Services We Offer

Initial consultations are conducted by our daily Counselor on Duty (COD). The COD gathers information about your concerns to determine what service(s) best meet your needs and will then assist you with connecting with the most appropriate services and resources. If you are in crisis, the COD will collaborate with you in creating a plan to cope with the current crisis. The COD can also provide guidance and consultation to students, family, and faculty/staff who are concerned about a distressed student.  

Initial and crisis consultations are available during our virtual consult/walk-in hours Monday-Friday from 9-11:30am and 1-4pm. 

Call (361) 825-2703 to request an immediate or scheduled consultation with the Counselor on Duty  

Workshops provide students with an opportunity to meet in a safe, supportive setting with other students who share similar concerns and issues- making our counseling groups and workshops popular treatment options.

The following weekly drop-in workshops are being offered via Instagram Live: Wellness Wednesday; Campus Connections; and Coping Toolbox. Extinguishing Burnout is offered once per month via Zoom. (No registration needed).

During Spring 2022, the Counseling Center is offering both virtual and in person counseling groups. Pre-registration is required for all groups. Current Counseling Center clients can contact their counselor to register. Interested in joining a group, but not already connected to the Counseling Center? Call 361-825-2703 for assistance. 

Finding your Inner Compass- Mondays at 11a.m.-12p.m. Start your week off right for this academic support group designed to help students reach their academic goals using cognitive behavioral strategies. This group is for all students (undergraduate, graduate, & doctoral) who might benefit from support in improving productivity, increasing motivation, and defeating procrastination all while prioritizing wellness. Group runs from 3/7-4/18 and will meet in person.  

Light After Loss- Mondays at 2:30p.m.-4p.m. Everyone grieves in different ways and at different speeds. There is no right or wrong way to grieve. The grieving process is not about forgetting, but about learning to live with your loss. Please join us to explore ways to help you cope, as well as find meaning in your loss. Group runs from 2/14 to 4/18. VIRTUAL via ZOOM. 

Stop the Struggle- Tuesdays at 10a.m.-11:30a.m. Ready to stop the struggle and start creating a rich, meaningful, and fulfilling life? This group is for anyone feeling stuck, hopeless, isolated, facing low self-esteem, hurtful inner thoughts, or lack of motivation. This group will introduce you to ACT, an evidence-based therapy that does not focus on symptom reduction, rather it helps you align with your values, be more aware and present in your life, increase openness and acceptance, and choose actions for what matters to you. Group runs from 2/22-4/19. VIRTUAL via ZOOM. 

Trauma Healing- Tuesdays at 2:30p.m.-4p.m. A group to help trauma survivors understand the diverse transformations they experience and learn ways of coping that support health and wellness. Requires a group screening. Group runs from 2/8 to 4/26. VIRTUAL via ZOOM.   

Silencing Your Inner Critic- Wednesdays at 10:30a.m.-12p.m. This interactive 5-week group is designed to teach you strategies for silencing your inner critic and to learn strategies for defeating depression and anxiety symptoms, developing self-esteem, and breaking out of a bad mood. Participants must be willing to complete at-home assignments between meetings. Group runs from 3/23-4/20. VIRTUAL via Zoom. 

Communication 2.0- Wednesdays at 4p.m.-5p.m. This group helps students learn and practice communication skills useful in creating and navigating healthy interpersonal relationships. Group runs from 3/23 – 4/20 IN-PERSON. 

Managing Anxiety- Thursdays at 1p.m.-2p.m. Anxiety and stress making it difficult to perform academically, meet new people, or constantly struggle with racing thoughts? If so, consider joining us for a weekly group designed to help increase awareness of your personal reactions to stressors, learn anxiety management techniques, practice breathing and relaxation exercises, and gain support from others. Group runs 3/24 – 4/21 IN-PERSON. 

2022 Reset- Thursdays at 3p.m.-4p.m. After living through 2021 are you wanting to make some changes for 2022? This group will focus on using time for self-reflection, building up coping skills, and setting personal goals. Group runs from 2/17-4/14 IN-PERSON. Facilitated by Karl Mitchell, LPC-Associate, supervised by Claudia Ayala, LPC-S. 

Embracing Neurodiversity- Fridays at 2:00p.m.-3p.m. Designed for students identifying as neurodiverse (diagnosed or undiagnosed) including but not limited to those on the Autism Spectrum, Asperger’s, or ADHD. This 6-week group provides ways for students to improve relationships & begin to prepare for life after college by developing healthy habits, independence, and better relationships all while highlighting the strengths of having a neurodiverse brain. Group runs from 2/25-4/8 IN-PERSON. 

For students wanting more information regarding off-campus and online counseling resources, please contact: 

For those students needing psychotropic medication, the UCC believes that an integrated treatment plan should include regular meetings with both a clinician and the psychiatrist and communication between these providers. For this reason, only current UCC clients are eligible for psychiatry services. Psychiatric services are limited and are by appointment only through secure videoconferencing. Psychiatric services are not covered by tuition and fees and additional charges apply for appointments. 

The UCC cannot provide psychiatric care to students who are: 

• Currently in counseling with an off-campus counseling provider, 
• Seeking stimulant medication for ADHD, 
• Interested in accessing medication without simultaneous counseling treatment, 
• Needing urgent or emergency psychiatric evaluation or stabilization services. 
• In these circumstances the UCC can assist with a referral to a community provider for medication evaluation/management. 

For students wanting more information on off-campus psychiatric and medication services, please contact: 

Sometimes students have needs that are outside of the scope of the services offered by the Counseling Center. The UCC Case Manager can provide referrals to students with complex mental health needs, assist with continuity of care for students returning to the university after a mental health hospitalization, and assist students with accessing resources to address basic needs such as housing, food, healthcare, and finances. 

The UCC’s Outreach & Prevention Services offers innovative and educational programming beyond the walls of the Driftwood building which focuses on increasing college student mental health awareness and emotional well-being. Our programming efforts focus on mental health prevention, awareness, education and stigma reduction. 

CLICK HERE for more information on our Outreach & Prevention programming, including information on our current campus events.