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Outreach Programming

In addition to our clinical services, the Counseling Center provides campus outreach as preventative interventions to promote wellness. Campus outreach efforts allow the Counseling Center staff to connect with students who may not seek out clinical services. In addition, campus departments may seek workshops or trainings related to staff or student development. The Counseling Center is a member of the Association of University and College Counseling Center Outreach (AUCCCO).

Outreach presentations may be requested by student groups, academic departments, UMD staff and faculty members, and others in the UMD community. Programs usually range in length from 15 minutes to 1 hour, and they are typically conducted at your campus location. There is no fee for a Counseling Center outreach presentation. In addition to the sample topics below we also tailor presentations to meet specific needs of an audience. Counseling Center staff members are trained as facilitators to empower students, student groups and campus departments to work toward more effective personal, interpersonal, and organizational/group functioning.

Selected Outreach Topics

  • Adjusting to Life on Campus
  • Balancing Work, Life, and School
  • Building Healthy Relationships
  • Career Exploration
  • Coping with Grief and Loss
  • Counseling Center Services
  • Diversity Issues
  • Effective Communication
  • Helping Students in Distress
  • Mindful Coping
  • Food and Body Image
  • Stress Management
  • Suicide Awareness and Prevention

In addition to providing outreach to specific groups, the Counseling Center participates in tabling events where students can learn about Counseling Center services. When you request a Counseling Center outreach program or participation at your tabling event, please provide at least three weeks notice.

To request an outreach program, please submit a Counseling Services: Outreach and Consultation Request.

The Counseling Center is a member of the Association of University and College Counseling Center Outreach (AUCCCO).

The Counseling Center is hosting drop-in virtual skills sessions on a wide range of topics (16 total!) to support your mental health and wellbeing. Click through the tabs below to find out more about information, including topic descriptions, Zoom links, and schedule.

View The Wellness Series schedule

To request an outreach program, please submit a Counseling Services: Outreach and Consultation Request.

In the event of emergency situations or traumatic events, Counseling Center staff are available to provide support and guidance to faculty, staff, and students.

Examples of emergencies that may require the involvement of Counseling Center professional staff who are trained in crisis response include:

  • Deaths, including suicides or accidental fatalities
  • Homicides or other acts of violence, including mugging or robbery
  • Sexual assault or rape
  • Terrorist acts
  • Natural disasters
  • Fire or arson
  • Campus shooting or mass violence

Faculty and staff may contact the Counseling Center to consult with a therapist about options for responding in the hours or days that follow an emergency. Depending on the nature of the incident, individuals who are directly affected may be referred to individual counseling or the referral services at the Counseling Center.

In some situations, Counseling Center staff may be requested to be present when university staff or faculty share news of a traumatic event with students in a classroom or residence hall. In such cases, the therapists are available primarily to support any person who may have difficulty when receiving the news.

In other situations, the Counseling Center may recommend a group intervention facilitated by Counseling Service therapists. These are sometimes referred to as a group “debriefing” or “processing” sessions. Some of the benefits of these group interventions are reduction of acute distress, increased group member cohesion, and fostering of resilience. In addition, the therapists who facilitate the group can identify participants in need of further support and assistance. Attendance at such interventions should occur on a voluntary basis. Counseling Center staff will collaborate with faculty and staff to make an informed decision as to which type of intervention would be most appropriate for affected individuals.

Requests for campus crisis response can be made by calling the Counseling Center at (301) 314-7651 or by directly contacting your Counseling Center dyad partner.

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