Counseling at UNE
Counseling can be sought for a variety of reasons — stress; anxiety; depression; adjusting to college or a new academic program; relationship issues; loneliness/homesickness; loss of confidence or self-esteem; food, eating, and body issues; sexual issues; alcohol/drug use; anger management; difficult family situation; grief/loss; sleep issues; sexual assault — and everyone expresses their concerns in different ways.
Appointments
Individual counseling sessions are typically 50 minutes long. Before meeting with a counselor you must complete Consent for Treatment and Confidentiality forms in addition, you will be asked to complete an initial assessment.
Your First Appointment
You can generally be seen within a week of your initial request. Under emergency circumstances, you can often be seen on the same day. It is important to us that students who seek our services do so out of their own choice, so we require all students to make their own appointments.
During the first session, your clinician will help you clarify and facilitate a method of dealing with your concerns. Based on the information presented, they will discuss recommendations for continued health and wellness. If needed, your counselor may discuss referrals to services off-campus.
Scheduling
You may schedule an appointment by emailing, calling, or stopping by our office. You will be asked to complete confidential forms prior to your first visit. These include an Informed Consent form and answering some questions about your concerns, which takes about 10–15 minutes.
Cost
As a UNE student, there is no fee for you to use the Student Counseling Center. Your health insurance company is not notified or billed for our services.
Services
Counseling sessions are confidential, and not part of your academic record.
Crisis Response
An off-campus resource, available 24 hours/day at 1 (888) 568-1112.
Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call 988 or text “Home” to 741741.
If you are a Portland or Biddeford campus-affiliated student and are currently experiencing a mental health crisis, you can reach UNE’s on-call counselor by calling (207) 602-2549 and then pressing 6.
Individual Counseling
Counseling services are made available to current matriculated UNE students in campus-based/on-campus programs.
Sessions are scheduled by appointment, and we respond to emergencies and crises.
Appointments are in-person on both our Biddeford and Portland campuses. Virtual telehealth appointments are available if needed.
- Adjusting to college or new academic rigors
- Managing anger
- Anxiety/stress
- Career/vocational concerns
- Concern for someone
- Confidence/self-esteem
- Depression
- Financial concerns
- Gender identity
- Grief or loss
- Health
- Nutrition
- Pregnancy
- Relationships
- Self-injurious behavior
- Sexual orientation
- Sexual violence
- Sleep hygiene
- Substance use
- Suicidal thoughts
- Trauma
- Violence
Consultation and Outreach
Our staff is specially trained in group dynamics, conflict resolution, and interpersonal communication.
We provide consultation to students, staff, and faculty groups. Our counselors are also available to offer training and various workshops to faculty, professional staff, and students of the University community.
Confidentiality
The counseling relationship is completely confidential within the legal and professional guidelines of the State of Maine and the American Counseling Association.
Information shared with us is kept separate from academic records and will not be released without your written consent, with the following exceptions: if there is an indication of harm to self or other, if there is an indication of abuse to a child or incapacitated elder, or if the court subpoenas the record.
Confidentiality is an essential element of counseling and one of your most important rights. Within certain legally defined limitations, any information revealed by you or learned about you from another source during the course of counseling will be kept strictly confidential and will not be revealed to any other person or agency without your written permission. If a request for information about you is made, we will discuss it with you, if at all possible, even if you have already signed a release. However, since this policy does have some exceptions, you should read the following information very carefully.
The standards of the counseling profession require that your counselor keep treatment records. These records enhance our ability to provide you with appropriate treatment and are often useful to individuals with whom you may consult or to another counselor. Your counselor will limit the information included in the record so as to maximally protect your privacy.
- If you request it, your counselor will provide you, or an individual that you designate, a summary of your records.
- If you desire, you have the right to review your treatment records. It is the Student Counseling Center's policy that you discuss the reasons for your request prior to such review and that your counselor be present when you examine the records.
You should be aware, however, that there are certain situations in which your counselor may be required by law to reveal information obtained during counseling to other persons or agencies without your permission. The first situation is if you threaten grave bodily harm to another or to yourself. A second situation is if a court of law issues a court order requiring production of specific information. Such court-ordered breaches of confidentiality are rare. If you have questions or concerns about this, please discuss this with your counselor. In addition, by law your counselor must report suspected abuse/neglect of a child or an incapacitated adult that is communicated by you.
At times your counselor may have the need to consult with other counseling professionals about your treatment. In these cases, we will treat any information you have shared with your counselor with sensitivity and tact.
Arrangements to consult via email may be made with your counselor. Unlike personal counseling, however, we are unable to guarantee the confidentiality of your email correspondence with us.
Should you desire further clarification regarding confidentiality or any other aspect of the counseling services we offer, you are encouraged to discuss these issues with your counselor and/or with Assistant Provost and Director of Counseling, Hahna D. Patterson, Psy.D., LCPC.
As a client, you have the right:
- To expect that a psychologist/clinical counselor has met the qualifications as required by state law.
- To examine public records maintained by the licensure boards which contain the credentials of the psychologist/clinical counselor.
- To obtain a copy of the Codes of Ethics.
- To report complaints to the licensing boards.
- To obtain information about your case records and to have the information explained to you clearly and directly.
- To expect complete confidentiality except as required by law.
- To refuse any recommended services and to be advised of the consequences of this action.
The practice of counseling is regulated by the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation. Complaints can be registered as follows:
Board of Counseling Professionals Licensure
62 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0062
Phone: 207-624-8634
Contact
Hours
Monday–Friday
8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Our first counseling session of the day begins at 9 a.m. and our last session of the day begins at 3 p.m.
Biddeford Campus
bcstudentcounseling@sjzddclm.com
Petts Health Center
(207) 602-2549
Portland Campus
pcstudentcounseling@sjzddclm.com
Second Floor Linnell Hall
(207) 602-2549
Accommodations can be made if a disability prevents a student from accessing our offices.