Student Counseling Services at A&M-Texarkana
The mission of the Counseling Center at A&M-Texarkana is to affirm, support, and uplift. We strive to provide mental health services to help support our students’ growth academically and personally. We do this by providing clinical services that affirm a student’s identity and experiences, support their goals, while also uplifting hope and a growth mindset.
Student Counseling Services strives to support and empower our campus community by providing personalized care for the integrative wellness needs of each individual. We strive to create a safe environment, enhanced by the principles of compassion, respect, and autonomy.
What is Counseling?
Personal counseling allows students to talk with an objective, caring professional about problems or concerns. It can help students make good decisions for their individual well-being, improve relationships, confidence and self-acceptance, increase self-awareness, and provide coping strategies. Student Counseling Services provides individual and group counseling for undergraduate and graduate students. Common concerns in which a student may seek counseling are academic skills assistance, anxiety, stress, sadness and depression, fear of failure, low self-esteem, relationship issues, substance abuse, suicidal thoughts, or coping with feelings of anger, guilt, grief, and loneliness. Counseling is a highly individualized process in which you and your counselor will identify problems and work together to implement healthy cognitive strategies.
What is the process to set up services?
A student may set up an appointment with a counselor by visiting our office or by calling (903) 334-6613. Students may also email counseling.services@ace.tamut.edu; however, please note that email is not a confidential form of communication. During your first visit, the counselor will explore the issues that led you to schedule an appointment, and then talk to you about how Student Counseling Services may best provide the type of help you need. If Student Counseling Services is unable to provide the type of services needed or requested, we will refer to an outside agency.
Student Counseling Services are for students currently enrolled in Texas A&M University—Texarkana. Services are made available through the use of student service fees; there is no additional charge for services. All counseling is confidential. Appointments are scheduled as 60 minute sessions unless otherwise noted by the counselor. The number of counseling sessions varies depending upon your goals.
Student Counseling Services is located in UC 420 and open Monday-Friday 8:00AM-5:00PM. The Counselors on duty are available for appointments from 9:00AM-5:00PM.
Telus Health Student Support App
Confidential, real-time virtual counseling available 24/7 via chat and phone. Talk with a professional counselor at your convenience through live chat or a simple phone call.
Statement of Philosophy
Student Counseling Services operates from a holistic approach to student development. Through counseling, we aspire to help students reach their academic and personal goals and achieve as much success as possible while attending Texas A&M—Texarkana. Our services include academic skills assistance, consultation and referral, crisis intervention, individual and group counseling, and educational outreach.
We play an active role in advocating the concerns of students to the university community, and serve as a resource for faculty, staff, and parents. The counseling center fosters an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding where everyone feels welcome. We are sensitive to the needs of ethnic and cultural minorities, LGBTQ, returning veterans, and non-traditional students. We collaborate with other campus departments and community agencies, utilize referral resources within the university and community, and serve as an integral part of campus mental health.
The Scope of Our Service
The Student Counseling Center invites all students to make an initial appointment to meet with one of our counselors and discuss their concerns. During this initial meeting, the counselor, in collaboration with the student, will recommend services within the Student Counseling Center or the community and assist students in obtaining the appropriate services to meet their needs.
When appropriate, students may be referred to services offered within the Student Counseling Center. In order to use its resources most effectively, the Student Counseling Center Services utilizes a short-term model of therapy to assist students in addressing issues common in a college setting. While we may need to limit the number of individual sessions a student may have per year (based on overall utilization rates), the number of group sessions and attendance in workshops we offer is unlimited, as appropriate.
Some of the issues that are commonly addressed in short-term counseling at the Student Counseling Center are:
- Personal concerns: Stress and anxiety, depression, anger, loneliness, guilt, low self-esteem, grief
- Relationship concerns: Romantic relationship difficulties, sexual concerns, roommate problems, family issues.
- Developmental concerns: Identity development, adjustment to college, life transitions
- Academic concerns: Performance anxiety, perfectionism, underachievement, low motivation
- Other concerns: Effects of trauma, sexual assault, abuse, concerns from childhood or adolescence, spiritual concerns, body image, food preoccupation, healthy lifestyle choices, substance use
Students whose needs cannot be accommodated within short-term counseling are referred to community resources. Similarly, students whose needs require a particular type of expertise that is not found in the Student Counseling Center are also referred into the community. The Student Counseling Center provides referral services either after the initial session or as these factors become more apparent during the course of services. The counselors can provide referral options that we believe will best meet a student’s needs.
The Student Counseling Center does provide crisis response and treatment recommendations. Our Center offers crisis walk-in sessions to assess, support, and provide resources to students in crisis.
Additionally, we have a certified victim advocate on staff that can help provide support to students that are victims of crime. Our advocate can offer information, emotional support, and help in finding community resources. Our advocate will also accompany victims to court or other administrative hearings, as needed.
Some of the issues that are commonly addressed through referral to services outside of the Student Counseling Center include:
1. A desire to be seen more than once a week or for long-term therapy, or a potential need for such, as indicated by:
- History of multiple hospitalizations
- Chronic suicidality and/or self-injury behaviors; history of repeated suicide attempts
- Indication that short-term therapy may be detrimental or non-beneficial
- Evidence or risk of progressive deterioration in mental or emotional functioning, requiring intensive intervention
- Manifestations of psychotic symptoms without willingness to remain on medication for stabilization of symptoms
- History of unwillingness to take other medications as prescribed
- Inability or unwillingness to provide the necessary information to thoroughly assess symptoms
- On-going treatment for an issue the client is unwilling to change or unwillingness to follow the treatment plan developed by the client and counselor
- Other unwillingness to participate in treatment, as defined by excessive no-shows, repeated stops and starts to counseling, and/or repeated requests to change providers
- Behavior that is threatening or hostile to the staff, other students, or the environment of the Student Counseling Center and the Texas A&M University – Texarkana campus. This includes any behavior deemed to be harassing, verbally abusive, disruptive, or assaultive towards staff or other clients of the Student Counseling Center
2. Students who need specialized services not available through the Student Counseling Center as indicated by:
- Presence of significant drug and/or alcohol problems such substance dependence, primary substance abuse, and/or past failed treatments
- Presence of significant or long-standing eating disorder with no period of remission, no previous treatment, or that may pose a medical danger
- Request for psychological evaluation for the purpose of employment clearance or other nonacademic purpose, such as determining eligibility for vocational rehabilitation or disability benefits
- Services to fulfill students' court-mandated assessment or treatment requirements
- Expert testimony for criminal cases
- Psychological testing to diagnose potential disabilities, including learning disabilities
- Assessments for mental “fitness” for participation in study abroad, athletics, other academic or extracurricular programs, or career fields
- Assessments or letters for service, therapy, or emotional support animals
- Psychological clearance for transgender hormone treatments or gender reassignment surgery, gastric bypass and other weight loss surgeries, or other medical or surgical procedures, due to our staff not having specific training or certifications in these highly specialized clinical areas of concern
- Any other area outside the scope of the Student Counseling Center, experience and/or licensure, including assessments more suitable to other mental health specialists
Although faculty and staff are not permitted to be clients of the Student Counseling Center, they may be assisted by referral information to community resources and to the Employee Assistance Program utilized by Texas A&M University – Texarkana.
This description of scope of services is intended as a guideline. The nature and complexity of presenting issues and the broader context is considered in making the appropriate treatment recommendation(s). Cases are evaluated individually and the professional judgment of the mental health provider(s) will determine the treatment decision in a particular situation.