Get Started

Services at the Counseling Center begin with an initial appointment called a Brief Assessment, in which a student will meet with a counselor to discuss their needs and reasons for seeking services. The goal of this initial meeting is to determine the nature and impact of the student’s concerns and discuss options for addressing these issues. This appointment typically lasts 30 minutes. 

To schedule a brief assessment, call (301) 314-7651 or stop by the Counseling Center reception desk on the main level of the Shoemaker Building during our hours of operation. If you are experiencing an urgent crisis, please let the reception staff know so they can help you get seen for a same-day urgent visit. 

Prior to meeting with a counselor, you will be asked to complete a set of online forms, including consent to receive treatment. At the end of the brief assessment appointment, the counselor will make recommendations about which of the variety of services or referral resources available will best address your concerns.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a life-threatening mental health emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital emergency room. 

In-person crisis response is available during business hours by stopping by the Counseling Center reception desk in the Shoemaker Building. Crisis response is available by phone outside of business hours by calling (301) 314-7651. 

All registered UMD students are eligible for mental health services through the Counseling Center. The type and amount of services that are recommended is different for every student and based on a thorough evaluation of each student’s concerns, needs, and experiences.

Counseling Center services are free to registered UMD students. 

The Counseling Center keeps information about your visits and the content of your sessions confidential. 

Specifically, the therapeutic relationship and what is discussed by a therapist and client are considered private and protected under state and federal law. The Counseling Center adheres to professional, legal, and ethical guidelines established by the State of Maryland and the American Psychological Association. Information about any aspect of your mental health services, including your appointments, records, and information you share, will not be disclosed to anyone outside of the Counseling Center’s professional staff without your written permission. Please note that clinical records are completely separate from educational records and cannot be accessed by parents, faculty, staff, university administrators, or others without your written permission or court order. 

Please note that, in order to protect the client and/or the public, the state of Maryland requires that disclosure of certain information occur, even without the permission of the client, under the following circumstances:

• You are considered at immediate risk for harming yourself
• You are considered at immediate risk for harming others
• Previous or current child abuse
• Abuse of elderly persons or persons with disabilities
• A court order

We recognize that cultural stigma about seeking help and unfamiliarity about the counseling process can prevent some students from getting the help they need. The Counseling Center provides drop-in hours for underrepresented students to make it easier for specific student populations to request time with a counselor in a safe and inclusive environment.

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.