Where is the Counseling Center?
The Health and Counseling Center is located north of the entrance to Colman Hall. Health and Counseling Services share a common entrance and waiting room.
How do I make a counseling appointment?Susie Muenster, Registered Nurse and Director of Health Services, schedules initial counseling appointments when students call (920-832-6574) or stop by. Return appointments are usually scheduled by you and your counselor. You may also schedule a return appointment by calling 920-832-6574.
Who are the counselors?There are three counselors. All of us are licensed mental health professionals. Our pictures and credentials are available on our web page and in the waiting room.
Kathleen F. Fuchs, Ph.D., Director
Jerri Kahl, M.S.E., L.P.C.Associate Director
Paul Valencic, Ed.S., L.P.C.Assistant Director/Alcohol Education Coordinator
We are all generalists who can help students with a variety of concerns. Paul Valencic can specifically help students look at the effects their substance use might be having on their lives.
When is counseling available?Counseling appointments are scheduled Monday through Friday. Normal appointment times are between 9 am and noon, and between 2 pm and 4 pm. The Health and Counseling Center is closed from noon to 1 pm. Walk-in is at 1 pm and is reserved for urgent concerns.
Who may use walk-in instead of waiting for the next available appointment?You may request walk-in if any of the following urgent concerns applies:
That is likely to depend on the time of the school year, the urgency of your concerns, your schedule, and preference you might have to see a particular counselor. We offer next available appointments to students.
What should I expect when I come for my first counseling appointment?
You are asked to arrive 20 minutes prior to the scheduled time of their first appointment so they can complete intake forms on a secure computer in the Health and Counseling Center waiting room.
Forms are not reviewed by your counselor until the time of your appointment. For that reason they must be completed the day of the appointment. You may come earlier on the same day to complete the forms, and then return at the time of your appointment.
What kinds of intake forms are required?The forms consist of a contact information sheet, a brief consent form, a questionnaire asking about your personal history and reasons for counseling, and a symptom checklist of your feelings and outlook. These are only required prior to your first scheduled appointment of the school year.
Why can’t I fill out the forms ahead of time in my room and bring them with me to my first appointment?Counseling Services is striving to go paperless. We ask that students complete the intake forms on our secure computers. This keeps your information timely, increases its accuracy, and better ensures your confidentiality.
What if I already filled out paper forms at Counseling Services last year?We ask students to complete the new forms on the computer to help us better understand your current situation.
What happens to the intake forms after I fill them out?They are kept on a secure Counseling Services server that is accessible only to the counselors. Certain limited ITS staff members maintain the technical aspects of the program, but do not work with any identifiable client data. Intake forms as well as counselors’ notes are destroyed no less than 7 years after your departure from Lawrence University. They are not part of your educational record and cannot be accessed without your specific permission. No counseling records are contained in any academic, educational, or job placement file.
How confidential is counseling?All your interactions with Counseling Services are confidential. This includes scheduling and attendance at appointments, what you talk about, your progress, and all records. Only at your specific request and with your signed permission, we can share information you ask us to share with someone you designate (e.g. Student Academic Services staff).
What exceptions are there to confidentiality?