University Counseling Center

Shoemaker Building
4281 Chapel Lane
Phone: 301-314-7651
Fax: 301-314-9206
cajoshi@umd.edu
http://counseling.umd.edu

Director: Chetan Joshi, Ph.D.

The Counseling Center which is comprised of two divisions - the Counseling Service and Research Unit - provides free and confidential counseling, consultation and treatment services to meet the mental health, and academic needs of students. To help foster healthy academic, emotional, social, and career development, a variety of services are offered, including cognitive-behavioral workshops, group counseling, short-term individual counseling, and career assessment and counseling service. Referral services are offered for students who are best served by community providers.

The Counseling Center is staffed by licensed psychologists and counselors. To schedule an appointment, call 301-314-7651 or visit the first floor of Shoemaker Building. An after-hours counseling service staffed by professional counselors is available for urgent mental health concerns after business hours and during weekends, breaks, and holidays. Call 301-314-7651. 

What to Expect When Seeking Counseling Services 

• Students seeking counseling/therapy will be assessed by a professional counselor to determine the best fit for their needs and our services. 
• Following the initial assessment, students may be offered a number of services, such as group counseling, cognitive-behavioral workshops, or individual counseling. Short-term individual counseling is only offered when it is therapeutically appropriate and the best fit for a student’s needs.
• During peak service times, students seeking individual counseling may need to wait for a counselor to become available. Limited student availability and requests for specific counselor preferences (race, gender, religion, etc.) may lead to longer wait times. At peak times during the semester, students may be referred to community providers.
• The Counseling Center, staffed by professional counselors, provides training opportunities for graduate level students. Some students may be assigned to work with one of our counselors-in-training. All trainees are under close supervision by an experienced counselor or licensed psychologist.  
• The Counseling Service division works in close collaboration with the Behavioral Health Service (BHS) in the University Health Center. When therapeutically appropriate, students are referred to BHS for psychiatric or medication evaluations. The Counseling Center does not prescribe medication.
• The Counseling Center does not provide long-term treatment or highly specialized services such as behavioral analysis, neuropsychology, family therapy, hypnosis, or intensive treatment for eating disorders and chronic mental health conditions. Students with such needs may be referred to community providers.

Counseling Center Services

Group Counseling and Cognitive-Behavioral Workshops

http://counseling.umd.edu/cs/clinical/#group/

The Counseling Center offers interpersonal psychotherapy groups and weekly theme-specific groups that address a variety of common issues, such as relationships, sexual assault, eating disorders, anxiety/stress, dissertation support, social identity, and stress management. Facilitated by psychologists and counselors, the typical therapy group size is six to eight students. Three (3) hour cognitive-behavioral workshops that teach basic coping skills for managing symptoms of depression and anxiety are also available.  

Short-Term Personal and Psychological Counseling

http://counseling.umd.edu/cs/

You may be recommended to see a counselor for short-term individual counseling or couples counseling, or join one of the many counselor-led support groups. 

Career Assessment and Counseling

http://counseling.umd.edu/cs/clinical/#career/

Whether you are choosing a major, changing a major, or establishing career goals, it is important to understand how your personality, values, and interests relate to your future professional goals. If you are experiencing problems with choosing a major or career indecision, you can get help with this process at the Counseling Center. 

Drop-In Hours

Unscheduled drop-in hours are available daily between the hours of 3 to 4 p.m. for students of color, LGBTQ students, student veterans, international students, and undocumented students.

Research Services

http://counseling.umd.edu/research/

The Research Unit produces a variety of research briefs, publishes articles in professional journals, and presents study findings at conferences and to the university campus community. Design, implementation, and analyses of the biannual University New Student Census and the Withdrawal Survey are the Research Unit's primary responsibilities. Areas of research include: student development & retention; clinical service delivery; college students' basic needs (food & housing security), academic success, & well-being; as well as multiculturalism, inclusiveness, & action research. 

Support for Parents of College Students

http://counseling.umd.edu/cs/familyfriends/#consult/

The Parent Warmline is a telephone consultation resource available to parents/guardians/family members concerned about their student's adjustment at college. Counselors help callers address a range of issues and concerns.

Counseling Center Hours

Counseling Service Appointments

301-314-7651 (Crisis counseling available after-hours and during breaks, weekends, and holidays)

Accessibility and Disability Service

301-314-7682