The University of St. Thomas

Couseling Services

Services Offered

Who We See

All full time, degree seeking students at the University of St. Thomas are eligible for services at the Personal Counseling and Testing Center. Our primary mission is to serve undergraduate students, as they are least likely to carry their own insurance and may have limited financial resources. We will see anyone in the UST community for one session to provide information, consultation, and/or referral.

Occasionally students come to personal counseling asking for intervention on their behalf as a result of academic or disciplinary difficulties. Although Personal Counseling Staff will try and help students deal with such a situation and prevent future occurrences, as a general policy Personal Counseling does not intervene in administrative decisions regarding individual students.

Individual Counseling

You can work with a counselor to explore your concerns and work towards a better understanding and resolution of your difficulties. The first session is an intake (an exploration/assessment session). The total number of sessions will vary depending on the issue(s) you bring to counseling. At times, your counselor may recommend psychological testing such as the MMPI. For more information on what to expect in counseling, refer to Client's Rights and Responsibilities.

Appointments

Students, faculty and staff can make an appointment by doing one of the following:

  • On the St. Paul Campus, come to Personal Counseling, Room 356, Murray Herrick Student Center. Or call us at (651) 962-6780.
  • On the Minneapolis Campus, come to the Life/Work Center, Suite 110, Terrance Murphy Hall. Or call (651) 962-4763.

Appointments typically last 50 minutes and cannot be made via E-mail.

During your first appointment, you will be asked to come a few minutes early to complete paperwork and review a Client Rights and Responsibilities form

Group Counseling

One of the best ways to learn about yourself and how you interact with others is by being in a group. Groups typically have 6-8 students and are facilitated by two counselors. For more information and a list of current groups, refer to the Group Counseling page.

Crisis Counseling

If you or a friend need immediate help, please call Personal Counseling at 651-962-6780. For more information on after hours help, please read the Crisis/Emergency page.

Intervention

Occasionally students come to personal counseling asking for intervention on their behalf as a result of academic or disciplinary difficulties. Although Personal Counseling staff will try and help students deal with such a situation and prevent future occurrences, as a general policy Personal Counseling does not intervene in administrative decisions regarding individual students.

Alcohol Assessment

If you are concerned about your drinking behavior, Personal Counseling staff can help you assess whether it is a problem and what steps you can take to change it. For specific information, visit the Alcohol Assessment page.

Consultation/Outreach

If you have concerns about a friend, want to do team building with your organization or are wondering how to deal with a troubled student, Personal Counseling staff can help you find a solution.

Personal Counseling staff provide development and training, individual consultation, and organizational development services to students, faculty, staff and the greater UST community. Examples of consultation topics include stress management, crisis debriefing, substance abuse, communication skills, team building, dealing with challenging people, helping friends/faculty/staff confront others with inappropriate behavior, etc.

If you have a consultation request on the St. Paul campus, call (651) 962-6780. For the Minneapolis campus call (651)962-4763. You may also contact us via E-mail. Typically, we need 2-3 weeks to respond to a request.

Referrals

Personal Counseling can help you find options for mental health services in the metropolitan area if your concerns cannot be resolved in the short term model we use or if you are ineligible for services. We will help you find someone who will be covered by your insurance or who has a sliding fee scale based on your income.

Referral information is available to all students, faculty and staff. Personal Counseling can help you find options for mental health services in the metropolitan area. Typical referrals might include couple or family therapy, psychiatric consultations, or referrals for family or friends of the UST community. We will ask you for information about your medical insurance to help find a referral that will be covered by insurance.

UST staff are also encouraged to use the referral service of Life Phases , a free, confidential service available 24 hours a day at 1-800-854-1446 (Spanish phone line is 1-877-858-2147) or www.lifebalance.net (username: lifebalance, password: lifebalance).