Individual Counseling

The MC counseling center educates and counsels students by providing various services and programs. Services include short-term individual counseling, group counseling, couples counseling, crisis intervention, referral services, and outreach programs.

All counseling services are confidential and free of charge for Mississippi College students. The counseling center is staffed by licensed professional counselors, provisional licensed professional counselors, and psychology and counselor interns. We provide brief or short-term therapy for a variety of presenting problems. Concerns that require long-term treatment may be best served by referral to an outside community provider.

Our primary goal is to provide students with the services, support, and skills needed to grow, develop, learn, and thrive at Mississippi College. Please call 601.925.7790, email scds@mc.edu, or stop by our office on the 4th floor of Alumni Hall during regular business hours to set up an appointment.

Diversity and Inclusion

The MC counseling center is dedicated to providing culturally-sensitive services to the MC community and developing the multicultural competence of our staff. We endeavor to provide inclusive services and advocate for all of our students while providing a safe space to be accepted. We welcome students of all ethnicities, religions, sexual orientations, gender identities, ages, political beliefs, nationalities, abilities, and socioeconomic classes.

Areas of Concern

Personal concerns of any type may be discussed privately with an experienced counselor. These concerns may include, but are not limited to, the following:

Anxiety
Depression
Serious concerns about a friend, roommate, or family member
Coping with a traumatic incident
Alcohol and/or drug abuse
Anger management
Suicidal thoughts
Lack of concentration
Relationship conflicts
Career choice
Stress
Isolation and loneliness
Grief
Lack of confidence and/or self-esteem
Eating disorders
Test anxiety/ Study skills
Sexual assault
Phobias
Family problems
Unwanted pregnancy
Pre-marital counseling
Couples counseling

MC counseling center provides a wide range of therapeutic interventions for MC students. When a student’s needs require a more intensive level of care, the MC counseling center partners with the student to transition to resources within the community.

Confidentiality

Some students may feel hesitant to seek our services with the concern that parents, teachers, or administrators at Mississippi College would have access, this is not the case.

All records are confidential and NOT part of your academic or administrative records.

Your records and personal history are available to no one. This includes parents, family, police, faculty, or administration unless you provide written consent. No information about your counseling will be released to anyone without your authorization except under the following circumstances:

If you are under 18 years of age, your parents or legal guardian(s) may request access to your records and may authorize their release to other parties.
If you are determined to be in imminent danger of harming yourself or someone else.
If you disclose abuse or neglect of children, the elderly, or disabled persons.
Where otherwise legally required.

Before starting the intake process, you will be provided with detailed information regarding counseling services and allowed to ask questions.

NOTE: Students should be aware that many states ask about therapy as part of the application to the bar. In a few states, medical boards request this information as well. Similar information is requested by some religious denominations prior to ordination. Some federal agencies require releasing this information for applicants for sensitive government positions. In the past, we have responded to these requests with brief summaries, which have been sufficient. This information is only released with your written consent.

The staff adheres to the ethical principles and codes of conduct of the American Psychological Association and the Mississippi State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors.

If you have any questions about your rights as they relate to confidentiality, please do not hesitate to contact the counseling center and speak with a therapist.

A Note About Email

Please note that email is not an appropriate medium for engaging in personal counseling and relaying other private information. Unfortunately, e-mail is not always confidential and cannot be guaranteed to be an effective or timely means of communication.