Celebrating Diversity

The University of Maryland Counseling Center is committed to providing culturally sensitive services to the campus community and developing the diversity, equity, inclusion related competencies of our staff. Given the diversity of our student population, help-seekers come to the counseling center with varied experiences specific to their racial and ethnic membership, gender, sexual identity, social class, religious affiliation, nationality, and/or disability status. We strive to provide services and programs that are inclusive, and give voice to these varied experiences, by providing a safe place to be heard, appreciated, and accepted.

We celebrate the rich diversity that exists in our campus community. As a community, our lives are interconnected and we benefit when we encourage awareness, tolerance, respect, acceptance, understanding, and an appreciation of our differences and similarities. By fostering these processes, our hope is that students, faculty, staff and others in our community will broaden their scope of awareness, develop empathy for different perspectives and life experiences, challenge stereotypes and biases, and serve as models for civility and social justice.

We are a Counseling Center staff with extensive experience providing support services to individuals of varying social identities and backgrounds. We have learned that, only through an awareness of oneself as a cultural being can one hope to help and understand others. To enhance our knowledge and skills, the Center routinely engages in a broad array of continuing education programs, trainings, and ongoing research in these domains. Furthermore, training for interns, externs, and practicum students in the areas of diversity and multicultural education is integral to the Center’s values and mission.

Our commitment to diversity is an ongoing and open-ended journey. There are many opportunities at the University of Maryland and in the Washington, D. C. metropolitan area to learn and enrich one’s intellectual, social, and cultural knowledge and experience. By taking advantage of these learning opportunities, one can truly experience and enjoy all that our world has to offer.

Fall and Spring Semesters
Monday–Friday, 3:00-4:00 p.m.

During the fall and spring semesters, students from the following communities are welcome to drop-in to the Counseling Center on weekdays between 3:00-4:00 p.m. for an unscheduled visit: 

• International students 
• Students of color 
• LGBTQ+ students* 
• Students part of the U.S. military (active duty or veterans) 

Students will meet with a counselor who is either an ally to their community or a member of their community. If you hold more than one marginalized identity, please choose the space that feels most relevant to your concerns at the time of the appointment.

* Therapists who identify as LGBTQ+ are available to meet with students on Mondays and Fridays. Therapists who identify as LGBTQ+ allies are available to meet with students on Tuesdays through Thursdays.

Counseling Center staff are dedicated to providing culturally-responsive services. Our diverse staff is reflective of and sensitive to the needs of our diverse student body. Staff regularly engage in professional development to understand the experiences of different communities, create safe spaces for students of a variety of backgrounds, practice cultural humility, and challenge our biases.

We recognize that individuals may feel more comfortable working with a counselor who has a shared identity or a particular background. We welcome you to request this when scheduling an appointment and we will do our best to accommodate your preference.

Group counseling can be an affirming and supportive space for students with shared identities and backgrounds. Each semester we offer identity-specific therapy groups to provide a space for individuals with shared backgrounds to connect, relate, and experience healing. View the Group Schedule to see which identity-based groups are currently being offered.

Counseling Center staff offer programs and presentations for groups of students, faculty, and/or staff addressing the intersection of mental health and social identity. Examples of identity-related mental health outreach topics include:

• Coping with Racial Trauma
• Stress Management (tailored to the stressors of individual communities)
• Supporting Students who Experience Marginalization
• Disordered Eating in the LGBTQ+ Community
• Adjusting to College for First-Generation Students

Additionally, when difficult sociopolitical events occur and have a particular impact on members of the campus community, the Counseling Center can assist groups on campus in talking through these difficult topics by coordinating a facilitated conversation.

To request an outreach presentation or facilitated conversation, please submit an Outreach and Consultation Request.

Comprehensive lists of resources (books, articles, podcasts, videos, etc.) for celebrating diversity and understanding and navigating differences in cultural identity:

• We Need Diverse Books
• APA Division 17: Race and Antiracism
• PBS Booklist for Understanding the History of Race in America
• Intergroup Resources for Race and Racism
• The Pluralism Project: Religious Diversity across Humans
• Kresge Foundation Disability Inclusion Resource Guide
• National Council on Disability Resource List
• UCCS Compilation of Articles on Disability Pride
• UMD Counseling Center Guide for Family of Trans and Nonbinary Students
• The Trevor Project LGBTQ+ Resource Center
• Trans Resources for UMD Students
• Guide to Gender Identity Terms
• List of LGBTQ+ Pride Flags and What They Mean
• Stories of Immigrants across the U.S.
• International Student Resources
• Stories of First-Generation College Students
• The Privilege Project Guide on Understanding Social Class Privilege

See the Counseling Center's response to current events and learn how we are supporting our community.