Counseling & Wellness Center

Counseling Services

 

Mission:

The UNT Dallas Counseling & Wellness Center is committed to helping students enhance and maintain mental and physical health during their educational career.

Vision:

To support and educate UNT Dallas students through engagement in individual and group counseling, case management services, and wellness programs.

 

What is Counseling?

Counseling is a process whereby those struggling with some aspect of life enter into a therapeutic relationship with a trained mental health professional in order to gain insight and make changes in life. The process may involve exploring thoughts, perceptions, reactions, behaviors, and emotions in order to better understand oneself. Counseling can assist in reducing feelings of stress and improve the ability to engage in healthy decision-making, and enhance relationships with others. 

The Counseling & Wellness Center is available to students who struggle with such issues as relationships, grief & loss, depression, anxiety, resentment, major changes in life, anger, and many other emotionally difficult situations.

Counseling and case management services are scheduled by appointment only. To receive counseling or case management services students must complete and return a request for services form. Forms are located on the UNT Dallas website under the Counseling and Wellness webpage found at https://sa.untdallas.edu/request-counseling-services.  Students can also pick up a form from one of the Counseling & Wellness Center staff. All forms can be returned to the Counseling & Wellness Center or student worker in Student Affairs.

 

Tips for Making the Most Out of Individual Counseling

Here are some things to keep in mind as you begin brief individual counseling. Remember, counseling is a process and approaching that process with intention can help you get the most out of it.

• Have a Specific Problem/Goal in Mind

  • Some problems might feel really big, so it’s important to focus on the specifics so you can work towards meaningful change.

• Show Up

  • Try to give yourself some time before your appointment so you can show up on time and be present during your session. It’s important for your counselor to get to know the real you.

• Counseling is Collaboration

  • Counseling is about giving you support to help you reach your own conclusions and act for yourself. Counselors can offer encouragement, but they cannot make your choices or changes for you. Learning to internalize this encouragement will benefit you in the long run, although it can be challenging at the time.

• Be Curious

  • Counseling is about understanding yourself and how you relate to the world around you. Ask yourself, which of your life experiences might be connected to how you currently behave, think, and feel.

• Express Feelings About Counseling During Counseling

  • How you feel about your counselor and the counseling process is important. Sharing these feelings give you the opportunity to practice healthy coping skills and relationship-building in a safe environment.

• Counseling Can Be Hard Work

  • Just like a good workout, you may leave counseling feeling emotionally worn out. It’s normal for counseling to be tough at times, so make sure to practice self-care in between sessions. Talk to your counselor if counseling ever feels overwhelming.

• Be Ready to Change

  • In counseling, change can mean different things for different people. You get to decide what that change looks like. Your counselor can be a guide, but ultimately you have to make the changes for yourself. Change can be challenging, and it’s up to you to work towards the changes that will positively impact your life.

• Do Your Work Between Sessions

  • Counseling doesn’t stop when you leave your counselor’s office. Think about it, write about it, talk about it; find what works for you to make counseling a part of your life. Counseling has the biggest effect on your life when you practice what you’ve learned out into the world.

• Use Challenges in Life as Opportunities for Growth

  • Counseling can help you address certain goals but know that challenges in life are inevitable. Use what you are learning in counseling to meet challenges in new and different ways.

• Get Support From Others

  • Reaching out and getting connected to others is an important part of life. Change doesn’t happen in isolation and support can’t come from your counselor alone.

• It's Okay to Have Boundaries in Counseling

  • You have the right to set boundaries in all areas of your life, including who knows about your counseling. You can choose how much you share and with whom you share.

• Be Patient with the Process

  • Counseling is a journey. Despite the inevitable challenges that come with looking inward and making changes, counseling can be a rewarding and transformative process.

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Adapted from: Howes, R. (2010, May 26). 21 Tips for Clients in Psychotherapy. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/in-therapy/201005/21-tips-clients-in-psychotherapy and Tartakovsky, M. (2015). Therapists Spill: 10 Tips for Making the Most of Therapy. Psych Central. http://psychcentral.com/lib/therapists-spill-10-tips-for-making-the-most-of-therapy/

 

Contact Us:

Counseling.Wellness@untdallas.edu

(972) 338-1816

Located in the Student Center, Suite 1085

Counseling and Wellness Document Downloads

Request for Counseling Services
Intake Information Form
Consent for Counseling Services

Confidentiality & Eligibility

Confidentiality 

The Counseling & Wellness Center at UNT Dallas places a high priority on privacy and confidentiality. All Communications between a student and counselor, including the decision to seek counseling, are confidential to the full extent provided by law and are not released outside the Counseling & Wellness Center with a voluntarily signed consent. 

Eligibility

Counseling services are available to all currently enrolled UNT Dallas students. Students are eligible for 6 sessions per academic year at no additional cost. 

Alcohol-Wise

Alcohol-Wise is a nationally recognized alcohol education and prevention program utilized by more than 500 colleges and universities that explores:

• Unrealistic student perceptions about the effects of alcohol
• Personal choices about alcohol consumption and the impact on student success
• Building a healthier UNT Dallas Community
• Making informed decisions to promote personal health and wellness

How does this program help UNT Dallas students?

• Students can access tools and resources to be proactive in the prevention of reaching limits and potential destructive behavior.
• Exploration of program, tools, and resources builds knowledge about alcohol and the potential for alcohol poisoning.