Scheduling an Appointment

• GUST undergraduate students may make appointments to see the counselor by going to the OSC / Counseling Center. Students are required to give a name, Student ID no., contact phone number, and contact e-mail address. Students and the counselor with whom the appointment is made will receive an immediate confirmation e-mail of the appointment once the process is completed.
• Generally, Counseling Center is open Sunday through Thursday from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM from the arrival of students for the September semester until the end of Summer Semester. There are no scheduled walk-in hours. Appointments are recommended for all counseling sessions to be sure the counselor is available.

• The staff/faculty member will also contact the counseling area, send an email, or stop by the counselor’s office to provide further information.  The staff/faculty member informs the counselor if the report is for information only, the student will self-report, or if the counselor needs to insist on a meeting with the student. The counselor may follow up with the faculty/staff member to report if the student came to a session, or if the faculty/staff member is not sure how to interact with the student.
• Contacting the Student: The counselor uses home and mobile phone numbers, GUST email system, and/or text messaging to set initial and follow up sessions with students who have been referred to counseling or who have requested the services.  If the reporting person and/or the counselor feel that it is urgent for the counselor to meet with the student immediately, the counselor can go to the office of the reporting staff/faculty member to meet the student. Once the student is contacted, a meeting is set-up and documented with the Counselor.
• Each session is of 45-60 minutes and is pre-scheduled with the consent of the student, taking his /her academic schedule in account

Duration

Each session is of 45-60 minutes on weekly basis.

Assessments

The diagnosis and therapy depends on the clinical observation, the information presented by the students/instructors/parents and formal assessments.

All standardized tests are used to assess the emotional and psychological problems. The assessment results are interpreted and explained to the students concerned.

BDI : Beck Depression Inventory

BAI: Beck Anxiety Inventory

BHS: Beck Hopelessness Scale

SCL-90 - Symptom Checklist 90-R

Self -Evaluation : the Glazer - Stress control Life Style Questionnaire

The Rosenberg Self- Esteem Scale

SAD: Suicidal Assessment

SCID-II for Axis II disorders

CAS - Clinical Anger Scale

Progress Notes

Progress notes will be completed within 24 hours of services. Progress notes will include subjective and objective observations, assessment of need, therapeutic techniques used during the session,   and a plan for future services. Progress notes do not include any personal information of the client. They hold the file no and session no. 

Filling system

Documentation of Services and Clinical Files
•  All counseling services provided to GUST undergraduate students is documented in student counseling files which are kept strictly confidential in the     Counseling Center. All “hard copy” documentation of services and other confidential information is kept in filing cabinets in a safe place. No student files   is removed from the premises, unless required by a court order or some other extraordinary circumstance.

• Students completes the New Client Information Sheet at the time of their first session each academic year.
• Students reads the Consent for Services form and if in agreement, signs and date the form at the time of their first session.(remove that)
• Progress notes will be completed within 24 hours of services. Progress notes will include subjective and objective observations, assessment of need,    therapeutic techniques used during the session,    and a plan for future services.
• Missed, canceled, or rescheduled appointments require a brief note by the counselor indicating what occurred. If a counselor sends a student a letter or  e-mail relating to the appointment, a copy of the correspondence may substitute for the note documenting the missed, canceled, or rescheduled appointment.
•  Documentation of emergency or other services provided after regular working hours (including any services or consultations accessed by means of the emergency cell phone) is completed as soon as practically possible, using the “Progress Note” form. The original form is kept in the student’s counseling file (if applicable).
• Documentation of any student’s permission to release confidential information is made using Counseling Center release form. The original is kept in the student’s counseling file.
• Copies of any correspondence (including e-mail messages) with or about clients is included in student counseling files.