” for the purpose of employment within or outside of St. Olaf
- Services for students while they are out of state or out of the country, such as on Study Abroad experiences
- Ongoing treatment for students with eating disorders who require more intensive counseling than we can provide, such as when inpatient or residential care is clinically indicated in order to maintain the health and safety of the student
- Ongoing individual counseling for a student who is concurrently receiving individual counseling services from another provider (including TimelyCare)
- Ongoing treatment for students who are unwilling to cooperate with treatment-related homework assignments, unwilling to identify treatment goals, and/or unwilling to make changes that will help them reach their treatment goals
- Ongoing treatment for students who do not adhere to the attendance policy of more than 3 late cancellations/no shows within an academic year
- Ongoing treatment for students who access on-call services excessively or for inappropriate reasons, as this indicates that they require more intensive and more frequent services than we are able to provide
- Ongoing treatment for students who have a recent history of multiple hospitalizations, multiple suicide attempts, and/or persistent self-injury behaviors that are not responding to treatment, as this indicates that they require more intensive services than we are able to provide
- Ongoing treatment for students who exhibit psychotic symptoms and are not willing to comply with medication when it is clinically indicated
- Ongoing treatment for students whose behavior is threatening or hostile to the staff, other clients, or the general environment of the Counseling Center
- Any other services that are outside the scope of the Counseling Center, such as services that are prohibited by our licensure or would not be covered by our liability insurance
Please note that when a student presents with needs that exceed our scope of services, clinicians will assist students in identifying appropriate referral sources. In cases where a student’s ongoing needs necessitate a higher level of care referral to community resources, our clinicians can often provide 1-2 transition sessions until the student is able to connect to the appropriate resources. In situations such as these, our clinicians will continue to provide support and assistance only if and while the student is actively making efforts to initiate services with an off-campus provider.