The Counseling Service provides students with an opportunity to explore their concerns and problems with a professional psychotherapist in a confidential setting. The Counseling Service is available to Smith undergraduate and graduate students during the academic calendar year. The college years are times of accelerated growth, significant challenges and considerable stress. The Counseling Service is available to help students with the variety of concerns that arise during these intense years.
Individual Counseling
The Counseling Service offers sessions by appointment. These sessions are free of charge and confidential. Students meet one-on-one with a therapist to explore troubling life experiences, feelings of unhappiness, stress, depression and anxiety, and to identify personal areas of resourcefulness.
About 25 percent of the students at Smith College use the Counseling Service each year. Students come to counseling with problems such as:
- Roommate difficulties
- Loneliness
- Anxiety
- Lack of self-confidence
- Eating problems
- Abuse issues
- Procrastination
- Family problems
- Interpersonal conflicts
- Problems in intimate relationships
- Questions about sexuality/sexual preferences
- Depression
- Cultural/ethnic concerns
- Achievement conflicts
- Concerns about their use of alcohol or drugs
The Counseling Service approaches psychological issues from the perspective that psychological health and well-being is affected by one's personal history and current environment. The aim of the service is to assist students in developing healthy, fulfilling relationships and to increase enjoyment in productive working and learning.
Psychiatric Consultation
Psychiatric consultation is available to students. See the insurance guidelines for information about your coverage for counseling. You and your therapist can request consultation if you would like to consider medication, or if you would like a second opinion on how you are doing. Usually, students who are prescribed medication are also seen in brief psychotherapy at the Counseling Service.
