All undergraduate and graduate students currently enrolled at Presbyterian College (PC) are eligible to receive services at the Counseling and Health Center.  In the summer a student is eligible for services with the Counseling and Health Center so long as they are enrolled for some sort of PC summer credit course. The presence of individuals (e.g., spouses, parents, friends, etc.) other than the identified client in counseling sessions will be permitted only for the exclusive purpose of providing necessary therapeutic support to or information about the client and a waiver to release information has been signed by the client or there is an imminent threat to safety.

While the goal of a college counseling center is to help as many students as possible cope with and resolve psychological and social problems that interfere with the attainment of their educational goals, counseling centers are sometimes confronted by students who attempt to utilize their services in a manner that is highly inappropriate, disruptive, and in some cases, even harmful.  The counseling center may refer to an outside resource: 

1. If the counseling center itself lacks sufficient resources to assist the student adequately (e.g., a given student requires or requests long-term treatment and the center provides only brief therapy).  
2. If a student misuses services by repeatedly utilizing crisis intervention services offered by the center but engages in no longer-term, substantive efforts to address the issues from which the frequent crises originate or the student requests for numerous/repeated counselor changes, or the student has excessive and/or frequent no show or cancelations.  
3. If a student’s behavior in the therapy situation is so blatantly disruptive or aggressive that any benefit he or she might potentially derive from it is being entirely nullified or, worse, the emotional or physical welfare of the therapist is being endangered
4. If the student’s behavior while in the counseling center facility constitutes a serious disruption of the professional work of the clinical or clerical staff
5. If the student’s application for therapeutic services is based upon causes and rationales that are incompatible with the policies of the center (e.g., the student is being required to use the service by, courts, an instructor or administrator, but the counseling center maintains a policy of seeing students strictly on a voluntary basis)
6. If the student’s purpose in seeking services is deemed unacceptable or illegitimate (e.g., the student seeks therapy simply to avoid disciplinary penalties for acts of misconduct or academic penalties for substandard work or absenteeism)

If a counselor deems it necessary to refer a student out, the Counselor will assist the student in finding an agency or provider, if needed.  A waiver to release information should be completed so that the Counselor may communicate information relevant to the transfer of treatment to the community resource.  Any communication with the community resource regarding the student should be documented and/or scanned into the client’s file.

Due to the small size of the Counseling Center staff and the high demand for services, duration and frequency of services can vary. Students are typically seen, at most, biweekly, aside from attending to crisis. A client’s needs will be assessed and if the client is needing more frequent treatment or desires more frequent treatment, the counselor should assistance with an outside referral better suiting the client’s needs.

If you think you know a student who needs help, please complete the Student CARES Form. If you have an after-hours emergency, please call Campus Police at 864-833-8911, 911 or go to the Emergency Department of Laurens County Hospital.