Counseling and Disability Services
Counseling Services

We offer the following services free of charge to eligible students:
• Short-term individual and couples counseling
• Group counseling

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR COUNSELING

Eligibility
Currently enrolled NMT graduate or undergraduate student registered for a minimum of 6 credit hours will be seen for an initial appointment. The initial appointment is an opportunity for your counselor to determine if the services we offer are appropriate for your needs and for you to decide if our services are a good fit for you.

Making an Appointment
Please call 835-6619 to schedule an appointment. You will be asked if you have been seen before at Counseling Services and your current enrollment status. You will be asked to complete an Intake Form prior to your first appointment. Please plan to pick up a form in advance of your appointment or arrive 15 minutes early to allow time to complete the Intake Form.

Cancellation of Appointments
Because of the demand for services, we ask that if you need to cancel an appointment that you provide Counseling Services 24-hours notice. Appointments canceled with less than 24-hours notice will count against the total amount students are allowed. We do recognize that there are those emergency situations where it is not possible to give 24-hours notice and we will make exceptions on a case-by-case basis.
Students who miss two or more consecutive appointments (without providing notice) will have their file closed and will be referred to community services should they require psychological care.

Confidentiality
The State of New Mexico legally recognizes that communication between a counselor and her/his client as privileged and confidential. We will not disclose your contacts with us to your spouse/partner, your parents, professors, or anyone else without your permission. There are few narrow exceptions:

  • If you are in imminent danger to yourself or are a significant danger to someone else, we have a legal obligation to break confidentiality to protect you and/or others.
  • If you are abusing children/vulnerable adults or inform us concerning someone who is, then we have a legal responsibility to report this to the proper authorities. Such a report could potentially lead to disclosure of your being a client and require testimony concerning the suspected abuse.
  • If, as part of an employment process or security screening you sign a release of records form about services received from us, we will ask that you sign our form to ensure that you are freely and knowingly releasing a brief summary of your contact with us.
  • Your records can also be subpoenaed by a court of law (e.g. if you claimed emotional damages in a lawsuit).
  • We also reserve the right to consult with the NMT Health Center when professionally appropriate.

Referral:
Because we offer short-term counseling services, NMT Counseling Services reserves the right to refer you to other community services if your concerns are outside the scope of our practice.

Session Limits:
Students who are eligible to receive services are limited to 10 sessions per semester for individual, group/family counseling services. There are no session limits for group counseling. There is also a limit on the total number of sessions any one student can receive.

INFORMATION ABOUT COUNSELING

Some Reasons People Seek Counseling:
• Adjusting to university life
• Difficulties with motivation or decision-making
• Relationship difficulties with friends, roommates, family, partners. . .
• Communication skills
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Loneliness
• Identity issues
• Sexual orientation issues
• Worries about behaviors (eating, alcohol/drug use, sex)
• Feeling suicidal or thoughts that life is not worth living.
• Loss (illness, death of a loved one, personal loss)

COUNSELING SERVICES FAQ

What can I expect at my first appointment?
The first appointment is an opportunity for you to meet with your counselor, tell her/him your concerns and to decide what types of services will best meet your needs. During the first appointment, your intake counselor will ask you questions about your history, current symptoms and concerns and work with you to set some goals. If your concerns would be better served by longer term counseling or different services, your intake counselor will provide you with appropriate referrals.

How many counseling sessions do I need?
This depends on the issues you bring to counseling and your willingness to actively participate in counseling. Because our services our short-term, we encourage clients to develop their strengths and support in other areas of their lives. If your concerns would be better served by long-term therapy, your counselor will work with you to find an appropriate referral.

What about medication?
The professional staff at Counseling Services do not prescribe medication. When clinically appropriate, you may be referred to another provider for a medication evaluation. However, the therapists on staff work closely with the Student Health Center for cases that include medication managment or other health concerns.