The University of Illinois Counseling Center operates on a time-limited model. This means that while individual counseling does not have a specific session limit, we aim to give students the tools they need to manage their concerns in counseling sessions that last no longer than a semester. The number of times and how frequently you meet with your counselor will be determined by both you and your counselor. With your input, and your counselor’s clinical insight, you will develop a plan together that is specific to your needs. Our goal is to provide you with practical skills that you can begin using immediately after your first session.
The primary goal of our services is to assist students in reducing the symptoms they have been experiencing so that these symptoms are easier to manage. Time-limited individual counseling can be most effective with concerns including, but not limited to:
- Mild/moderate anxiety or depression
- Relationship concerns
- Family distress
- Harm reduction drug/alcohol use
- Social skills
- Stress management
- Lack of motivation
- Identity development
- Managing microaggressions
- Resiliency
- Homesickness
- Sexual concerns
- Roommate or friend difficulties
- Perfectionism
- Time management
While many students find success with time-limited individual counseling, it may not be the best fit for everyone, as some students may benefit from more services than we can provide. We are confident in the quality of services we offer, but there are some services we are not able to offer given available resources and student demand. If you are a student who has a history of mental health treatment, psychiatric hospitalizations, severe substance misuse, or a history of severe mental health symptoms, time-limited counseling may not be the best course of treatment for you. Students with these histories may best be served by a private counselor or other community mental health resources. If you need assistance finding community resources, the Counseling Center can help.