Counseling Services is a component of the Student Health, Counseling, and Wellness Services. Organizationally, we are one of several campus programs that comprise the division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management. The primary mission of our agency is to provide mental health services to students. We subscribe to the philosophy of promoting the growth and development of the whole person. Consequently, Counseling Services' staff members work closely with other Student Affairs offices and academic departments in providing a wide range of services and creative programs for students. Counseling Services is located in the same building as the Student Health Services, with whom we enjoy a strong collegial relationship.

The primary mission of Counseling Services is to assist students with problems or concerns that interfere with normal academic development. Programmatic and clinical interventions are designed to address a range of student problems, from the typical developmental issues to significant mental health concerns. Our staff recognizes that there are various ways of facilitating students' progress toward better functioning. Therefore, in addition to counseling, outreach and some psychoeducational group modules are constructed to be preventative in nature. A central purpose of applied interventions is to assist students in becoming more responsible and more intentional in the choices they make both as a student at CWU and throughout their lives.

Our primary emphasis is on individual, couple, and group counseling. These services are available free of charge to all students who pay the Student Health, Counseling, and Wellness Services fee upon registering for classes. Given the realities of a rural environment, limited external mental health resources exist. Consequently, we work with clients experiencing a wide variety of difficulties, including severe depression, bipolar disorder and eating disorders. We attempt to meet the needs of the client in a brief therapy format. However, a small percentage of our clients are seen for long-term counseling. Outreach presentations and consultation to members of the campus community are also an integral part of our job.