The Counseling Center provides consultation, assessment, counseling, referrals and related services to students while they pursue their educational goals.
You will feel welcomed and receive high quality services from well qualified and supportive staff, who can provide tools and resources to help manage stress and navigate a variety of challenges including:
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To schedule an appointment, call (315) 267 - 2330 or visit us at 131 Van Housen Hall.
General Consultation
We provide consultation to all members (students, faculty, and staff) of the College community regarding mental health related concerns.
If you are concerned about a student and are not sure about the best course of action, give us a call at (315) 267-2330! Please do not email with concerns about students in order to allow us to respond in a timely manner.
Psychiatric Consultation
Psychiatric nurse practitioner available by referral, or request, for diagnostic evaluation, discussion and education related to psychiatric diagnosis, and medication management services. If you have had previous psychiatric services and are already on medication, our psychiatric nurse practitioner can meet with you for continuation of services while you are a student.
Individual Therapy
Registered students may be eligible for individual counseling with one of our licensed therapists. An intake appointment is made to determine the students’ needs and if the College Counseling Center is an appropriate place for treatment, as we are a brief, solution-focused center.
Group Therapy
We offer group therapy based on relevant situations and student interest.
Telepsychiatry / Telepsychology
SUNY Potsdam partners with SUNY Upstate Medical Hospital in Syracuse NY. Through this program, students can be referred for counseling or psychiatric appointments. Services are free for students. Referral paperwork can be completed at the Counseling Center.
Our staff includes a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. The PMHNP meets with students who are interested in starting medication or who currently take medication and require on-going follow up. If you are currently taking psychotropic medications, speak to your provider to determine if they are going to continue prescribing if Potsdam is not your home area.
The Counseling Center provides QPR Suicide Prevention programming and Awareness, Advocacy, and Assistance Training to promote positive mental health to faculty, staff, students and community stakeholders. Members of the Counseling Center also serve on and collaborate with the St. Lawrence County Suicide Coalition.
Resources
Crisis Services
Examples of reasons to be seen for a mental health crisis include:
- You are having thoughts of suicide
- You are having serious thoughts of wanting to seriously harm or kill someone else
- You are seeing things or hearing things that others do not see or hear
- You are not able to take care of daily living skills (e.g., eating, sleeping, bathing, etc.)
If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency or are in immediate danger, call 911.
Daytime Crisis Services
Daytime crisis services are accessible by calling or walking into the Counseling Center at 131 Van Housen Hall, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. during the academic year (except when campus offices are closed for the holidays). The phone number is (315) 267-2330.
After Hours
After hours and on weekends: Call University Police at (315) 267-2222, dial 911, or go to the nearest emergency room.
In Potsdam, the nearest emergency room is RRH Canton-Potsdam Hospital Emergency Room, located at:
50 Leroy Street
Potsdam, NY 13676
Phone: (315) 265-3300
24 Hour Crisis Hotlines
- St. Lawrence County Crisis Helpline - Citizen Advocates: (315) 265-2422
- Renewal House: (315) 379-9845
- The Trevor Project: (866) 488-7386
- Tribal Support: 1-800-622-HELP (4357)
- National Crisis Text Line: 741741
- Suicide and Crisis Hotline: Dial/Text 988
- Ulifeline: www.ulifeline.org
All contacts with the Counseling Center are treated with the utmost confidentiality.
Student records are strictly confidential as well. Records are only released with the student's written consent or by a court-ordered subpoena. Information about student contacts for psychological services is not released to other campus departments, outside agencies, family, or friends. Even the fact that a student has been at the Counseling Center is confidential.
Due to legal and ethical guidelines, there are certain situations in which all counselors will break confidentiality and are obligated to take action to protect a client and others from harm. These situations include the following:
- Your counselor has any cause to believe that you are at imminent risk of killing yourself or someone else.
- If your counselor believes that a child, an elderly person, or a member of a vulnerable population is being abused or neglected, he or she will be required to file a report with the appropriate state agency.
- In the event of a legal proceeding, a judge may order or subpoena your counseling records if the judge determines that the case demands it.