Counseling Center

If you have an urgent need, same day appointments are available Monday through Friday, from 9am-3pm (per clinician availability).

Next, have your calendar ready. It is helpful to have thought through when you would be available for an appointment. You have the option of participating in either an in-person or telehealth appointment (as clinically appropriate) though in times of emergency (e.g., natural disasters, COVID) in-person services may not be available. 

If you choose a telehealth appointment, you will need to: 

• Identify a private and confidential location for your appointment. (Please keep this in mind when determining when you are available for an appointment. If you are unable to find a private location, please call the counseling center to discuss if an alternative location can be found.) 
• Be able to provide the name and phone number for at least one close contact local to you who the counselor may contact to support you if needed. (Your clinician will discuss this in more detail with you during your appointment) 
• Be able to provide the name and contact information for your local law enforcement. (911 is not an acceptable response as this will not link to your resources, but to emergency response in the counselor’s location)  
• Be in the state of Florida at the time of the appointment. 

If for any reason you are unable to keep your scheduled appointment, it is very important to call and let us know as soon as possible, as this will allow another student to be seen during that time. Please contact us no later than 5:00 pm the business day before your appointment to avoid the late cancellation fee.

Prior to your first appointment at the USF Counseling Center, you will be required to complete several forms online that allow you to consent to treatment, to learn about your rights and responsibilities as a client, and to learn about the Center's confidentiality policy. Forms will be deleted if you do not schedule an appointment within 7 days of completing them. You will also complete assessments that, together with the information on your forms, will help your counselor to better understand your needs.  As such, it is important that you answer all questions as honestly as possible. Your counselor will review this information prior to meeting with you, but not before you arrive for your appointment. 

Types of Appointments

New Clients:
Chose this appointment if you are a new client wishing to access a range of services. Also, the best option if you are unsure of what you may want out of the counseling center. Be sure to allow yourself an hour of time for this appointment.

Existing Clients:
Chose this appointment if you missed your last appointment or were unable to schedule during your previous appointment. Also, the best option if you have a new presenting concern within the same academic year. Be sure to allow yourself an hour of time for this appointment.

Single Session:
Chose this appointment if you are unsure counseling may be right for you at this time. Also, the best option if you want short term support on a specific issue or concern. This option is for students not currently accessing services through the counseling center. Be sure to allow yourself 30-40 minutes of time for this appointment.

Schedule and complete required paperwork online.

Schedule with Student Services located at the Rotunda front desk and complete required paperwork in the lobby.

Call Student Services at 941-359-4330, Monday through Friday 8am-5pm, and then complete required paperwork in the lobby prior to your appointment.

We will be enrolling every student in our telehealth platform, even if you select in-person services. 

• This will allow us to maintain continuity of services if in-person services are unavailable or less ideal (e.g., a severe weather event, you are too ill to commute for your appointment but would like to attend it).  
• All students are required to complete a brief assessment before every appointment with a counselor. Instructions for this will be made available to you prior to your first appointment. This assessment provides you and your counselor with information about how you may be progressing in counseling. You can complete the assessment online at least 20 minutes prior to your appointment to accurately reflect your status. Every student should arrive at the Rotunda or log-in a few minutes early for scheduled sessions to complete this assessment.

During your first appointment, your counselor will focus on getting a detailed understanding of why you are seeking counseling. At the end of the appointment, you and your counselor will work together to create a goal and determine a plan for meeting your needs. The plan may include one or several of the many treatment resources that are available through the USF Counseling Center and our wellness campus partners. It may be helpful to think about your goals for counseling before your first appointment so that you are prepared to discuss them with your counselor.  

Before your appointment it may be helpful to review these online tools to help with decreasing stress and anxiety, and enhancing your mood.

It is important to be aware of the following information:

1. The online paperwork will take 20-30 minutes to complete and must be completed in one sitting; you will not be able to save your information once you have started completing it. If you are idle for too long, the forms will time out. 
2. If you have difficulty completing forms, we recommend trying a different browser or clearing your cache and cookies in your current browser.  
3. If you have not completed your paperwork online, or if you have incorrectly or incompletely completed it, you will be asked to complete it before you schedule your first appointment.  
4. Completing online paperwork does not constitute treatment, or the beginning of a treatment relationship with a mental health provider. Your online paperwork will not be reviewed by a Counseling Center provider until you arrive for your appointment. If you are in need of immediate assistance, please call Student Services during business hours (Monday-Friday 8am-9pm), or call (855)827-9627 to speak to a licensed provider after hours. 
5. Forms will be deleted if you do not call within 7 days of completing them to schedule an appointment.

If for any reason you are unable to keep your scheduled appointment, it is very important to call and let us know as soon as possible, as this will allow another student to be seen during that time. Please contact us no later than 5:00 p.m. the business day before your appointment. Continued late cancellations and missed appointments will impact eligibility for services and may result in being charged a no-show fee.

• After 2 missed appointments, students will only have access to crisis drop-in sessions for the remainder of the semester.
• After 3 missed appointments, students will only have access to crisis drop-in sessions for the remainde of the academic year.

Note: A "crisis session" is defined as a student who experiences a severe emotional, mental, physical, or behavioral distress or trauma that could impact the health or safety of the student.