Counselor Office Hours
Counselor Office Hours is available for students during the Fall and Winter semesters. If you would like to schedule an appointment with a counselor during the summer, please contact our office at (616) 331-3266.
Counselor Office Hours invites students to talk one-on-one with a counselor and seek professional advice without having to make an appointment, fill out paperwork, or sign up for counseling.
Counselor Office Hours is the best fit for students who...
- Aren't sure about counseling or are wondering what it's like to talk to a counselor
- Would like the perspective of a counselor, but aren't interested in ongoing counseling
- Would like to talk through a specific problem with someone
- Could benefit from one-on-one professional support, but may not need formal counseling
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Counselor Office Hours meetings are...
- Free for currently enrolled GVSU students
- Available virtually
- Typically, about 20-25 minutes in length
Counselor Office Hours is not a substitute for counseling and is not appropriate for urgent concerns or mental health emergencies. If you are in crisis, please refer to our emergency services.
Counselor Office Hours FAQs
Counselor Office Hours offers students free, easy access to talk individually with professional counselors from the University Counseling Center. While no appointment is necessary, students are seen on a first-come, first-served basis.
Counselor Office Hours visits are typically 20-25 minutes and are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. During your meeting, the counselor will listen closely to your concerns and provide support, perspective, problem solving, and suggestions for resources.
Counselors provide ongoing counseling, which usually consists of bi-monthly 45-50 minute appointments. Counselor Office Hours is not formal counseling; it is a drop-in service where students can meet with a counselor for about 20-25 minutes and get the help they are seeking in just one or two visits.
Absolutely. The Counselor Office Hours counselor will talk through your issue with you and help you determine the best way to get help.
Because regular counseling visits are not available at Counselor Office Hours, following up with the referral is a good idea. Unfortunately, the University Counseling Center cannot always provide ongoing counseling to every student who requests it.
If your next appointment is not soon enough, it is best to contact the UCC directly (616-331-3266) to see if they can see you sooner.
No. Counselor Office Hours is not a crisis service and should not be utilized as one. In the event you or a friend is in immediate crisis or danger, please contact GVPD at (616) 331-3255 or got to your local emergency room. The Ottawa County 24-hour Helpline is 1-866-512-4357, the Kent County 24-hour Access Line is (616) 336-3909, and the national mental health crisis line is 988.
The best thing to do in this situation is to express your concerns directly to your counselor. Counselors are eager to get your feedback, positive or negative. Often times an open conversation about your concerns can resolve any issues.
Although Counselor Office Hours counselors are professionals, Counselor Office Hours is not a substitute for psychotherapy or formal counseling and does not constitute mental health treatment. Counselors meet briefly with students to help them with specific problems and to introduce them to what it's like to speak with a counselor. Your counselor consultant can help you determine whether formal counseling would be useful to you and, if appropriate, connect you with the UCC.
Conversations with Counselor Office Hours counselors are private and confidential, with a few exceptions. Counselors may need to share information in an emergency, such as when there is an immediate threat of harm to yourself or others. Counselors are also required by law to report when a minor or vulnerable adults is being abuse. We don't want anything to be a barrier to students accessing help. If you have further questions about confidentiality, we encourage you to discuss them with a counselor. Remember that Counselor Office Hours is not to be substituted for therapy or crisis counseling. Counselor Office Hours visits are conversations and no record of your visit will be documented in any university or health record except in these rare emergency situations.
This program is modeled by the Let's Talk program at Cornell University. With permission, some of the material from this website has been duplicated from Cornell University. We would like to thank Cornell University CAPS for sharing their idea and helping us launch this program on our campus.