Our mission
Counseling Services provides personalized culturally-responsive mental health services, training, and outreach to the University community. By doing so, we promote an inclusive learning environment supportive of mental health, diversity and social justice, as well as student personal growth and academic success.
We accomplish this mission through:
- Individual and group counseling and assessment for students experiencing psychological, behavioral and/or learning difficulties
- Outreach programming focused on the developmental needs of undergraduate and graduate students for the purpose of (a) maximizing student potential to benefit from the experience of the academic environment, and (b) promoting life-long learning and emotional health
- Consultation and education for the university community regarding mental health
- Professional training and practical experience in providing mental health services for trainees in psychology, social work, and related disciplines
- The conduct and dissemination of research on critical issues related to college student mental health
Our vision
- A psychologically healthy and connected Wolf Pack
Our values
Diversity
We are dedicated to providing culturally responsive and accessible mental health services and advancing university efforts to promote diversity, inclusion, and social justice
Empathy
We are dedicated to fostering genuine, nurturing connections with our students through compassion and understanding
Growth
We are dedicated to facilitating the personal and academic growth of UNR students and the professional development and training of competent, caring, diverse clinicians
Integrity
We are dedicated to practicing high professional standards through accountability, transparency, competency, humility, and ethics in our work
Our commitment to supporting our campus community
Given the current climate in the world, we are living in unprecedented times. The dynamic cultural, environmental, and political climate in concert with a global pandemic may result in added stress for those in our campus community.
For students, attempting to balance academic, work, and home responsibilities against this backdrop may be especially challenging and result in considerable psychological distress. During these times, you may experience fear, sadness, shame, anger, confusion, and a sense of loss. We recognize that even if we have not been directly affected by the current climate, we may have friends, family, or colleagues who have been.
We want you to know that we are here to listen to the many possible reactions you may have. We provide a safe and welcoming environment for all students and offer various services aimed at reducing distress so that students can grow personally and professionally.
Our services and staff
Counseling Services provides education and training in multicultural competence and humility to practicum students, doctoral interns, postdoctoral fellows, and our professional staff. Counseling Services also provides services and training opportunities that encourage and educate the university community on the importance and value of multiculturalism and diversity in mental health and psychological practice. In addition to addressing the psychological needs of our student clients, Counseling Services also serves the university community, in the following ways:
- Providing consultation to university community members on mental health issues and concerns
- Facilitating supportive outreach/debriefing to the university community following tragic or critical incidents involving students or staff
- Providing prevention and health-awareness programming to improve academic performance and enhance the overall campus milieu
- Conducting training on mental health matters and concerns to a variety of university departments and paraprofessionals
- Providing training and supervision in psychological services to qualified pre-professional university students and post-doctoral residents, increasing the reach of our services and well as educational opportunities for students
Goals of our services
Counseling Services operates within a short-term or intermittent model of individual treatment, in order to maximize our resources in meeting student counseling needs. The primary goal is to improve students' resilience to distress and their repertoire of coping strategies as they navigate through their university experience, empowering them to overcome barriers to their success.
After a same-day session or initial appointment with a counselor, a treatment plan is created, outlining a plan for the type of counseling, the approximate number of sessions, and any referrals to be made. The history and complexity of the presenting issues, as well as the short and long-term goals of counseling, are primary considerations in creating the treatment plan. In many cases, individual sessions are one part of a larger plan that may include group counseling, skills training, psychological assessment and/or referrals within the University or the community.
Dedicated to diversity and culture
The University of Nevada, Reno Counseling Services acknowledges, accepts, and embraces diversity in its multiple forms, including but not limited to ability, age, cultural identity, ethnicity, gender identity, language, nationality, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, race and religion. We are committed to providing a safe, affirming, accepting, and empowering environment in our relationships among our staff and trainees as well as our clients, the university and the community as a whole.