The Wellness Center offers counseling and psychiatric services to all current Dickinson students regardless of insurance. Services include, but are not limited to individual and group therapy, crisis intervention, alcohol and drug counseling, psychiatric medication management, consultation, prevention programming and educational workshops.
Crisis Walk In Hours (For urgent and emergent needs)
Monday - Friday
11 a.m. - noon
2 p.m. - 3 p.m.
(No appointment needed)
Our same-day crisis services are designed to assist students who are confronting life-threatening circumstances, current or recent traumatic crises, and serious mental illness. A counselor is available to meet with students in crisis when not being seen immediately could lead to serious consequences or seriously aggravate their existing condition. The reason it is limited to these circumstances is that another student’s counseling visit may need to be interrupted to provide you with crisis services. Students can also utilize the Telus Student Support Program (formally My SSP) 24/7 by downloading the app or visiting https://myssp.app/ca/home
24/7 Call and Chat Service
The Wellness Center has expanded telehealth services to ensure all students have access to a counselor any time of day, from anywhere in the world.
The Wellness Center Call and Chat services offer simple access to connect with a mental health clinician about anything. All services are confidential and free of charge for Dickinson students.
What languages are available?
Call and chat services are available in English, Arabic, Chinese, French, Korean and Spanish.
The app is ADA compliant, and TTY accessible.
How do I get started with Telus Student Support?
The Wellness Center has partnered with MySSP to offer this confidential service. Students can access services through any of the following pathways:
- Call 1-877-258-7429
- Create a MySSP profile
- Download the Telus app on your smartphone
When you first log on, look for Dickinson College under “search for your school.” You’ll be asked to fill in your name, preferred language and basic informed consent for this service. Once complete, your home screen will offer Call and Chat, scheduling functions for a telehealth appointment, mental health articles and mental health screening tools.
Counseling Services and MySSP are connected in an intentional, ongoing way to ensure Dickinson students have streamlined and coordinated services.
APPOINTMENT-BASED SERVICES
If you are interested in getting started, please come into the Wellness Center (1st floor) during our business hours to schedule an appointment.
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday
8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday
9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Friday
8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Initial Consultation
Students interested in counseling services first meet with a counselor for an individualized consultation appointment. During the consultation, counselors ask students questions about their reasons for seeking assistance, their history, and their goals for counseling. Counselors then discuss the options for treatment with students and a plan is formed. Treatment options may include services at the Wellness Center, referrals to other campus resources, or referrals to providers in the community if the kind of services needed by the student are not offered on campus.
Individual Therapy
The Wellness Center offers short-term individual psychotherapy to Dickinson students. Students often seek assistance for a variety of concerns, including but not limited to depression, anxiety, relationship problems, disordered eating, adjustment to college, and sexual assault. The frequency of sessions and length of treatment varies for each student, but is closely tied to the goals for treatment. Most students receiving individual counseling are seen every other week; however, arrangements to be seen more or less frequently can sometimes be made.
Psychiatric Services
The Wellness Center offers psychiatric services to all Dickinson students during the fall and spring semesters for those currently on or considering starting psychiatric medications. To schedule an appointment with the psychiatrist, students must first see a counselor for an initial screening and be in regular therapy or case management sessions with a counselor at the Wellness Center. The counselor will refer the student for psychiatric services.
Substance Use Services
The Wellness Center offers substance use evaluations, group sessions, and individual counseling sessions for students interested in identifying the role that substances are currently playing in their life or why their use of a particular substance has recently increased. Additionally, students are also seen for mandated substance use assessments as part of conduct sanctions received through the College or following hospitalizations for alcohol intoxication.
Click here for more information
Group Counseling Options
The Wellness Center offers a variety of group counseling options. These include wellness workshops, support groups, structured treatment groups, and process-oriented treatment groups. Groups change each semester in response to student needs and expressed interests. Current offerings are listed below.
Fall 2023 Wellness Center Groups
Fall 2023 Group Descriptions
Clinical, Closed, Requires a Group Screening prior to Participation
Building Balance: Skills for Managing Mood and Improving Well-being
Fridays (3:30-4:20 pm), in person at the Wellness Center
(start date to be announced)
This is 4-week skills-based group for students who want to improve their ability to manage their mood, increase their ability to tolerate distress, learn ways to cope with stressors, improve their self-care, and learn skills to improve interpersonal relationships. Each session builds on the skills learned the week before, so attendance at all 4 sessions is requested. The 4-week course is packed with empirically supported ways to improve one’s overall well-being and manage distress. Registration and referral from CAPS are required. Participants are invited to share within the group at a level that is comfortable to them, however, the group is psychoeducational/skills instruction format, rather than process oriented.
Nicole Lavertue
Clinical, Closed, Wellness Center
“Bunny Connections” Social Skills Group
The group is tentatively scheduled to meet on Thursdays from 12-1 pm (start date will be after extended orientation, mid to late Sept).
This is a 60-minute closed group (6-8 students), focused on helping students build basic social and interpersonal skills, learn about healthy boundary setting and increase a sense of interpersonal belonging among their peers. This group will include both psychoeducation and animal assisted group therapy sessions with Wellness Center therapy bunnies.
Students do not need to be in any additional treatment through CAPS or outside providers and can attend if they are receiving other CAPS services.
Rebecca Shoemaker, PsyD and Carrie Bowerman, LCSW
Clinical, Closed, Wellness Center.
DBT-Informed Skills Group:
Thursdays 12:00-1:00 PM
This is a structured, time-limited psychoeducational group that will teach various skills from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). There are four main skills the group will cover: mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. DBT skills were developed to help people who feel overwhelmed by their emotions and/or have a history of difficult relationships. The goal of this group is to improve the quality of relationships and to replace destructive behaviors with more effective coping skills.
Todd Drazien & Missy Taylor
Clinical, Closed, Wellness Center
Interpersonal Process Group
Tuesdays 12-1:15 PM
This group provides students with a safe environment where they can increase their understanding of themselves, explore how they relate to others, and try new ways to interact with peers.
Megan Nesbitt, PsyD & Rebecca Shoemaker, PsyD
Clinical, closed, Wellness Center
Social Interactive Support Group
Fridays, 2-3pm
This is a 60-minute clinical support group that aims to help students struggling with making friends, maintaining friendships, or struggling with their friend group. This support group is open to all enrolled students but is targeted towards those who struggle with Social Anxiety Disorder or are on the autism spectrum. This group will encourage students to share their social challenges and will rely on support from the group, psychoeducation, and role-playing exercises.
Todd Drazien, LCSW
Clinical, closed, Wellness Center.
Non-Clinical, Drop In
Alleviating Anxiety and Panic Workshop
Mondays at 3:30 - 4: 20 on 9/11, 10/9, and 11/13
Fridays at 12:30 – 1:20 on 9/15, 10/13, 11/17, and 12/1
This is a 50-minute drop-in group workshop which covers the signs and symptoms of anxiety, the difference between worry and anxiety, and the impact of anxiety and panic. The session is full of different evidence-based ways to alleviate anxiety, as well as tips for overcoming Panic Attacks. This is a psychoeducational workshop.
Nicole Lavertue
Non-clinical workshop, open, Wellness Center
Bunny Break
Tuesdays, 2-3p beginning 9/20
Need a break? Sign up for a bunny break. There is no agenda for this time other than to hang out with the bunnies. Bring a book, bring your homework, and just spend time with Dixie and Otto.
Students must RSVP through Engaged, limit 5 students per break.
Lauren Strunk
Non clinical, Wellness Center
Chronic Illness Support Group
Tuesday 12 – 1 p.m. on 9/12/23, 9/26/23, 10/10/23, 10/24/23, 11/7/23, and 11/28/23
Are you living with a chronic medical illness? Feeling Overwhelmed or alone? Or just wanting to connect with others who know what you are going through? The Wellness Center is hosting a twice monthly “lunch and learn” style group for students with a chronic medical illness. This is a “drop in” style group, meaning there is no commitment, and you are welcome to attend any or all sessions. Light snacks will be provided. Our goal is to bring together students who are impacted by a chronic medical illness in a safe space with a counselor and nurse practitioners to offer support, guidance and structure to foster success both on and off campus.
Location: Hub Side Room 203 (except 11/28/23 will be in Room 202)
Carrie Bowerman and Ashley Lebo
Non-clinical Support Group, open/drop in, in-person at the HUB
Destination Dickinson: Supporting International Students
Mondays 12:30 – 1:20
This 50-minute weekly support group is designed to bring International Students together- to just be. The group offers a welcoming, safe, and supportive space, where international students are invited to share with one another their experiences, both ups and downs, specific to being an International Student, as they navigate their journey at Dickinson College. This is a drop-in group, which will offer support, as well as some strategies to help manage this unique experience. All are welcome; students can attend as their schedule allows; attendance at all meetings is not required.
Nicole Lavertue
Non-Clinical Support Meeting, open/drop-in, Wellness Center
Dialing Down Depression
Mondays at 3:30 – 4:20 9/18 and 11/20
Fridays 12:30 – 1:20 on 9/22 and 10/20
This is a 50-min drop-in group workshop which covers the signs and symptoms of depression and its impact on oneself and in relationships. Much of the time in session is devoted to learning evidence-based skills to help reduce depression, as well as improve mood, interpersonal connection, and promote healthier thinking. This is a psychoeducational workshop.
Nicole Lavertue
Non-clinical workshop, open, in-person at the Wellness Center
Getting Through It
Thursdays 3:30-4:30 pm
This workshop provides participants with a basic understanding of what trauma is and focuses on a variety of topics all surrounding/focused on understanding traumatic events how we respond to them, and the path to recovery from these experiences. Examples of topics include...Safe and Inclusive spaces, healthy relationships, and The Neurobiology of trauma.
Theo Nugin
Non-clinical workshop, open, Wellness Center
Managing Stress Workshop
Mondays 3:30 - 4:20 on 9/4, 10/2, and 11/6
Fridays 12:30 - 1:20 on 9/8, 10/6, and 11/10
This is a 50-minute drop-in psychoeducational group workshop, discussing signs and symptoms of stress, as well as how stress impacts our lives and our bodies. Much of the session is spent learning many different skills or strategies that are proven to reduce stress and improve overall functioning.
Nicole Lavertue
Non-clinical workshop, open, Wellness Center
Mindful Mondays
Mondays at 5:30 PM, beginning 9/4 (no meeting on 9/25)
This brief, twenty-minute session will focus on helping attendees learn techniques to be present with themselves, slow thoughts, and set aside stressors. Meets weekly on Mondays. Beginners and drop ins welcome.
Megan Nesbitt, PsyD
Meetings will be in person at the HUB Dance Studio
Non-clinical, drop-in
Navigating Grief and Loss Workshop
This is a 50-minute drop-in group workshop that discusses the difficult journey of grief and loss, as well as offers tools that may help along the journey of grieving. This workshop is psychoeducational in nature.
Mondays 3:30 – 4:20 on 9/25, 10/23, and 11/27
Fridays 12:30 – 1:20 on 9/29, 10/27, and 12/8
Upgrade Your Well-Being
This is a 50-minute drop-in psychoeducational workshop which focuses on improving your overall well-being. The goal of the workshop is to increase your coping strengths and add tools to your toolbox, so you can enhance your overall well-being.
Mondays 3:30 - 4:20 10/30 and 12/4
Friday 12:30 - 1: 20 on 11/3
Nicole Lavertue
Non-clinical workshop, open, in-person at the Wellness Center
