About Student Counseling & Psychological Services
Our Mission
The mission of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is to promote the personal growth and development of students at Stevens. We strive to maximize students’ potential to benefit from their academic environment and experience. We further seek to promote and be part of a healthy, caring and inclusive university community.
Diversity
The diverse staff at CAPS recognizes that many factors including race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, culture, ability or disability status, socioeconomic status and other unique issues are significant in students' lives and identities. We value social justice and strive to create a safe space where thoughtful and appreciative exploration of diversity is the norm.
Frequently Asked Questions
Psychological counseling promotes mental and physical health in a warm and welcoming environment. You will objectively look at behaviors, feelings and thoughts in situations that you may find troublesome. Psychological counseling can be valuable in helping you make the changes you would like to make in your life by providing adaptive and effective strategies and techniques for coping with stressors. Psychological counseling involves meeting with a trained professional who can help you cope, work and resolve different issues. Counseling can also help you learn about yourself, explore different career paths, and help you make difficult decisions.
During your first meeting you and your psychologist will explore your decision to begin psychological counseling and will discuss your concerns. You will discuss the options for what help is available, including which staff psychologist will be assigned to meet with you regularly. You can express a preference either to continue counseling, not continue, or be referred to another source of assistance.
Personal Concerns:
Adjusting to college, acculturation issues, difficulty coping, stress, past traumatic experiences, social concerns, sexuality, family crisis , excessive video gaming, roommate concerns and other personal issues.
Psychological Issues:
Depression, anxiety, panic, eating disorders, substance misuse/abuse, suicidality, attention/concentration difficulties, sleep disorders and other psychological issues.
Interpersonal Concerns:
Communication skills, dating/relationships, conflict management.
Crisis Intervention Services:
Acute stress, sexual assault, death of a family member or friend.
These are just a few of the reasons fellow students may seek counseling. Our door is open to you!
There are times when everyone feels stressed, overwhelmed, depressed and anxious. However, sometimes these feelings last for a long time or become difficult to manage. They may start interfering with your health, relationships, schoolwork or social life. If this happens, counseling may help.
Call our office at 201.216.5177 and we can schedule an appointment for you. We are not currently accepting walk-in appointments.
During the pandemic period, yes - all meetings with a staff clinician require calling for an appointment. Please note that we have regular staff available in the event of urgent situations and can accomodate short-notice requests for service when appropriate.
No. Student Counseling and Psychological Services is available to all enrolled Stevens undergraduate and graduate students, regardless of insurance. There is no cost for services. Services are free and confidential.
All interactions with CAPS, including scheduling of, attendance of appointments, content of your sessions, progress in counseling, and your records, are confidential within Student Counseling Services.
No record of counseling is contained in any academic, educational or job placement file. At your written request/consent, CAPS staff will send a report, or talk with persons you designate.
The counseling staff works as a team. Your counselor will consult with other counseling staff to provide you with the best possible care. Staff consultations are for professional and training purposes. Information will not be disclosed outside of CAPS without your written consent with the exception of the following:
Imminent Harm to Self: If a staff member has reason to believe that you are in danger of physically harming yourself; a mental health professional is legally and ethically required to report this information to the proper authorities and others (i.e., family, college administrators, campus police, etc.) as needed to ensure your safety.
Imminent Harm to Others: If a staff member has reason to believe that you are seriously threatening harm against another person and if s/he believes that you are a threat to the safety of another person, s/he is legally and ethically required to take some action (such as contacting the police, notifying the other person, contacting college administrators, seeking involuntary hospitalization or some combination of these actions) to ensure that the other person is protected.
Abuse of Vulnerable Individuals: If a staff member has reason to believe that a child, an elderly person, or another vulnerable individual(s) is being physically or sexually abused or neglected; s/he is legally obligated to report this situation to the appropriate state agency.
Court Order: A court order, issued by a judge, may require CAPS staff to release information contained in records and/or require a counselor to testify in a court proceeding. If records are subpoenaed, we will make every effort to keep information confidential within the limits of the law.
Please Note: The exceptions to confidentiality are rare. However, if they should occur it is the Center’s policy that, whenever possible, we will attempt to discuss with you any action that is being considered.
Fall and Spring Semesters: Monday - Friday (9am-5pm)
(Note: Evening hours vary by semester)
Our offices are located on the 2nd Floor of the Student Wellness Center (between the North Building and the 9th Street Gate)
If you are concerned about someone you know, you can:
Encourage your friend to come see us
. Sometimes it helps to introduce someone to us through our website. You could also offer your support by walking with them to our office and waiting while they attend an intake appointment.
You can also meet with one of us to discuss how to reach out to your friend and talk to them about counseling. One possibility may be the sharing of a brochure provided to you by one of our counselors. Our office has an extensive selection of brochures on important topics (e.g. eating disorders, depression, test anxiety, etc.). Sometimes sharing a brochure with the student you are concerned about will open up a conversation about the problem.
You can
to the CARE Team. In your report, include as much detail as possible about who you are worried about and why. Someone from the CARE Team will respond to your concerns, and will often reach out directly to the person about whom you are are concerned.
At your first appointment you will be asked to fill out a simple intake form (this usually takes about fifteen minutes, so arrive a little early!) It will have contact information, questions about your background and your current concerns. In your first session you and your counselor will discuss what brings you to counseling, as well as review the information on your intake form. You and your counselor will also review the confidentiality policy together. If you decide to continue with treatment, you will be assigned a counselor. As often as possible, we aim for the counselor who provided your first appointment to continue as your therapist
We sincerely hope that the time you took off from school was healing and that you feel prepared and ready to return to school. If your leave was for psychological treatment, you will need to take the following steps before you return:
(1) You will need to fill out the following forms and return them to CAPS. We recommend you send these forms to us by secure fax (201-216-5629) or USPS:
Release of Information - Please fill this out to allow one of our staff to speak with the treatment provider(s) who worked with you while you were on leave.
Treating Agent Readmission Questionnaire - Please ask your treatment provider(s) to fill this out and return it directly to us. Also, your treatment provider(s) must submit a statement on their letterhead describing their opinion about your readiness to return to university.
Student Readmission Questionnaire - Please fill this out yourself and return directly to CAPS.
(2) You must schedule a readmission discussion with one of our staff. You can do so by calling us at (201-216-5177). This discussion can occur either in-person or over the phone, but can only occur after you have sent in the forms described above. The point of the discussion is so that you and the staff member can talk in depth about how you are feeling, and whether the treatment you received has prepared you to return to school. The staff member you speak with will review the information filled out by your treatment provider to help inform the discussion, and may additionally contact your treatment provider with other questions. Following this discussion one of our staff will make a recommendation to the Dean of Students about your readiness to return to school. Ultimately, it is the Dean of Students who has the final decision about your return status.