The counseling center at UTRGV offers students across the university resources such as block sessions, emergency walk-ins, therapy assisted online, and individual or couple’s counseling sessions, and this all starts with a screening evaluation.
Clinical Therapist Dr. Annette C. Allison explains what the process is like.
“They can walk into our office and say they are here to schedule an appointment; ‘I would really like to begin therapy’. that first appointment is called a screening, we have five therapist and we will spend 30 minutes with them.”
Dr. Allison says that screening evaluation session will determine the severity of need and best route of therapy for that student. Those routes include block sessions, emergency walk-ins, therapy assisted online, and individual or couple’s counseling sessions.
Dr. Allison explains just how important confidentiality is within the counseling center.
“It’s part of our licensing ethics, but no its confidential. There are instances when we need to call tropical, we had to call university police, but it’s because whatever the situation is, is bigger than us, and we need to have others involved to ensure the safety of that student.”
Students at UTRGV such as, freshman political science major Erik Gonzalez understands why counseling is needed for some incoming students.
“I think that would be fantastic because at times there is a lot of stigma that mental health help isn’t as accessible as most people would like it to be and allot of people don’t open up about their issues. Or the stress that they are facing from school. Its only my third day here but I can see why some people have issues dealing with the stress of school.”
To schedule an appointment or to take advantage of other counselling resources visit utrgv.edu/counseling.
This is Jerry Galindo for UTRGV Radio News.
