Counseling Frequently Asked Questions

The Texas State Counseling Center provides brief individual, group, and relationship/couples counseling, crisis response, and workshops to currently enrolled students.  We provide training to staff and faculty of the university. We also consult with concerned faculty, staff, friends, and family.  For more information about specific services, please visit our website.

The Texas State Counseling Center is open 8AM – 5PM, Monday – Friday, when the university is open.

Counseling services are provided to enrolled Texas State students with no additional fees. Students taking only correspondence classes are not eligible.

Counseling is provided by our staff of professional counselors, social workers and psychologists. The Texas State Counseling Center has an American Psychological Association (APA) accredited internship program.  Some of our staff are post-doctoral, doctoral-, or master’s-level trainees under the supervision of our psychologists. 

There are no additional fees for Counseling Center services.

Due to the significant and continuing increase in demand for counseling services and our limited staff resources, the Counseling Center utilizes a brief therapy model. While there is no set number of sessions, the average is about 4 sessions. 

In some situations students may benefit from more frequent, longer-term, or specialized care.  In these cases a student will meet with the Counseling Center Referral Specialist to consult about which resources may be most beneficial.  The Referral Specialist assists students in making initial contact with an outside provider or agency and can provide follow up support.

All aspects of your participation in counseling at the Counseling Center are confidential by state law. The Counseling Center operates as an agency therefore our counselors and psychologists have access to all clinical records. To coordinate comprehensive services, Counseling Center clinical staff may consult with health care providers in the Student Health Center when the student has been or will be referred between centers. Otherwise, your written and informed consent is necessary to release information to any other person or agency. 

In accordance with state laws, your counselor will report disclosed information to the appropriate authorities when:

• Serious and foreseeable harm to you or others is evident
• Release of confidential information is required by court order or requested by you
• Child abuse or neglect is evident or suspected
• Abuse, neglect or exploitation of adults who are vulnerable due to physical or mental impairment or  advanced age is evident or suspected
• Client abuse or sexual exploitation by a previous mental health provider

If you are under the age of 18, please discuss with your counselor how confidentiality applies to you.  For more information about confidentiality and privacy at the Texas State Counseling Center, please read our confidentiality statement.

If you are interested in using Counseling Center services, click here to learn about making an appointment.

If you require accommodations due to a disability in order to participate, please contact the Counseling Center, in person at LBJSC 5-4.1, by phone at 512-245-2208 or via email at counselingcenter@txstate.edu.

Individual counseling appointments are usually 45-50 minutes in length. Group counseling sessions are usually 90 minutes in length.

Due to the heavy demand for services, it is important to arrive on time for your appointments.

• If you arrive more than 10 minutes after your scheduled check in time for an Initial Consultation (ICON), you will be rescheduled.
• If you arrive more that 20 minutes late for a scheduled counseling appointment, you may be rescheduled or you may be seen for a reduced amount of time, at the discretion of the counselor.

If you are in crisis or danger and need help immediately, please call 911.

During Business Hours (8AM – 5PM, Monday – Friday):

Students in need of urgent psychological assistance should call the Counseling Center at 512-245-2208.

There is an on-call counselor available who can respond to students in crisis, as well as consult with concerned friends, family, staff, and faculty.  Examples include concerns about risk of hurting self or others, a recent traumatic event (including physical or sexual assault), or a level of distress that is impairing daily functioning.       

After Business Hours:
Students in need of urgent psychological assistance should can call the Counseling Center at 512-245-2208 and Select Option #2.

Students in need of urgent psychological assistance should call the Avail Crisis Hotline (Toll Free) at 1-877-466-0660.  Please inform them that you are a Texas State University student.

Students may also contact the Police by calling 911

We know unexpected things happen.  If you need to cancel your appointment, please call the Counseling Center at 512-245-2208 or visit our office in LBJSC 5-4.1. Due to the heavy demand for services, we urgently request you cancel 1 day (24 hours) in advance of your scheduled appointment time. You will be considered a 'No Show' if:

• You do not cancel your appointment at least 2 hours in advance.
• You miss your appointment.
• You arrive 20 minutes or more after your appointment time.

If you have two "no Shows' in the same semester, you will not be able to attend anymore scheduled appointments or schedule any future appointments for that semester.

 Counseling Center appointments are in critical demand and we have a limited number of staff.  As per our Cancellation/No Show Policy, if you 'No Show' for 2 appointments in the same semester, we will be unable to keep any scheduled appointments or schedule another appointment for the remainder of the semester.  You may request referral information.  You may be eligible for counseling services the next semester in which you are enrolled.

If you require a letter of support from a Counseling Center clinician, please note the following:

• Letters are provided at the discretion of the clinician.

• Letters will be provided only in the event that a treatment relationship has already been established.

• All requests for letters must be made at least two (2) working days in advance of when they are needed.

• You must complete a Release of Information before a letter will be provided, even if you are requesting a letter made out to yourself.

• If you just need a confirmation of your appointment attendance, come to the Counseling Center and the administrative staff can provide this for you.

The assessment and diagnosis of disability and the documentation of the need for accommodations are not within the scope of services provided by the Counseling Center.  This includes requests for Emotional Support Animals. 

If you are looking for information or services regarding learning, academic, psychological, or physical disability assessment, services, and accommodations please visit the Office of Disability Services.

Psychological assessments (not to include ADHD and learning disability testing) may be available as part of the therapeutic process, but not as a method to receive diagnoses. Please speak to your ongoing individual therapist for more information.

If you are looking for information or services regarding learning, academic, psychological, or physical disability assessment, services, and accommodations please visit the Office of Disability Services.

If you are under 18 years of age and meet one of the criteria below, then you have the legal power to consent to counseling on behalf of yourself in accordance with Texas law, specifically Texas Family Code Section 32.003:

1. You are currently or have been previously married.
2. A court order has been entered legally removing the disabilities of your minority.
3. You are on active duty with the armed services of the United States of America.
4. You are 16 years of age or older and you reside separate and apart from your parents/managing conservator/guardian and manage your own financial affairs.
5. You are consenting to counseling for suicide prevention, chemical addiction or dependency or sexual, physical or emotional abuse.

If you are under 18 years of age and do not meet an above criteria, a signed authorization granting permission for you to receive services must be provided by your parents or guardians prior to receiving services at the CC, and your parents or guardians have rights to see your record. However, we can discuss with you what we will share with them and what we will keep private.