Overview

The mission of Counseling Services at SAIC is to assist students in meeting their emotional, psychological, and mental health needs and to contribute to a campus environment that facilitates the healthy growth and development of students.

The service carries out its mission through several essential roles and functions: counseling and psychotherapy, crisis intervention, consultation, care management, and mental health promotion. Counseling Services is staffed by full-time doctoral-level licensed psychologists, a licensed clinical professional counselor, a mental health promotion specialist/registered art therapist licensed as a professional counselor, postdoctoral fellows in psychology, and part-time psychotherapists from local doctoral psychology programs working under supervision.

    • Anxiety, fears, worries, and nervousness 
    • Academics, schoolwork, performance
    • Depression 
    • Self-esteem and self-confidence 
    • Finances 
    • Concentration 
    • Uncertain about future, life after college 
    • Procrastination and getting motivated 
    • Stress management 
    • Decisions about career or area of study 

  • Currently enrolled degree-seeking SAIC students may receive up to 16 sessions of free, confidential, short-term counseling and psychotherapy per degree program. Referrals to off-campus providers are available for open-ended psychotherapy, psychiatric evaluation and medication management, group therapy, intensive treatment programs, and emergency psychiatry services.

  • Information about the SAIC-sponsored student health insurance plan designed for SAIC students and their dependents can be found at saic.myahpcare.com. Questions may be directed to Academic Health Plans at 855-844-3023 or saic_studentinsurance@saic.edu.

  • Counseling and psychotherapy are confidential. Information communicated to SAIC counselors will not be disclosed to anyone outside Counseling Services without written consent from the client. There are rare exceptions to this policy. These are when, in the judgment of the counselor, disclosure is necessary to protect the patient or someone else from serious harm or when the law requires disclosure.

Cartoon illustration of a human-like figure seated in the center of a daisy, watering itself with a watering can.

Schedule an Appointment

To schedule an appointment, call 312.499.4271 or email us at counselingservices@saic.edu. Regular Counseling Services hours are 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Students will typically meet with a psychotherapist for an intake session within a few days of contacting Counseling Services. Students in crisis will be seen as soon as possible.

Online Services

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ThrivingCampus

ThrivingCampus is a free online directory for SAIC Students to connect with off campus mental health clinicians. The service also provides various guides and resources that assist students through the process of securing off-campus mental health care.

If you have questions about how to find a clinician, what type of provider you might want to meet with, and what questions to ask please visit the ThrivingCampus Help Guide.

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Togetherall

Togetherall is a safe, anonymous and free, online peer-to-peer community for mental health support.

The entire platform is moderated by registered mental health practitioners 24/7 to ensure:

– The community remains vibrant, supportive and inclusive.

– Risk is identified and escalated to crisis supports as appropriate.

– Students are navigated to resources available in the platform and through their campus.

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Telus Health Student Support (THSS)

Telus Health Student Support (THSS) is a free and confidential mental health and wellbeing support service available to you 24/7:

– Real-time chat and phone support available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (no appointment needed)

– Short-term scheduled support available via phone, video or in-person-where available (call to set up initial appointment)

– Connection with a professional counselor

– Access to virtual fitness sessions, articles, podcasts, and more

– Confidential and at no cost to you

– Telus Health Student Support counselors have experience working with diverse student populations and offer support in five core languages: Mandarin and Cantonese (Simplified Chinese chat), French, Spanish, and English. Additional languages are available upon request.

 

Mental Health

Counseling Services staff members are available for consultation.

  • Consultation topics often include:
  • Emotional, psychological, or other health issues affecting academic performance
  • Coping with mental health disorders
  • Adjustment to major life transitions
  • Responding to others’ distressing behavior 
  • Population-specific topics: international student stress; LGBTQ student needs

  • Care management support is provided to students who have been hospitalized due to mental illness and strives to ensure that support needed from family, treatment providers and SAIC is in place. Care management is not counseling or treatment and is not confidential, rather, the students’ medical and personal information is protected by the care manager and considered private.

  • Mental health promotion activities offered by Counseling Services emerge out of joint interests of the SAIC community and the Counseling Services staff. Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training is offered to students, faculty and staff on a regular basis.  Students who complete MHFA are invited to become part of the Wellness Center Student Support Network, a group of student leaders who regularly meet with the goals of enhancing natural peer support and implementing initiatives that support student mental health and wellness at SAIC. Additional programming is available on request.

  • Most distressed or troubled students who come to Counseling Services do so on their own. Faculty and staff who have frequent contact with students can also identify troubled students and assist them in obtaining appropriate help. Read more about how you can help.

Mental Health Crisis Response

If you or another student are out of control, violent, or immediately a danger to self or others, immediate intervention is needed. Examples of crises are: when a student threatens suicide, homicide, or intends to physically harm self or others.

If You See a Student in Crisis

  • Call Campus Security at 312.899.1210 or, if you’re on campus, press the orange emergency button on a house phone.  
  • When reporting a concern, describe the crisis, report the student's name, and indicate where the student can be found. 
  • If necessary, Campus Security can take steps to ensure that the student is escorted to the nearest hospital emergency room. Campus Security can also reach an on-call Counseling Services staff member as necessary.

If You Are Experiencing a Crisis

  • If you would like to speak to someone outside of normal business hours, please call the Counseling Service After Hours Line at 312.499.4271 (after hours press 1 to speak to a counselor).
  • The Northwestern Memorial Hospital Psychiatric Emergency hotline is also available 24-hours a day for consultation and further assistance. This service can be reached at 312.926.8100.  
  • If you are experiencing a mental health emergency please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

Predoctoral Advanced Externship & Postdoctoral Fellowship Training

SAIC offers Predoctoral Advanced Externship and Postdoctoral Fellowship training. At SAIC, we are committed to providing excellent training and support for our trainees as they engage in clinical and professional services to serve the SAIC student body. Our philosophy of training reflects our value in helping pre-professionals and new doctoral graduates develop advanced skills in multiculturalism, ethical provision of services, and professional identity. Our trainees are exposed to Counseling Services' essential roles and functions, including counseling and psychotherapy, crisis intervention, consultation and outreach programming. Please email any questions to: Joey Rea, Psy.D Training Director, Counseling Services, jrea1@artic.edu.

  • SAIC offers advanced practicum externship opportunities. Our focus is providing brief, integrative psychotherapy to a diverse population of undergraduate and graduate, international and domestic art students. We are committed to providing our clients with ethical and supportive treatment and to provide our trainees with the tools for success in their work with our student population.

    Our value in training is to increase the skillset and confidence of our trainees through a focus in the following areas: brief therapy, intake assessment and triage, consultation, clinical documentation, and crisis intervention. Additionally, we focus on general competencies such as ethical practice, multicultural competence and professional development.

    Expectations
    Externs are expected to be on-site for 20 hours a week (two full days plus one half day) throughout the academic year (late August until the end of May), and will receive two hours of individual supervision as well as one hour of seminar each week. One hour of supervision is provided by a licensed clinical psychologist and the other by a postdoctoral fellow. Typically, Tuesday mornings from 9:00–10:00 a.m. are required for the practicum seminar, subject to change. Externs are expected to carry a caseload ranging from 8–12 individual psychotherapy clients. In addition to providing psychotherapy, each extern is expected to also conduct intake assessments, crisis intervention, clinical consultation, and provide referrals/recommendations. Externs are also expected to participate in relevant on-site training to enhance their experience.

    Eligibility 
    This is considered an Advanced-level Practicum. Interested applicants should be enrolled and be in good standing in a doctoral program in clinical or counseling psychology. Applicants should have already completed at least two years of doctoral level practicum experience (basic/intermediate and diagnostic) and have experience providing psychotherapy. Candidates should also have some prior exposure to and interest in psychodynamic and/or existential-humanistic theories.

    Apply 
    SAIC Counseling Services training program is not an ACEPT member, but we welcome applications from students whose schools have membership to this organization. We offer interviews on a rolling admission basis until all positions are filled. When the application process begins at the beginning of February, interested applicants should submit the following materials in one PDF document:

    • Cover letter describing your experience and interest in our site
    • Resume or curriculum vitae
    • Transcript from your program (an unofficial transcript is acceptable)
    • Two letters of recommendation from mental health professionals who are familiar with your clinical work

    Writers can choose to email the letter directly to Dr. Rea or via the applicant.

  • SAIC offers two postdoctoral fellowship positions for each academic year. Our focus is providing brief, integrative psychotherapy to a diverse population of undergraduate and graduate art students. We are committed to providing our clients with ethical and supportive treatment and to providing our postdoctoral fellows with the tools for success in their work with our student population and in their role as clinicians, consultants and supervisors.

    Our value in this program is to increase the skillset and confidence of our fellows in the areas of brief therapy, consultation and collaboration with other professionals, crisis intervention, clinical documentation, and clinical supervision. Additionally, we focus on general competencies such as ethical practice, multicultural competence and professional development. Specifically, our goal is to help our postdoctoral fellows achieve the following by the end of the training year:

    • Refine psychotherapy, consultation, and supervision skills
    • Develop a philosophy of supervision based on personal and professional values and experiences
    • Increase understanding of roles and resources within college counseling and academic settings
    • Build confidence in crisis intervention and crisis consultation.
    • Fellows are expected to be onsite for 40 hours per week. This is a 12-month fellowship typically beginning mid-August and ending mid-August of each academic year. The structure is designed to include hours and clinical experiences to support the application for licensure.

    Fellows will receive one hour of individual supervision by a licensed clinical psychologist for clinical work, as well as biweekly supervision of supervision with the Training Director. Postdoctoral Fellows are included in staff meetings, such as weekly clinical and consultation meetings. Postdoctoral fellows are also expected to participate in relevant on-site trainings/meetings to enhance their experience.

    Each position is expected to carry a caseload that meets the needs of the center. Postdoctoral fellows will provide one hour of weekly individual supervision to two Advanced Therapy practicum trainees. Fellows will be included in the walk-in and after-hours clinical crisis consultation rotation with ample training and support.

    Eligibility
    Eligible candidates will have obtained a Ph.D. or Psy.D. from an accredited (APA) program in Clinical or Counseling Psychology by or near the start date of the fellowship. A completed psychology internship is required. Postdoctoral hours cannot be accrued until dissertation has been defended.

    Candidates must have strong clinical skills in treatment, assessment and crisis intervention. College or university counseling center experience and an understanding of outreach and consultation activities is preferred. Interest in LGBTQ individuals (60% of student population) and international students (33% of student population) is preferred. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and high level of attention to detail are essential.

    Apply
    We will begin soliciting applications starting in December for the 2023-2024 academic year. At that time, applicants can submit requested information through the SAIC Employment page. You will be asked to upload the following:

    • Cover Letter
    • CV
    • Graduate transcripts (unofficial is acceptable)
    • Three letters of recommendation from mental health professionals who are familiar with your clinical work

    Writers can choose to email the letter directly to Dr. Rea or via the applicant.