Counseling Center

The Counseling Center is open and offers in person services, as well as virtual services for those who wish and are in the state of Maine. If you are experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19 or the flu, we ask that you let us know when initiating contact about an appointment so that alternate service delivery might be arranged.

The Counseling Center provides down-to-earth, confidential mental health services geared specifically to college students and provided by licensed professionals. Addressing a range of concerns – from adjustment and relationship difficulties to anxiety and mood disorders, the Counseling Center supports students navigating their college experience, ultimately reducing the impact of interpersonal, behavioral, and psychological difficulties that could interfere with a student’s quality of life and learning.

Confidentiality: Communication within the Counseling Center is confidential. Contact made with the Counseling Center and information resulting from individual sessions does not become a part of one’s student record. Such information cannot be released, even to one’s family, without the written permission of the student.

Eligibility: Counseling services are available to full and part-time Saint Joseph’s College students within the state of Maine.

Limits of Service: Though the Counseling Center is primarily a short-term agency, staff can help you explore options if extended service is needed. Client concerns that require more intensive care, certain specialization, or hospitalization may be referred to mental health providers in the community.

Referrals: Friends, parents, faculty, staff, and administrators are encouraged to recommend Counseling Center services when there is concern about a student; however, the responsibility for setting up an appointment belongs to the student.

Hours: The hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The waiting period for an initial (non-emergency) appointment is generally no longer than one week.

Access: The Counseling Center offers in person, as well as virtual, services for those who are in the state of Maine. The offices are located in Putnam Hall. The building is not handicap accessible; nonetheless, Counseling Center staff are happy to make alternate arrangements to meet individuals with physical disabilities.

Cost: There is no charge for mental health services for students currently enrolled in courses.

Individual Psychotherapy
Individual psychotherapy or counseling is one alternative for many personal, interpersonal, and academic concerns. Talking over and exploring issues in a relaxed, confidential setting with a professional is frequently helpful. The psychologist or social worker and the student work together to define and discuss personal issues and to reach mutually agreed upon goals.

Substance Use Evaluations
Counseling Center staff is available to meet with students to discuss concerns related to alcohol or other substances. Most often the goal of this work is to help students reduce negative consequences associated with their substance use. Usually an assessment involves two meetings, as well as the completion of several questionnaires.

Couples and Family Counseling
Couples/Family counseling is available on a limited basis for students when their issues seem related to their primary relationships. In this approach to treatment, the couple or family meet with a clinician who assists them in identifying problem areas and in developing more effective ways of communicating and interacting.

Consultation Services
Sometimes it is helpful for students, faculty, staff, and administrators to consult with Counseling Center staff about a student for whom there is concern. Such consultations can be via telephone, virtual, or in person.

David Lischer, LCSW
dlischer@sjcme.edu
207-893-6628

David is a licensed clinical social worker. He received his graduate degree in social work from the University of Maine, Orono, and completed his internship at the Mid-Coast Hospital Psychiatric Unit. Continued professional development has focused on mindfulness-based approaches. Outside of work, David enjoys spending time with family, friends, and his mischievous sprite of a dog, Elsie.

Angie Moorman, LCSW
amoorman@sjcme.edu
207-893-6629

Angie is a licensed clinical social worker. She earned her graduate degree at Barry University in Miami, FL. Working with college students is a dream come true for Angie. In addition to other interventions, Angie is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy through EMDRia. Angie relishes all that Maine and New England provide, tromping through the woods or swimming in lakes and the ocean. An avid reader, Angie often has multiple books going at once. Spending time with friends, family, and critters—hiking and camping, eating yummy meals, playing board games–is pretty much The Best.

Elsie
Counseling Center canine assistant