Counseling Service

Important Information About Summer Hours:

Beginning May 15 and continuing through August 4, the Counseling Service will be open most days with very limited staffing.  Assessment and referral services for summer school students will be available by appointment.  Some limited counseling services will be available.  Call 503-768-7160 to schedule an appointment. Students in crisis may access 24-hour help at any time via the Lewis & Clark Crisis Counseling Service at 503-265-7804 or the National Hopeline at 1-800-273-TALK.  Additional crisis resources may be found here.

 

About the Counseling Service

At one time or another, students may feel overwhelmed by the responsibilities of college, work, family, or relationships. Counseling Service staff are available to help students cope with these and other stressors. About 15 percent of Lewis & Clark students visit the Counseling Service each year.

Help may range from a single discussion with a counselor to sort out problems and identify alternatives and resources, to a carefully planned program of counseling or therapy, including psychological or psychiatric referral. The purpose of the Counseling Service is to complement the academic mission of Lewis & Clark by helping students achieve success – personally, socially, emotionally, and academically – during their college years and beyond.

The most common issues that students talk about in counseling sessions are relationship problems, anxiety, and depression. Other common therapy issues include:

• Family concerns or issues
• Academic problems

• Thoughts of suicide
• Stress management
• Panic attacks
• Self-esteem
• Loneliness
• Sleep problems
• Eating and body image issues
• Sexual identity issues
• Cross-cultural, international and returning student issues
• Sexual assault or harassment
• Alcohol, marijuana or other drug use
• Grief or loss
• Decision making

Specifically, the Counseling Service provides:

• Assessment and referral services
• Confidential individual and couples counseling
• Crisis counseling sessions
• Periodic educational and therapy groups
• Workshops and classroom presentations
• Training programs for faculty, staff, and student groups
• Consultation with students, faculty, and staff
• A resource library of self-help books and pamphlets

Counseling services are available and free to all students — undergraduate, law and graduate. All services are generally confidential.  To see when services might not be confidential, please read our limits of confidentiality.   

Trending:  13 Reasons Why on Netflix

Counseling staff are aware that the content of the show 13 Reasons Why on Netflix can trigger strong reactions in viewers and sometimes even suicidal thoughts in those who are vulnerable to those thoughts. 

Here is a link to the JED Foundation’s (a non-profit organization that focuses on mental health and suicide prevention on college and university campuses) 13 Reasons Why talking points.  This information may be helpful to those who have watched the series, or those who are talking with others who have watched the series.

Please contact the Counseling Center if you experience suicidal thoughts or if you are concerned about a student’s suicide risk.  Our crisis counseling line (503-265-7804) is available whenever the Counseling Service is closed.  Professional mental health services are effective in reducing suicide risk and increasing quality of life.  

Prescription medication for emotional conditions

Our consulting psychiatrist can prescribe medication for mental or emotional conditions.  Since she is with us only a few hours each week, her services are generally limited to students who are also engaged in counseling on campus. Students who are interested in medications without therapy can contact the Counseling Service for off-campus referrals.  Students interested in ADHD treatment can learn more about ADHD medication assessment and treatment at the Counseling Service.   There are modest fees for psychiatry services.                

There is a physician in the Student Health Service who can assess for depression and anxiety, and who will prescribe medication for these conditions when she thinks it is appropriate. For more information about those services, please contact the Student Health Service (503-768-7165).

New to the Counseling Service!

Think you might have a problem or need to talk with a counselor, but you’re not sure?

We now offer a link to a confidential and anonymous online screening program. You can see whether you might be experiencing depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, bipolar disorder, or an eating disorder.  You can also see whether you might have a problem with alcohol.                 

Please note: The Lewis & Clark Counseling Service provides support and care to Lewis & Clark students.  In contrast, the Lewis & Clark Community Counseling Center offers individual, couples and family counseling to the greater Portland community. If you are looking for the Community Counseling Center, please visit their website.   

Mission Statement

As part of the division of Student Life, staff in the Counseling Service share in the Student Life mission: Lewis & Clark fosters a community of globally engaged citizen-leaders who share a desire to create positive change. We collaborate in academic and experiential learning, civic leadership and career development, diversity and inclusion, and wellness. We are an enduring community of scholars who inquire and work in an interdependent world, and create a place of belonging in which all students can take pride and realize their full potential.  

Diversity Statement

We in the counseling service are committed to providing a safe environment for all by recognizing the unique identities of our diverse Lewis and Clark College community. It is part of our professional ethics and personal values to promote inclusion and to be aware of the impact of privilege, prejudice, marginalization, and discrimination in the lives of individuals. We strive to create an atmosphere where we foster dialogue and promote actions that respect and honor all persons. We believe that sharing and supporting varying perspectives facilitates connection, health, and wellness.