Counseling Services at UW-Eau Claire is an organization that offers students and staff a place to work through a multitude of mental health issues. Every weekday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Vicki Lord Larson Hall, Counseling Services are open to appointments for anyone affiliated with the university.

Riley McGrath is a doctor at Counseling Services who acts as the director of the office as well. He mentioned the importance of taking care of one’s mental health

“If you’re wondering if (an issue) is bad enough for counseling,” he said “just come in and if you find support then it’s helpful.”

The Counseling Services office, just as the name implies, offers a lot of services for students. According to the UW-Eau Claire website, Counseling Services holds many options for students’ different needs. These include:

Individual Therapy:

Personal therapy options are offered for students by appointment. The Counseling Services office said that their sessions are around 45-50 minutes long with an average of  five sessions per year. 

These services, similar to most of the services offered, are free. McGrath said that the Counseling Services office can get busy at times but they will always reach out and help students.

“The sooner people come in, the sooner they can get relief,” he said.

Group Therapy:

The Counseling Services office provides three group therapy options for students. These events are often held weekly and are meant to share issues with other students to show that students aren’t alone.

The first group therapy option is a general process group where students are instructed to share experiences and perspectives. The goal, described by the Counseling Services website, is for students to gain an understanding of themselves and others through communication.

The second group therapy option is a student of color process group. The Counseling Services website describes this group as a safe space for students of color to come together and share their experiences.

The third group therapy option is the Gender and Sexuality Process Group. The Counseling Services website said this group is a place for members of the LGBTQ+ community to discuss their experiences.

Assessments

Counseling Services offer numerous assessments for students and staff on campus. Their website details these assessments, and some require purchase. 

The first assessment is the alcohol and drug use assessment that assesses patterns in alcohol and drug use. This assessment is free if the appointment is voluntary. It costs $100 if the assessment was sanctioned by the university and $160 if it was sanctioned by the court.

The second assessment is the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder screening. As detailed on Counseling Services website, the ADHD assessment costs $80 and requires multiple screenings to evaluate and test students before taking the next medical steps.

The third assessment is the eating disorder screening. This assessment is free of charge and is defined as a place for students to learn more about body image and eating habits.

The fourth assessment is a meeting for students who need letters for gender affirming treatments. As described on their website, Counseling Services work with Student Health Services at UW-Eau Claire to offer free support and preparation for hormone therapy and the overall transitioning process.

The fifth and final assessment is the first offenders forum alcohol education course. This class is available for current students who want to learn more about alcohol use and for those who have received an underage citation. Registration can be done at Counseling Services and the services center at Davies.

Couples Counseling

Similar to the individual therapy sessions, Counseling Services offer counseling for couples for an average of 45-50 minutes. These also are by appointment. This type of counseling is available as long as one person in the couple is affiliated with UW-Eau Claire.

Case Management

If the Counseling Services office here at UW-Eau Claire is not a good fit for you for any reason, they offer assistance to students in finding other long-term mental health care options. Counseling Services has joined with MiResource to help students find other options.

Overall, Counseling Services offer students and staff a place to speak with professionals about any mental health struggles. You can learn more on their website and connect with them through their Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. 

If you or someone you know needs help, don’t hesitate to reach out to Counseling Services or their crisis services.

Fisher can be reached at [email protected]