FAQs

The Center for Counseling and Student Development is a campus agency staffed by professional psychologists and social workers trained to help you discover ways to cope with problems in living.

Our staff has a commitment to meeting the special needs of individuals from diverse backgrounds, including differences of culture, race, gender, ability, and sexual orientation. Our services are confidential with regard to legal and professional guidelines of the State of Rhode Island.

Whom do we serve?

Full -time and residential undergraduate and graduate students (other than the Law School) are eligible to use all of our services free of charge. Free consultation and referral services are available for part-time undergraduate students, faculty, staff and administrators.

Where is the Counseling Center located?

The Center is located on the second floor of the Center for Student Development, across from Cedar Hall.

When is the Center open?

The Center's hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, during the academic year. Summer and January hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Why do students seek counseling?

Students come to the Counseling Center for a variety of concerns.  Everyone expresses problems differently; everyone's problems are legitimate and can be helped. The following are some of the reasons a person might come for help:

• Feeling hopeless or sad about yourself or particular events in your life.
• Feeling unduly worried or anxious.
• Relationship troubles...with friends, roommates, family, or other members of the university community.
• Feeling unmotivated or unable to concentrate.
• Feeling that something is wrong, but not being able to figure out what it is.
• Loss of self-confidence or self-esteem.
• Problems with eating, sleeping, sex.
• Overuse of alcohol and/ or drugs.
• Suicidal thoughts.
• Feeling overwhelmed or "stressed-out".

What services do we offer?

Counseling
Individual, couple, family, and group counseling are provided in a confidential setting. Our orientation tends to be short-term and solution-focused with the goal of helping you to deal with various personal and interpersonal concerns.

Developmental Programming
Developmental workshops, groups, and seminars are offered through the Center and our PEER Program. The programs are educational, supportive or skill oriented in approach. General outreach, residence hall and minority outreach programs can be requested in advance for classes, housing units, or other Roger Williams University groups.

Consultation
Staff, faculty, and administrators may wish to consult with the Center's staff about a student or about their own concerns. We can provide you with a referral to a therapist in the community if ongoing counseling is recommended.

Emergency Services
At night or on weekends, crises services are provided either by the Center's staff or by East Bay Mental Health. For assistance with mental health emergencies, first contact a Student Life staff member (e.g., an R.A. or C.O.R.E) to initiate emergency procedures.