Individual Counseling
(Excepts from Guidelines to Individual Counseling Services)
Clayton State provides short-term, individual counseling for currently enrolled students to use for personal and professional growth. Our experienced counselors and trained interns frequently help students to better understand, anticipate, and respond to concerns or experiences typical among college students. Counseling services are generally limited to those issues that can be addressed within a semester; if you are concerned that short-term services may not be adequate for your situation, please share this concern with the intake counselor. While there are no guaranteed outcomes to the counseling process, many people find it helpful. Occasionally, uncomfortable feelings may emerge during the counseling process; we recommend that you discuss these concerns with your counselor.
The counseling process requires an active, working partnership between the counselor and client(s). During your initial meeting, you can discuss your concerns, including any that you may have about the counseling process itself. We encourage you to share your concern(s) as honestly as possible. The counselor will seek to understand your concerns and expectations and will then suggest possibilities to meet your needs. On-campus options may include seminars, groups and other services. At times, the best option may be beyond the scope of CSU Counseling Services; if so, we will provide you with information on other available services or resources. It is possible that the counselor you meet with initially will not be the one with whom you have follow-up sessions. If our services seem appropriate to your needs and situation, then regular appointments may be scheduled. We believe that your active involvement outside the 50-minute session is as important as your work directly with the counselor. As part of your work together, your counselor may suggest “homework” between sessions or ask you to complete other activities if these could promote progress towards counseling goals.
If you are unable to make an appointment, please call us in advance so that the time is not lost. Students who arrive late for appointments (fifteen minutes or more) will be asked to reschedule. In addition, students who miss two appointments without calling in advance to cancel a session will have counseling services suspended for the remainder of the semester. Note: Counseling is only provided in–person within our offices during regular hours of operation. Counseling is not available on-line, or by E-mail or telephone. If you think that you might need more extensive services than our office provides (e.g. after-hours assistance), ask your counselor for referral information, including emergency service phone numbers.
Information shared by you will be treated confidentially and we will do our best to respect your privacy. Our counselors adhere to the rules of confidentiality consistent with the Code of Ethics established by the Georgia Composite Board of Professional Counselors, Social Workers, and Family Therapists, which your counselor will be glad to discuss upon request. Ordinarily, counselors can only release information about you to others with your permission. However, these are exceptions to confidentiality, such as if it is necessary to protect you or someone else from eminent danger, or whenever child or elder abuse is suspected. In addition, parents or guardians of minors (under 18) may have access to information concerning use of services.
To respect your privacy, we will follow your lead as far as saying “hello” if we see you in public. If we need to reach you (regarding scheduling/follow-up), we will attempt to contact you by methods you approve.
To maintain quality, we evaluate the effectiveness of our services using available client information and may send brief evaluations to clients at the mailing address provided on the counseling registration form. Any information used for this purpose will be handled in a manner that protects your identity.
In addition to Individual Counseling, Counseling Services office provides group seminars/programs, and various other services to currently enrolled students.
If you would like to make an appointment to meet with a Counseling Services counselor, call us at (678) 466-5406. Counseling Services are provided in-person in the Counseling Services office, not by telephone, e-mail, or on-line.