Counseling Services | Loyola University New Orleans

Confidentiality

Any and all information that students share with us remains confidential with very few exceptions, (e.g., when they represent a clear and present danger to themselves or others). Confidentiality is a basic requirement of trust in counseling and necessary to ensure its success. Our files are maintained separately and are not shared with any other office or personnel within the University. This confidentiality is safeguarded by our professional codes of conduct and by law. University officials are both cognizant of this requirement and strict regarding our compliance.

Exceptions to Confidentiality:

Under almost all circumstances, your information will not be disclosed without written permission. Under special circumstances, however, professional ethics and legal requirements may force the release of some information. These situations are very specific and your counselor will attempt to discuss any possible breach of confidentiality with you. Exceptions to confidentiality include the following:

When a student represents an imminent danger to him- or herself or others
Where there is ongoing abuse of a child or an adult who cannot physically or mentally protect themselves
In a lawsuit where mental health may be an issue before the court
When subpoenaed or court ordered to release records as can occur in lawsuits involving a student’s medical history
When there is an immediate risk to the safety of the student or community (e.g., student is unable to care for him- or herself, active danger to self or others), the UCC staff reserve the right to notify the Office of Student Affairs and/or LUPD
Under a mandatory referral by a University official or the courts
When coordination of care with Student Health Services is indicated, the UCC staff reserve the right to consult with Student Health staff; the UCC and SHS departments share an electronic medical record

Intake Appointment

During this initial appointment, students have an opportunity to talk confidentially with a counselor about immediate concerns. The counselor will discuss with the student their reasons for attending counseling and will evaluate which services and resources might be helpful. Some students find that talking with a counselor once is sufficient to resolve immediate concerns. If further services would be beneficial, recommendations are made for services at the University Counseling Center and/or referral to another campus or community resource.

Individual and Couples Counseling

All currently enrolled Loyola University undergraduate, graduate, and law students are eligible to receive counseling services offered by the UCC free of charge. Our counseling work with students is based on a short-term, developmental model which emphasizes emotional growth through dealing with difficult life issues while also helping the students to maintain a necessary focus on academic performance. Appointments for regular counseling are typically every other week. For couples counseling, only one partner must be currently enrolled as a student at Loyola.

Counselor On-Call

The counselor on-call is available 24/7, 365 by calling the UCC at 504-865-3835. After hours, wait for the prompt and press 1.

Crisis Intervention

Crisis and triage appointments are available daily. In the event of a mental health crisis, call the UCC at 504-865-3835, or stop by the Danna Center, 208 during business hours. If you need immediate emergency assistance, call LUPD at 504-865-3434. A professional staff member is on-call at all times.

Group Counseling

The University Counseling Center provides group counseling services to students who are interested in exploring an alternative option to individual counseling or who would like to be in a group in addition to being in individual counseling. Group offerings are dependent on student need and counselor availability. If you are interested in a specific group, please contact the UCC for details.

How do I join a group at the UCC?

If you are a current client and are interested in attending group counseling, bring this up with your counselor.

If you are not a client, call the UCC to set up an intake session and make it clear that you are interested in joining a group. Since some of the groups we offer are closed (i.e., new members cannot join once the group has started) and time limited, we may not have an opening right away but we'll let you know when the next group is starting.

What is group counseling?

In group counseling, four to eight people meet face-to-face with one or two group therapists to talk about what is troubling them. Members give feedback to each other by expressing their own feelings about what someone says or does. This interaction gives group members an opportunity to try out other ways of behaving and to learn more about the way they interact with others. The importance of confidentiality (not discussing what members talk about or disclose in group outside of the group) is stressed with group members and all members sign a contract to maintain the confidentiality of the group.

What do I talk about in group counseling?

Members talk about whatever is troubling them or whatever brought them into counseling in the first place. Because unexpressed feelings, fears or anxieties are a major reason why people experience difficulties in relationships, sharing your feelings in the group affects how much you will benefit from group.

How much should I share in group?

First and foremost, you control what, how much, and when you share information with the group. Most people are anxious about beginning to talk in group. Within a few sessions people typically find that they are able to talk in the group and receive support from other members as they begin to share.