Questions and Answers
- Who is eligible for counseling?
- Currently enrolled U of M students are eligible for services.
- How much do services cost?
- No additional fees are charged for our services.
- Where is the office?
- Counseling and Psychological Services is located in room 3100 on the third floor in the Michigan Union.
- Can faculty and staff go to CAPS?
- No. The Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FASAP) counselors are happy to help any faculty or staff members. Their number is 936-8660, and the office is located at 2076 Administrative Services Building (corner of Hoover and Green).
- Can I bring a friend or family member? What if he or she isn't a student?
- Friends can come in and talk to a counselor together. If you are a student, and your friend or family member is not you can still meet with a therapist together.
- Will my parents be notified?
- No, unless you sign a "Release of Information" form OR you are threatening to harm yourself or another individual.
- Will my visits go on my student record?
- No, absolutely not.
- Is this confidential?
- When it comes to protecting your information, CAPS follows all professional standards, and state and federal laws. More information.
- Can I request a certain counselor?
- If you have a particular request, (e.g. for a specific therapist or for a specific clinical issue) please discuss this with the receptionist. Although we cannot always fulfill your request, when asked we do try to honor this request. However, the wait time for the appointment may be longer in this case.
- Whom will I see?
- Unless you are being accommodated for a specific request, you will be scheduled with whichever therapist has the first available appointment that matches your schedule. The appointment could be with a Clinical Social Worker, Psychologist, or a Graduate Student Intern (someone who's almost finished with a Ph.D. in Psychology or a Master's degree in Clinical Social Work).
- What if I don't like my counselor, or I'm not comfortable with him or her?
- If you don't feel comfortable talking with that particular therapist and would like to schedule an appointment with a different therapist, let the receptionist know that you'd like to make a first appointment with a different therapist.
- Do you have crisis counseling?
- Yes. If you are in an urgent situation or feel you cannot wait until the first available appointment, we have counselors on duty (COD) available during our office hours. This is on a first come-first served basis and you will need to complete the computerized intake process prior to meeting with a therapist.
- How do I make my first appointment?
- You need to come into the office and complete the confidential intake information on our secure computers. Then we would set up an appointment for you. If you have any requests you should tell the receptionist at this time. For more detailed info see Making An Appointment.
- Why do I have to complete the computerized intake to schedule an appointment?
- Completing the intake process prior your appointment allows your therapist time to become familiar with your situation and prepare for your counseling session.
- What if I just need medication?
- To participate in a medication evaluation with a member of our psychiatric team, you must first make an appointment to see a therapist. If the therapist also feels that a medication evaluation would best fit your needs, they will refer you to one of our psychiatric staff for an appointment. It is CAPS policy that clients who see one of our psychiatric staff for medication must also participate in therapy.
- How many times can I see the therapist?
- Since every situation is different we do not have a set number of times a student can be seen by one of our therapists. However, CAPS treatment philosophy is based on a brief treatment model. In your First Appointment session, your therapist will evaluate what would be the best treatment plan for your situation and discuss it with you.
- How long will the appointment take?
- All therapeutic appointments take approximately 45 minutes (they always start quarter after the hour and end on the hour). First time psychiatric appointments take an hour and follow up psychiatric appointments take about a half-hour. Psychiatric appointments start on the hour or half-hour.
- How long will I have to wait for a first appointment?
- CAPS is committed to minimizing wait times as much as possible and offers around 80 first appointments per week that translates into our professional staff members meeting with approximately 300 new clients each month. Sometimes, even with the number of first appointments that are offered, the wait for an open appointment can stretch to 10-15 business days depending on the number of students requesting services at any given time in the semester.