Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) | Student Health Services | SIU

Many students make use of individual counseling where they can discuss personal issues in a private setting that assures them confidentiality. Individual counseling provides an opportunity for students to discuss personal and relationship concerns with a caring professional who can help them resolve issues and identify constructive ways to cope. Generally, individual counseling sessions last 45 minutes. Students may attend a single session, but most return for several sessions with the same counselor. No one can be notified that a student is receiving counseling without the student’s written permission. The per-session fee for session 1-12 is $10.00, and most clients finish therapy within 12 sessions. You may pay cash for each session or charge the fee to your bursar bill.

Group counseling brings together a small number of individuals (usually 6-8) with one or more trained group leaders. Group members share what is troubling them. The process of sharing with each other, listening to each other, giving and receiving feedback, offering support and expressing their feelings about what someone else says or does can be extremely helpful. Group members begin to see that they are not alone. This interaction also encourages individuals to develop new ways of behaving and learning more about how they interact with others. As a result, the original difficulties people brought to group become resolved.

In order to make group most effective, the first few sessions are geared towards establishing trust and safety. During this time, members usually work to establish a level of trust that allows them to talk personally and honestly. Group trust is enhanced when all members make a commitment to the group. Interested students are encouraged to commit to 5 sessions. If at that time you feel group is not adequately meeting your needs, we ask that you come to the group for one last session and say good-bye.

Groups Offered at Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)

Skills Training Groups: CAPS offers several options designed to equip clients with behavioral skills to conquer the challenges of daily living and decrease the frequency and intensity of painful emotions. Skills covered in group include Core Mindfulness, Emotion Regulation, Interpersonal Effectiveness and Distress Tolerance.

Process Groups: These groups allow participants the chance to talk about their concerns with others in a safe, supportive environment. Group members receive and provide feedback about the challenges they are facing, receive support and encouragement, and develop skills for coping with difficult situations, thoughts, and feelings. CAPS offers a variety of process groups, including one specifically developed for non-traditional and graduate students.

BIPOC Process Group: This group provides a safe space for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color to process stressors and other concerns amongst their community, while learning to show support to others during the group process. This group will allow members to provide feedback, empathy, hear different perspectives, and to become more transparent about experiences in a confidential environment.

Men’s Group: This is an interpersonal support group for students who identify as men that provides a space to connect with others and give and receive support. Topics discussed include relationships, attachment, intimacy, self-esteem, vulnerability, depression and anxiety, toxic masculinity, and more.

Transition Support Group: This interpersonal group is focused on providing new and transitioning students information and strategies to help them be successful at SIU. Participants are allowed the opportunity to form relationships with one other, and offer and receive support.

Supportive Space for International Students: This service provides space for international students to emotionally and morally support one another, while introducing mental health awareness. Semi-guided conversations will be facilitated to help international students learn new skills and enhance their experiences.

Recovery Processing Group: This group explores the concepts and the skills of recovery, and how to incorporate them into daily practice. It is open to students who are exploring or currently engaged in active recovery practices. This group relies heavily on peer processing exploration of the concept of recovery and understands that this path is unique to each individual.

Breathwork and Meditation: The focus of these sessions will be on total mind and body relaxation. The goal is to create a space where we can release stressors and triggers. Yogic breathing practices will be used to support you in a therapeutic way to prepare the mind and body for meditation.

We have walk-in appointments available during our regular business hours to help you if you are in immediate crisis and need to speak with a counselor. For more information click Crisis Services. Crisis Services are also available after regular hours for students in housing through our Counselor in Residence Program, located in Grinnell Commons, Room 106. The Counselor in Residence Program operates until 9:00 in the evening, seven days a week. Counselors can be reached at (618)453-5371.

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Alcohol and other Drugs Counseling

CAPS offers counseling and consultation for SIU students who have questions about their own substance use. CAPS utilizes a multidisciplinary team to explore your current or past substance use, harm reduction, sober curiosity, and/or recovery. Our primary purpose is to provide support, psychotherapy, information and referrals for students who desire to make changes to their substance use.

Recovery Processing Group

Group therapy is a powerful component of the personal recovery process. Connecting with others experiencing similar challenges helps reduce isolation, evokes growth, and reminds one that you are not alone. Group therapy provides a place to explore new concepts, practice recovery skills, and ways to incorporate these into daily practice. The Recovery Processing Group is open to students who are exploring or currently engaged in active recovery practices. The Recovery Process Group understands and explores concepts that often overlap into the realm of 12-step recovery; however, is not A 12-step process and is not peer-led. The Recovery processing group relies heavily on Dialectic Behavioral Therapy and Harm Reduction. The Recovery Processing Group focuses on exploring the concept of recovery and the individual's unique experience.

Mandated Sanctions

Students who receive sanctions from Student Rights and Responsibilities may be referred to Counseling and Psychological Services for participation in Basic Alcohol and Other Drug Education or the Alcohol and Other Drug Intervention class. These programs are designed to help you reflect on your choices about alcohol, marijuana, and other substances to reduce your risk of being harmed by your own or someone else’s use. The programs offer an opportunity to reflect on the role of drinking and marijuana use in your social life, review the facts about how these substances work, identify common alcohol and marijuana-related risks and learn ways to keep yourself and your friends out of harm's way.

AOD Classes

In addition to individual and group counseling, Counseling and Psychological Services provides couples counseling. If at least one of you is currently an SIU student, you are eligible for this service. If your partner is a non-SIU student, you must have enrolled legally married spouse or same-sex domestic partner in the SHS on-campus primary care benefit.

Couples counseling can improve your communications skills, help you resolve conflict, and help you feel emotionally connected again. With the help of a counselor, you and your partner have a safe environment in which to talk about issues that are currently troubling you.

You don’t need to be married in order to receive couples counseling, but you must be in a long-term committed relationship. Counseling and Psychological Services does not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation.

The DBT program is designed for students who feel dissatisfied with their personal lives. Students who benefit from the DBT program answer YES to several of the following questions:

• EMOTIONS -
  Do you feel overwhelmed by your emotions?
  Do you feel your emotions are in control of your life rather than you controlling your emotions?
• RELATIONSHIPS -
  Do you find yourself having chaotic, up and down, friendships or dating relationships?
  Do you feel misunderstood or taken advantage of by others?
• COPING -
  Do you frequently feel other people can manage life better than you?
  Do you engage in self-destructive behaviors such as cutting, an eating disorder, use drugs/alcohol in a way that interferes with school or relationships, have suicidal thoughts/plans, etc.?
• IDENTITY -
  Do you feel lost, unsure of who you are or what you want?
• DISTRESS -
  Does life frequently feel overwhelming or distressing?
  Are you feeling helpless or hopeless?

Students who participate in the DBT Program receive both individual counseling and attend a weekly skills group that teaches members alternative coping skills so they can learn to effectively manage their lives and be more satisfied with life.

The EDOP is designed to provide comprehensive care to students who have food concerns, body image dissatisfaction, or an eating disorder. Counselors, physicians, and dietitian work together to provide students with the support and resources they need to meet their individual goals. Students can participate in individual counseling, nutritional assessment and counseling, and medical assessment and treatment. A meeting with one of the Counseling and Psychological Services' counselors can help you decide which services would be most useful in meeting your individual goals.

Following the example of highly successful programs at other universities, SIU has instituted a mandated assessment policy for students who attempt or threaten suicide. If Counseling and Psychological Services receives a credible report of a suicide attempt or threat by a student, we will require that student to come in for three appointments of assessment. He or she will meet with one of our counselors, and the counselor will try to help the student understand what led to the event, what they might have done differently, and how they can handle future situations more safely and effectively. This policy is not intended as a punishment for suicidal students; instead, we hope to assist them in dealing with the stresses of their lives and with their own emotions. Just talking with one of our counselors about suicidal thoughts will not make a student subject to this policy; it is intended for students who have actually threatened or attempted suicide. We are concerned about the safety of all of our students, and we are also concerned about the welfare of the university community as a whole.