We want all SSU students and their families to know students can come to CAPS for any psychological assistance they need. Our staff psychologists are highly trained and experienced professionals who specialize in college student mental health, including such areas as eating disorders, grief, trauma and substance abuse.
With the newly implemented mental health fee, CAPS services have been broadened to include a variety of mental health workshops, support groups, case management, and crisis advocacy services, as well as individual and couples counseling. Before the fee, CAPS had 3 counselors. Today, we have 6 full-time counselors. Plus, we now have a crisis advocate/case manager who is a certified sexual assault and domestic violence counselor.
Some services provided by CAPS include:
• Short-term counseling (individual & couples)
• Crisis consultation and intervention
• Group counseling
• Support groups
• Workshops
• Campus outreach
• Off-campus referrals
• Crisis advocacy
Along with the vast majority of university counseling centers across the country, CAPS utilizes a short-term model of therapy. This allows us to maximize our resources by serving as many students as possible and minimizing long wait times. Counseling and Psychological Services welcomes all students to make an initial appointment with one of our counselors to discuss their concerns. During this initial meeting, the counselor, in collaboration with the student, will discuss the best treatment options and recommend services either within CAPS or off-campus.
Students whose needs cannot be accommodated with short-term counseling, or who require a particular type of expertise not available at CAPS, are referred to the appropriate resources off campus. Counseling and Psychological Services provides referral services either after the initial session or as these factors become more apparent during the course of counseling. Our goal is to provide treatment options we believe will best meet the student's needs. When students are provided with an off-campus referral, the CAPS case manager will help the student to make sure the referral was facilitated and offer any additional assistance in finding resources as necessary.
Some of the issues that are commonly addressed in counseling at the CAPS are:
• Personal Issues (e.g. stress, anxiety, depression, anger, loneliness, low self-esteem, grief/loss)
• Relationship issues (e.g. romantic relationship difficulties, sexual concerns, roommate problems, family issues)
• Developmental Issues (e.g. identity development, adjustment to college, life transitions)
• Academic Concerns (e.g. performance anxiety, perfectionism, underachievement, low motivation)
• Other Issues (effects of trauma, sexual assault, abuse, concerns from childhood or adolescence, spiritual concerns, body image, food preoccupation, substance abuse, healthy lifestyle choices)
All SSU students voluntarily referred by staff, faculty and parents are welcome at CAPS. We even have a special guide to assist with this process. Please refer to our "Helping the Distressed Student Guide" at: http://www.sonoma.edu/counselingctr/distress_guide.pdf
Hours:
Monday-Friday from 8a.m-5p.m. by appointment
Drop-in Crisis Counseling hours:
Monday-Thursday from noon-1p.m. and 3-4p.m. and Friday from noon - 1p.m.
Students in crisis after 5 p.m. should contact either Police Services (call 911) or the Sonoma County Crisis line at (707) 576-8181, both available 24 hours/day, 7 days/week.
We are ready to meet the needs of all students. Contact us at (707) 664-2153. Our website explains more fully the services CAPS offers including Wellness Lunchtime Workshops. https://www.sonoma.edu/counselingctr/services.shtml