The Counseling Service

About Counseling Services

The Counseling Service provides students with an opportunity to explore their concerns and problems with a professional psychotherapist or psychiatrist in a confidential setting. Counseling services are available to Bryn Mawr College undergraduate and graduate students during the academic calendar year. Given that the college years are times of accelerated growth, significant challenges and considerable stress, Counseling Services staff are available to help students with the variety of concerns that arise during these intense years.

Whether this is your first or fifth time here, we encourage you to share with your therapist any questions you may have about the Counseling Service or the therapy relationship, including how therapy works and how it can be useful to you.

We have a variety of therapists with different styles and a wealth of experience. We are also proud to be a training site for advanced clincal graduate level interns and psychiatric residents. Many students return to the Counseling Service over the course of their BMC years and sometimes choose to see a different therapist. We understand this need for choice and flexibility; each therapist has something unique to offer at a particular time.

We hope you will find your contact with the Counseling Service to be helpful. We invite you to share any suggestions or concerns you may have. Feel free to use our suggestion box located in the Counseling Service waiting area or you can choose to speak to one of the staff directly.

Students come to counseling with concerns such as:

  • roommate difficulties
  • loneliness
  • body image concerns
  • anxiety
  • lack of self-confidence
  • eating problems
  • abuse issues
  • procrastination
  • family problems
  • problems in intimate relationships
  • questions about sexuality/sexual preferences
  • depression
  • cultural concerns
  • achievement conflicts
  • excessive (or concerns about) alcohol or drugs

The Counseling staff approaches psychological issues from the perspective that psychological health and well-being is affected by one's personal history and current environment. The aim of the service is to assist students in developing healthy, fulfilling relationships and increasing enjoyment in productive working and learning.

Counseling FAQ's


What is counseling? How is it different from just talking to friends, family or other people who work at Bryn Mawr College?

Counseling takes place in the context of a helping relationship in which the counselor and the student work together to resolve a problem, change behavior or foster personal growth and awareness. Although students may have a number of helping relationships with friends or family, the counseling relationship is different in a number of ways:

  • The counseling relationship is not reciprocal. The counselor’s job is to focus on the student's concerns and offer their support and encouragement. This is the student's time to focus on themselves. 
  • The counselor is a trained professional who has spent several years learning about

    different ways to help students resolve their particular problem.

  • The counseling relationship is confidential. Whereas with friends or family, you might hope that they will respect your privacy, a counselor is ethically and legally bound by confidentiality. Unless the student is an immediate danger to themselves or others, their conversations with a counselor will be private.
  • You can depend on the counselor to meet you at your set appointment times.

How long does the counseling process take?

There are times when a student may have a very specific question or concern that can be resolved quickly in one or two sessions. Sometimes, this is not the case and it may take a longer time to build a trusting relationship with the counselor and to resolve the problem. The student and the counselor can talk over what the goals for counseling are and how long it will take to achieve these goals.

How do I make an appointment?

Dial the Health Center at x7360 between the hours of 9am-4pm Monday-Friday when school is in session and request to make an appointment with a counselor. Usually students are offered appointments within a week from the time they call. In the event a student needs to cancel or change their appointment, they must call 24hours prior to their appointment to cancel.  All cancellations made less than 24 hours prior to the respective appointment will be assessed a $10.00 late cancellation fee.

Do I have to have a serious psychological problem to use the Counseling Service?

No, you don't have to have a "problem/crisis" to make an appointment to talk with a counselor. The counseling service is a place where students can discuss issues around stress, life transitions, developmental needs, gender issues, family problems, interpersonal conflicts, loneliness, eating and body image issues, anxiety, depression, procrastination, and achievement conflicts. Counselors will help you determine what kind of follow-up you need and can provide you referral information.

Will anyone be told that I have come in for counseling?

No. The counseling staff considers it essential that confidentiality be strictly maintained. Each of the Counseling Services staff is bound by legal and ethical guidelines to protect your privacy. It is the student's decision whether or not to discuss her use of the Service with family, friends and college personnel. However, if a student threatens harm to herself or others, a counselor may be obligated to seek a higher level of care for her, or to contact family members or others to help provide protection. If such a situation arises, counselors will make every effort to fully discuss the requirements with the student before taking any action and will limit any disclosures to what is necessary in their professional judgment.

Can I email a counselor?

Email communication can be intercepted in transmission or misdirected. Therefore it is the Counseling Services' policy to obtain informed consent from a student to communicate with that student the minimum necessary information regarding counseling appointments. Sensitive clinical information should not be included in any email transmission. In the event that a student requests sensitive information via email communication, the counselor will encourage the student to call the Counseling Service to arrange a phone conversation or office visit to discuss the matter.

What about emergencies?

If you have a true crisis, dial the Health Center at x7360 and speak with a nurse and let her know you have a counseling emergency. The nurse will help you get connected to the On-Call Counselor, who will help you come up with some strategies to manage the problem and discuss follow-up. A counselor is available 24 hour a day/7 days a weeks when school is in session. 

How many times can I see a counselor?

Undergraduate and graduate students who have taken the College's insurance can receive up to six free sessions. The six free sessions will be used for assessment, treatment planning and possibly appropriate referral. After an undergraduate or graduate student's six sessions are exhausted, students can use their insurance to pay for future sessions. If a student does not have insurance, they will be billed for counseling visits beyond the sixth visit. Graduate and Post Bac students who have not taken the College's insurance can recieve an initial free session for assessment and appropriate referral. In cases of financial hardship, the fee for counseling may be reduced. No student is ever denied service because they can not afford payment. If you have concerns about this, please discuss them with your counselor or the Counseling Director.

When is consultation with the college psychiatrist helpful?

A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who has advanced training in all aspects of mental health. Your therapist might suggest you schedule an appointment with the college psychiatrist for several reasons. The most common reason is that you want to know if medication might be helpful in relieving your symptoms. For example, many kinds of depression and anxiety symptoms can be safely and effectively treated with medication. Students also consult with the psychiatrist to better understand complicated symptoms or for the evaluation of self-destructive urges. It is always completely up to you whether or not you want to consider medication. The psychiatrist is happy to discuss pros and cons of different options and to answer any questions you have. Students who do decide to try medication see the psychiatrist regularly to assess how well the medication is working for you while also continuing to see your therapist for regular psychotherapy appointments.

Counseling Services Staff

Counseling Services Director

Reggie S. Jones, MSS, MLSP, LCSW

Psychiatrist

Eileen Bazelon, MD

Sarah Braun, MD

Counselors

Kathy Donner, MSW, LCSW, BCD


Jill McElligott, MSS, LSW

Shobhi Kanal, MSS, LSW

Reggie S. Jones, MSS, MLSP, LCSW

Psychiatric Residents

Ravi Chivukula, MD

Nataliya Koliasko, MD

Kehinde Ogundipe, MD

William DeWolf, MD

Graduate Social Work Interns

Jaclyn Lampman

Jessica Richter

Drug & Alcohol Counselor

Michael Blanche, MSS, LCSW

Counseling Resources

Useful Links
Anxiety
Body Image/Disordered Eating/Eating Disorders
Depression
Drugs and Alcohol
Physical and Sexual Assault
Procrastination
Sexual Orientation
Stress Management
Suicide
Virtual Self Help Pamphlets

healthcenter staff

healthcenter staff