Counseling Services

TO OUR STUDENTS OF COLOR: YOU MATTER. 

Student Counseling & Psychological Services (SCAPS) stands in solidarity with the black community and is committed to social justice and advocacy.

The tragic killings of unarmed black Americans, including George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Georgia's Ahmaud Arbery, have shaken the world and further exposed systemic racism in the United States. SCAPS recognizes the potentially traumatic impact of these and other events, and shares in the feelings of grief, anger, helplessness, and hopelessness that many Augusta University students are experiencing. As mental health professionals, SCAPS clinicians understand how emotional distress damages overall health and impedes student success. We are here to help.

SCAPS is taking concrete action to ensure a more equitable counseling center for all Augusta University students through staff education, conversation, and collaboration. We exist to affirm, support, and provide a safe space for all AU students. If you are a student of color who would like help coping with concerns related to racial oppression, violence, and/or discrimination, please call SCAPS to find out whether individual or group teletherapy, or a consultation with a clinician is right for you.

Mental health resources for students of color

Our Voices Matter: Peer Support for Black & Brown Students

 SCAPS remains committed to serving Augusta University students amid COVID-19.

  WHAT SERVICES ARE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE? 

-Counselors provide telemental health appointments via telephone and via Microsoft Teams for routine treatment.

- Counselors provide telemental health emergency call-in appointments via telephone to students who are experiencing an emergency, such as thoughts of hurting self or others, experience of trauma, loss and grief, or difficulties with taking care of basic needs such as food and shelter. 

- All therapy groups and psychoeducational workshops are held virtually via Microsoft Teams of Webex Meetings.

- Students interested in psychiatric services or should call Student Health (706-721-3448) for an appointment with a psychiatrist. 

 WHAT IS A TELEMENTAL HEALTH APPOINTMENT?

 Telemental health appointments are counseling appointments that are held virtually and are conducted via the use of technology involving an audio or audio/video platform.

Research evidence demonstrates that telemental health counseling can be just as effective as in-person counseling, with the added benefit of allowing for social distancing by the counselor and the client during a pandemic.

Telemental health appointments require a good telephone and internet connection, as well as the use of equipment like a telephone and a computer. SCAPS offers telemental health appointments via telephone and via Microsoft Teams.

During the telemental health appointment, the counselor and the client are both located in different locations, and to assure that privacy and confidentiality are established during the appointment, it is best that the counselor and the client are in locations that are quiet and private, where they are alone, and where an interruption of the appointment is less likely to occur.

While counselors usually conduct the telemental health appointment from the privacy of their office at SCAPS, it is also advised that clients determine their own private location for their telemental health appointment on or off campus where they can be relaxed and safely engage in a conversation during the counseling process. Examples of such locations may be: your own room at home, a reserved study room in the library on campus, any quiet and private space on campus, your dorm room when you are alone, etc. Clients are strongly discouraged to drive while they are attending a telemental health appointment. Driving while being on the phone and engaging in any telehealth consultation is dangerous. Clients are also strongly discouraged from checking their email, text messaging, or browsing the internet during their telemental health appointment. In other words, do not do during your telemental health appointment what you would not do during your in-person appointment with a counselor.

SCAPS counselors are committed to creating a safe, engaging and useful telemental health counseling experience for students, thus, all clients are encouraged to talk to their counselor if they encounter any obstacles to attending their telemental health appointment.

  WHAT IF I AM INTERESTED IN A FIRST-TIME APPOINTMENT WITH A COUNSELOR? 

 If you have not seen a counselor at SCAPS before, or it has been a long time since you last saw a counselor at SCAPS, and you are interested in getting connected to one, please call 706-737-1471 to be scheduled with a telephone-based triage appointment with a counselor. During this appointment, the counselor will ask you questions and work with you to determine which SCAPS services would best suit you based on your concerns (emergency appointment, one solution-focused session, individual or group counseling sessions, psychoeducational skill-learning workshop for anxiety or depression management, etc. Our scheduling staff will provide detailed information on how you can complete the necessary paperwork and submit it to SCAPS before the triage appointment.

WHAT IF I HAVE AN EMERGENCY? 

 SCAPS will assist students with an emergency from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Please call 706-737-1471 to get connected with a counselor on emergency call-in duty. After hours, please use the Georgia Crisis & Access Line (800-715-4225), which offers free 24/7 phone counseling and can assist you with locating mental health resources in your area. You can also download MyGCAL app on your phone.