Simply stated, counseling is a relationship in which an individual provides consultation and assistance to another individual in order to better understand and manage a problem. There are many types of "counseling" relationships: a friend, parent, advisor, and mentor. However, counseling services provided by the CAPS staff differs from other types of counseling relationships in that our staff has extensive training and expertise in psychology and human behavior. They can provide a valuable resource for those whose problems or concerns are psychologically and/or emotionally-based.
Who is eligible for counseling services?
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) provides individual,
couples, group, and family psychotherapy to registered undergraduate and
graduate students, including students of the Medical School and the Scripps
Institution of Oceanography. Services are free of charge to currently
enrolled students who have paid their registration fees. During the summer,
students who were enrolled the previous Spring quarter and are intending
to return in the Fall quarter are eligible for services.
Back to top
You can make an appointment by calling our Central Office at (858) 534-3755.
You may call or stop by our central office to make an appointment. Our Central
office is at Galbraith Hall 190
(located at
Revelle
College, below the CLICS library)
. Appointments are
generally available within two weeks of your request. However, at times of
peak demand the wait can be longer. You may request a specific staff person
on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity or location, but it will
possibly mean a longer wait until an appointment becomes available.
Back to top
Our office hours are 8:00am to 4:30pm, Monday through Friday.
Back to top
Where
are you located?
There are seven separate locations for our offices: the Central Office (where
one calls to schedule initial appointments), and offices at each of the six
Colleges at UCSD. CAPS houses at least two staff persons per College.
For locations and maps to our offices, click
here.
Back to top
What forms do I need to complete prior to my first appointment?
There are several forms and documents that need to be completed and reviewed prior to your initial meeting with a counselor:
(1) Intake Form
(2) Information & Consent Form
(3) Life Functioning Inventory
(4) Acknowledgment of Receipt of NPP
(5) Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP) (for your review only)
You can download the Intake Forms Packet to complete these
forms prior to the intake. To download this packet, click
here.
Back to top
In keeping with ethical standards of mental health professionals and the law, all services provided by the staff of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) are kept confidential. We do, however, consult as needed within the staff of CAPS about the best way to provide the assistance that a client might need. No information is released to outside parties without the client's prior, written consent. Neither the fact that you seek counseling nor any information about the counseling sessions will appear in your student academic record unless you direct us to communicate with other staff and faculty at the university.
Psychologists have a legal responsibility to disclose client information without
prior consent in certain cases to protect clients and others. These include
cases where a client has communicated to the psychologist a serious threat of
physical violence to other individuals, or where a psychologist has reasonable
cause to believe that the client is a danger to him or herself or may be gravely disabled
and unable to care for him or herself. Additionally, psychologists are obligated
to report any cases of child abuse or elder abuse. Fortunately these situations
are infrequent. Please consult with your psychologist if you have any questions
about confidentiality.
Back to top
What if I start feeling suicidal or can't cope?
If you feel this way, please call (858-534-3755) or come in to the Central Office (Galbraith Hall 190) immediately and speak with an on-call counselor right away. Please make your concerns known when you call and you can be seen immediately or within a few hours depending on the nature of the crisis during our hours of operation (8:00am-4:30pm, Monday-Friday).
During business hours (8:00am-4:30pm), students in need of urgent psychological assistance are encouraged to call CAPS at (858) 534-3755. The Resource Psychologist is available on weekdays from 8:00am to 4:30pm at the CAPS Central Office (located in Galbraith Hall, Room 190 at Revelle College). The Resource Psychologist can respond to students in crisis, as well as consult with parents, staff, and faculty.
After hours, the CAPS staff can be reached for urgent telephonic consultations by calling the UCSD Campus Police at (858) 534-HELP(4357).
If serious harm is about to
happen to any person, including one's self, call 911 or the UCSD Campus
Police at (858) 534-HELP(4357).
Back to top
If I am concerned about one of my friends, what can I do?
The CAPS staff is available for consultation with students, faculty, and staff.
If you are concerned about one of your friends, call our Central Office at (858)
534-3755 to speak with an on-call counselor who will assist you with your particular
concern. To access our Resources for Students page,
click here.
Back to top