Counseling Services
Since 1990, the Women's Center has offered individual, couples, and group counseling services to University of Virginia students, faculty, and staff, as well as to members of the Charlottesville community. Counseling is offered for both men and women individually, as well as couples. The counseling staff at the Women's Center is composed of advanced masters students and doctoral degree candidates in counselor education.
The Women's Center offers free and confidential support groups for UVa students, faculty, staff and Charlottesville community members. For more information and participation, call 982-2252.
In case of an emergency, contact the following centers for immediate help:
If you are a student: Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
Daytime: 434-243-5150
After-hours Emergency: 434 972-7004
If you are not a student:
Region Ten Emergency Services 434-972-1800
Getting to the Center
The Women's Center is located at the intersection of University Avenue and 14th Street across from the UVa Corner.
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The Women's Center is #8 (square E-2) on this UVa web map
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Click here for full maps of the UVa campus
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4/10/08 NOTE: Counselors from the Women's Center will be at Ohill dining on April 11th from 11 - 12 to give out information on eating disorders screenings and contact information for anyone to schedule an appointment at the Women's Center to have a private screening there the week of April 14th. If you can't make it to Ohill on the 11th feel free to call the counseling offices at the Women's Center at 982-2252.
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What is the Counseling Process?
Spring 2007: Individual, couples and group counseling services are available for UVA students, staff, faculty and alumni and members of the Charlottesville community.
When you call the counseling offices someone will provide an appointment time for you. This first appointment is called an "intake" and is scheduled for an hour. You may call our office at 982-2252 Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. When you arrive for your appointment you will be asked to fill out some forms that gather information about you and the issues that concern you. The intake session is the time for you to tell the story about what brought you to the Women’s Center for help at this time of your life.
During your intake, the counselor will ask questions that will help to clarify immediate issues. The counselor may also ask about background information on your family and childhood, as well as questions about your current eating, sleeping and health related habits. All of this information is necessary to help the counselor gain an in-depth view of you and your concerns.
At the end of the intake the counselor will help you to summarize your concerns and identify some goals for counseling. This is when you and the counselor will clarify if your needs will be met with individual, couples and/or group counseling and you will make a follow up appointment that fits your schedule. The number of counseling sessions and length of the sessions vary based on client needs but typically 10 sessions seem to be helpful and most sessions last 50 minutes. If you are going to be late for a session or need to miss a session we ask that you call to let your counselor know. To cancel a session, please give at least 24 hour notice so that other clients who are waiting for services can be offered your cancelled time. Sometimes your needs would be served best by another agency. If this is the case, your counselor will discuss this with you and help you to make the necessary arrangements. The Women’s Center does not provided crisis counseling and does not have 24 hour coverage available for counseling services. Counseling services are available from August 1st – April 30th. For descriptions of the types of groups being offered, see below.
Confidentiality - Information you disclose in clinical sessions is confidential and may not be released to anyone outside of the Counseling Services Program/Curry School Counseling faculty without your written permission. The Women’s Center adheres to professional, legal, and ethical guidelines established by professional organizations and state laws. Legal and ethical exceptions to confidentiality are provided to clients in writing and will be discussed in your intake session. Sessions are audio-taped for the educational needs of the Counseling Interns. This will also be discussed with you in your intake session.
Counseling Services
Group counseling: Group counseling consists of several people meeting with a counselor to discuss common concerns and life issues. Group members give feedback and support to each other in a safe environment. The first few sessions of a group typically focus on establishing trust and getting to know the counselor and group members. Group trust is achieved when all members make a commitment to the group.
Group counseling can be helpful in several ways: Members experience the feeling of not being alone with their personal concerns. Members have an opportunity to help each other which can be rewarding. They also receive feedback about communication skills and other behaviors which can be used in changing patterns in other relationships. Group experience can increase self-awareness as well as offer a safe place to practice new behaviors.
Guidelines for participating in groups at the Women’s Center: Anyone interested in a group needs to schedule an intake appointment with the group counselor at least two weeks prior to the start date of the group. The group counselor will discuss with you whether the group is the best way to meet your needs and if it is, the counselor will provide you with information about the group, such as meeting dates and times. You are expected to make every effort to attend all group sessions and to provide at least 24 hour notice if you will be absent from a group. Anyone participating in a group is expected to respect the confidentiality of all other group members. The work of the group is to be discussed during group time and not at social situations between groups. All of this will be discussed further in your first group meeting.
Any questions about group counseling please feel free to contact Charlotte Chapman, Director of Counseling Services, cmc5nq@virginia.edu.
Groups:
Women Sexual Assault Recovery Group
Sexual assault is a traumatic event that impacts women physically, emotionally, spiritually, and socially. This group will offer an opportunity for women to meet in a safe environment to support one another in the recovery process. This group will be offered again starting in the fall semester 2007.
Please c ontact Leize Gaillard, leize@virginia.edu or Katherine Keller, khkeller@virginia.edu or call 434-982-2252 if you would like to discuss participating in this group.