What’s the Difference?
Learn What Makes Each Service Unique
We know that college is the first time many students start to navigate mental health services. University counseling centers also tend to offer some unique services that you don't always find in other settings. We've put together a guide to help you understand the differences between some commonly confused services. If you have any questions about our services, you can always contact the Counseling Center and our staff will be happy to assist you.
Crisis Services vs. Everything Else Heading link
First, it’s important to understand the unique role that crisis services play in our work. Crisis services are available 24/7 for students who need urgent mental health support. Call our office at (312) 996-3490 anytime to speak with a crisis counselor.
Examples of mental health crisis can include but are not limited to:
- You are feeling unsafe
- You are hearing or seeing things that are not really there
- You have recently experienced violence (e.g., sexual assault, physical abuse, hate crime)
- You are thinking about hurting others
- You are considering suicide or self-harm
Some commonly confused services include:
- Single-session appointments: Brief, one-time consultations with a Counseling Center staff member to solve a specific problem or learn more about our services. These can be used to address concerns that feel pressing (e.g., upcoming test, recent breakup) but do not require immediate support.
- Drop-In Spaces: For students looking to process thoughts and feelings, get advice and feedback from peers and Counseling Center staff, and connect with others around shared experiences on an ongoing or as-needed basis.
Therapy Groups vs. Peer Support Groups vs. Drop-In Spaces vs. Workshops Heading link
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Group Therapy
Focus on processing thoughts and feelings, exploring interpersonal relationships, and learning new ways to interact in order to achieve specific treatment goals.
Facilitated by Counseling Center staff
Requires initial consultation and referral
Closed once capacity is met
Follows individualized treatment plan
Specific expectations for attendance and participation
Interaction outside of group is discouraged
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Peer Support Group
Focus on building community and connection between UIC students to support each other through life’s challenges.
Facilitated by UIC students trained by Counseling Center staff
No initial consultation or referral required
Open to new members on a rolling basis
No individualized treatment plan
Specific expectations for attendance
Interaction outside of group is allowed
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Drop-In Space
Focus on processing thoughts and feelings, getting advice and feedback from peers and Counseling Center staff, and connecting with others around shared experiences on an ongoing or as-needed basis.
Facilitated by Counseling Center staff
No initial consultation or referral required
Open to students on an as-needed basis
No individualized treatment plan
No expectations for regular attendance or participation
Interaction outside of space is allowed
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Workshop
Focus on learning coping strategies to better manage specific mental health concerns or improve overall wellbeing.
Facilitated by Counseling Center staff
No initial consultation or referral required
Open to students, and sometimes faculty and staff
No individualized treatment plan
No expectations for regular attendance or participation
Interaction outside of workshop is allowed and expected
Initial Consultation vs. Single-Session Appointment Heading link
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Initial Consultation
Scheduled by calling our office at (312) 996-3490
Scheduled up to two weeks in advance
Involve more extensive paperwork
Generally last longer, up to 50 minutes
Involve a more comprehensive assessment of your mental health history
Generally don’t focus on resolving concerns
Can recommend specific services and resources within and outside of the Counseling Center. Required for referral to therapy services at the Counseling Center
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Single-Session Appointment
Scheduled online
Scheduled within 24 hours
Involve less extensive paperwork
Generally briefer, up to 30 minutes
Involve a focused discussion on resolving a current problem
Generally focus on resolving a specific concern
Can recommend specific services and resources within and outside of the Counseling Center
What's In A Name? Heading link
Mental health professionals use many different titles based on our training and job responsibilities. Knowing what each person does may help you understand and navigate our services more easily.
Psychologist
Psychologists are licensed mental health professionals who hold a doctorate degree (typically a Ph.D. or Psy.D.) in a field like Counseling Psychology or Clinical Psychology. At the Counseling Center, our staff psychologists provide a variety of services including:
- Initial consultations
- Group and individual therapy
- Crisis intervention
- Single-session appointments
- Drop-in groups
- Workshops & outreach programs
- Consultation with faculty and staff
- Supervision and training of doctoral-level trainees
Psychiatrist
Psychiatrists are medical doctors (typically with a D.O. or M.D.) who specialize in the biological aspects of mental health. At the Counseling Center, our psychiatrist meets with students who take or are interested in taking medication to help address their mental health concerns. Our psychiatrist writes prescriptions and helps students monitor how well medications are working for them.
Case Manager
Case managers are mental health professionals who hold a masters degree in a field like Social Work. At the Counseling Center, our case managers support students who are getting connected to resources off-campus or through other offices at UIC.
Crisis Counselor
Crisis Counselors are mental health professionals who provide the majority of the Counseling Center’s crisis intervention services for students who need immediate mental health support. This includes assessment, safety planning, and coordination of care for students experiencing a mental health crisis. They also provide bridge care (i.e., short-term counseling focused on maintaining safety and crisis stabilization) for some students who are referred to a provider outside the Counseling Center for longer-term or specialized treatment.
Interns & Externs
Doctoral interns and externs are mental health professionals who are working and training at the Counseling Center as part of their requirements to earn their doctoral degree in Counseling Psychology or Clinical Psychology. All of our interns and externs have prior experience providing therapy and other mental health services. Under the supervision of licensed Counseling Center staff, our trainees usually provide some or all of the following services:
- Initial consultations
- Group and individual therapy
- Drop-in groups
- Workshops & outreach programs
Interns may also provide additional services including:
- Crisis intervention
- Umbrella supervision for part of an extern’s clinical work
In addition to receiving supervision from Counseling Center staff, trainees also participate in seminars and other training activities to enhance their clinical skills and professional development.
Therapist & Counselor
The terms “therapist” and “counselor” are used pretty much interchangeably to describe a mental health professional who provides group, relationship, or individual therapy services.
Directors
The Counseling Center is a complex office and it takes a lot of work behind-the-scenes by our administrative team to make our services possible.
Director
The Director oversees operations, develops policies and procedures, manages staff, and represents the Counseling Center to other offices across the University. Although the Director does provides some clinical services, most time is spent on administrative tasks.
Associate Directors
Associate Directors oversee major Counseling Center functions including clinical services and training. The Director and Associate Directors make up the Counseling Center’s leadership team that manages the day-to-day functions of the Center.
Assistant Directors
Assistant Directors are responsible for overseeing specific Counseling Center services such as our group therapy program, peer support groups, Mind-Body programs, and outreach and consultation services.