Where are you located?
The CMHS is located in Sawyer House at 120 Curtis Street, on the corner of Curtis Street and Curtis Avenue. (See Campus Map and search "Sawyer House".)

How do you make an appointment?
Appointments can be made in person by coming to the CMHS or by calling x73360 from phone on-campus or 617-627-3360 from an off campus or cell phone.

Are services available in any language other than English?
Currently we have services available in Korean as well.

Do you provide after-hours emergency mental health services?
In the case of a life-threatening emergency or mental health crisis after hours, call the University Police at x73030 or 617-627-3030 and ask them to page the counselor-on-call.

Do many students use the CMHS?
Yes. Each year about 20% of Tufts students visit CMHS to talk about various concerns.. These may include issues in relationships, transitions, loss, sexuality, family issues, depression, anxiety, eating and body image, and others. The CMHS staff is sensitive to the broad range of concerns that students have.

What if I just want my medication prescribed?
See our Psychiatric Medication Evaluations information.

I think I might have ADD/ADHD. Can I see someone at CMHS to find out?
We do not provide diagnostic evaluations for ADD/ADHD. Evaluations for ADHD/ADD can be costly, but in some cases may be partially covered by health insurance. Check with your insurance carrier for details.

How do I pay for services?
Intake appointments and visits with counselors are free for those students who have paid the Comprehensive Health Fee. Faculty and staff are not eligible for services - see Eligibility for more information. Psychiatric services are billed at rates generally lower than those in the private sector. An initial evaluation or other type of 50-minute visit is billed at $140. and the fee is $90 for most medication follow-up visits (20-30 minutes). Although we do not bill insurance directly, we will send the student an itemized medical bill to submit to your insurance company for reimbursement.

How can I get the most out of my counseling sessions?
You can maximize the progress you make in counseling by being actively involved in the work you and your counselor are doing. Some suggestions include:

• Try not to miss any of your scheduled meetings
• Between sessions, make time to think about the things you have discussed with your counselor
• Invest in following through on any homework assignments your counselor has suggested for you
• Be as honest and open with your counselor as possible

What if I can’t make a scheduled appointment?
Call the front desk at 617-627-3360 as soon as possible after you become aware that you cannot come to your appointment. You can leave a message on the voice mail if you are calling outside of office hours. Please try to call at least 24 hours before your scheduled meeting.

Will my privacy be protected?
See our Confidentiality Policy.

What is counseling?
Counseling occurs in any relationship where two people work together towards understanding and resolving a problem or difficulty that one of them is experiencing. In this way, friends, family, academic advisors, faculty, and others may all provide various types of counseling. Counselors at CMHS have extensive training and experience assisting college students with emotional distress, behavioral problems, and interpersonal difficulties. Your counselor may be a psychologist, social worker, or post-doctoral fellow working under the supervision of licensed, professional staff.

How can counseling be helpful?
Counseling provides a confidential, supportive atmosphere in which to reflect on various issues. In counseling, you may learn a number of things such as:

• How to better understand yourself and those around you;
• Ways to make healthy life choices which enhance your personal growth and effectiveness;
• How to build on and expand your adaptive coping skills, so that you can make the most of your time in college.

Why do people go to counseling and what happens when you get there?
Counseling can help students cope more effectively with many problems that arise in daily life, including some that may interfere with academic progress. Students bring a wide range of issues to counseling, and anything which is a concern to a student is important. Some experiences frequently brought to counseling include loneliness, stress, relationship problems, anxiety, grief, depression, racial identity, eating concerns, coping with transitions, sexual identity, and many others.

How does it work?
The counseling process involves a relationship between you and a counselor who will help you clarify your feelings, make your own decisions, and resolve your concerns. As part of this process, your counselor will ask you to share personal information about yourself and your life. You may find that some of the questions asked, especially in the first session, seem far from your specific experience. This is because counselors need to ask a range of questions in the process of getting to know you. They will not make assumptions, as every person is unique and has their own way of experiencing themselves and others. At times, discussing this information with your counselor may be difficult or even distressing. However, your counselor will support you in this process, and can help you address any discomfort if it does arise. The most effective counseling results from a collaborative partnership between the counselor and client as they work together towards the goals of treatment.

What happens during the first meeting with a counselor?
You will be asked to arrive 15 minutes early for your first visit in order to complete some paperwork. If you prefer, you can download, print and fill these out prior to your first meeting, and bring them with you.

A primary goal of the initial meeting is to understand what brings you to counseling at this time, which helps us determine what services to recommend and if CMHS is the appropriate place to meet your needs. It is not unusual for students to feel nervous or uncomfortable at first, but this usually dissipates as your counselor helps you talk about your concerns.

What will happen after the first meeting?
At the end of your meeting, you and your counselor will discuss how to proceed. Options may include brief counseling at CMHS, a counseling or support group, referral to a provider in the community (this would usually require using your health insurance), or some combination of interventions. Additionally, self-help books and materials, medications, or other interventions may be suggested.

Some students find that their needs are met by their initial conversation with a mental health professional, and choose not to proceed with additional counseling. Although your counselor will make treatment recommendations, and will be as clear as possible in explaining the recommendations, it is important to remember that, unless it is an emergency, the decision about whether or not to proceed with the recommendations is yours.

What if I feel like counseling isn’t helping?
It is very important that you provide feedback to your counselor about what is or is not helpful. Much like your academic lives, counseling gives back what you put into it. Your work in counseling will be most effective when you and your counselor solve problems together, which means you will need to let your counselor know when something is troubling you, even if the trouble is something about your counselor! Although this can be difficult to bring up, experience has shown that such direct conversations can lead to special insights, improved working relationships, and novel opportunities for personal growth.

What if I am not happy with the counselor I am assigned, or with my contact at the CMHS?
Generally, it is possible to change counselors if you do not feel you are well-matched with the person you are seeing. If you have difficulties with any aspect of your contact at the CMHS, call 617-627-3360 and ask to speak with Julie Ross, the Director, or with Linda Escoll, Assistant Director. They want to know about and help remedy any problems which may arise.