Available Counseling Options at SMU

The college years are traditionally a time when students experience increased personal growth and maturity through their encounters with different people, values, and concepts. Learning to balance the resources of time, energy, and freedom with academic responsibilities and interpersonal relationships can be difficult for even the most successful students.

Our staff provides short-term individual counseling to assist students in identifying, assessing, and resolving concerns which may interfere with their academic, social and emotional growth and development.

Services include, but are not limited to adjustment issues, relationships, alcohol/drug abuse, eating disorders, sexuality and gender identity, sexual harassment, and sexual assault.

To speak to Counseling Services, please call 214-768-2277.

Crisis Intervention

A crisis is any situation in which a person needs immediate assistance in order to adequately cope. Our mental health professionals make every effort to respond quickly to a student in crisis. In most cases, the student can talk to a professional immediately. Students in crisis do not need an appointment and can come to the main desk at Counseling Services. After hours, call 214-768-2277 (option 2) to speak to an on-call counselor 24/7.

Call 214-768-2277 to schedule your first visit with Counseling Services. All SMU students are eligible to receive free services at the counseling center through the Student Health Fee, regardless of insurance. First visits are a 20-30 minute appointment with a counselor, in which you will share your concerns and basic information to determine appropriate services and choose next steps.
Whether you want to make a quick visit between classes, after dinner, or while traveling home on vacation, all SMU students can now obtain on-demand virtual visits with a therapist through AcademicLiveCare, on their smartphone, tablet, or computer at no cost! To learn more, visit SMU Teletherapy.
Our group counseling service is a form of treatment that allows participants to learn about themselves and their relationships. It’s an ideal space to address personal difficulties because these are often shared by other members of the group.  Research shows that group therapy is one of the most effective and efficient methods for addressing concerns common to people seeking counseling services. Not only do group participants receive tremendous understanding, support and encouragement from others facing similar issues, but they also gain different perspectives, ideas and viewpoints on those matters.  All groups are conducted in a confidential manner, similar to individual counseling. For more information, visit Group Counseling.

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Guided Imagery Video of a Forest Scene: This 16 minute video explains what guided imagery and visualizations are, some of the benefits to doing them, how to do them, and then guides you through an exercise.  If you are already familiar with doing guided imagery, feel free to skip ahead to the exercise which begins around the 4:56 minute mark.