About the Counseling Center

Our Counseling Center team includes licensed mental health professionals and graduate-level trainees who are here to support you as you navigate mental health concerns and their impact they may have on your learning and overall well-being. We are part of the Division of University Engagement and Student Affairs. 

Our mission and values

Mission

Counseling Center professional staff are highly trained to support students by providing counseling services and programs that enable the development of skills, attitudes, and behaviors that are essential for personal growth, successful academic progress, and student effectiveness.

Vision

To deliver quality Counseling Center services that enhance the CMU community, facilitate personal growth and wellbeing, support inclusivity and diversity, and promote student engagement and success.

Shared Beliefs and Values

The Counseling Center supports the teaching, research, and service missions of the university by:

• Providing excellent service to the university community.
• Ensuring continual staff professional development.
• Working cooperatively with campus partners to deliver courteous and effective services to students.
• Valuing equity and understanding the richness of diversity within the university community, the unique needs of its special populations, and by continually evaluating and advancing the services to these populations.
• Maintaining an atmosphere of open communication, mutual trust, respect, and support in which individuals can achieve their full potential.

Your rights, responsibilities and confidentiality

Rights

• To confidentiality.
• To ask questions and be informed about the nature of counseling and the Counseling Center's services.
• To withdraw the consent to receive services at any time.
• To be treated with respect for your personal dignity, autonomy, and privacy.
• Not to be discriminated against because of your age, gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, size, disability, socioeconomic status, or any other visible or invisible differences.
• To request a different counselor than the one assigned to you.
• To terminate counseling at any time.
• To a defined counseling goal mutually decided upon by you and your counselor. 
• To be informed if your counselor is ill or for other reasons unable to meet with you.
• To be referred to another helping professional if you desire or if your concerns go beyond our expertise of Scope of Practice.

Responsibilities

• To inform the Counseling Center as soon as possible if you cannot meet your appointment time.
• To be on time for appointments with your counselor.
• To express honestly your satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the counseling process.
• To be actively involved in the counseling process by identifying your concerns and working on them both in and between sessions.
• To tell your counselor if you wish to terminate the counseling or wish to request a different counselor. 

Confidentiality

The information you share in counseling is privileged and confidential. Counselors consult with one another as needed to assist students. A signed Consent for Release of Privileged Information form is required to disclose any information about the counseling you have received to a third party. There are exceptions to confidentiality. You are under 18, discuss with your counselor how this may impact some aspects of confidentiality. Your counselor is required to report disclosed information to the appropriate authorities:

1. When serious and foreseeable harm to you or others is evident;
2. When release of confidential information is required by court order or requested by you;
3. When child abuse or neglect is evident or suspected;
4. When abuse, neglect or exploitation of adults who are vulnerable due to physical or mental impairment or advanced age is evident or suspected.

The Counseling Center is required to keep records of your contacts with us. Client information is stored securely in an electronic medical record. Clients may review their file by making this request in advance and reviewing it with a counselor.

Visiting the Counseling Center

Opportunities and feedback