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Counseling and Psychological Services

Service Hours

Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
860.768.4482
Gengras Student Union, room 313

Emergencies

  • For all psychological emergencies on campus please call Public Safety at 860.768.7777.
  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Call or text 988

University of Hartford’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) provides a range of short-term counseling services to the University community. Services are available to both undergraduate and graduate students at no additional cost.

Our clinical services include group and individual counseling/therapy.

If you are interested in CAPS counseling/therapy, please call CAPS at 860.768.4482 (you may leave a confidential voicemail), or email CAPS Director, Jeff Burda: burda@hartford.edu, and ask to schedule an initial phone screening. Please include your name, student identification number, and days/times you are available.

Students will complete a 15-30 minute confidential, mental health phone screening with one of our therapists. After the screening, CAPS will offer our best recommendations for care. Common recommendations include a course of brief individual therapy at CAPS and/or weekly group therapy, or a referral to a therapist off-campus. Regarding the latter, there are times when a student's service requests or treatment needs extend beyond that of which CAPS can offer. In such instances, CAPS staff will assist students in identifying referrals to off-campus providers or programs that can provide these services.

To find a mental health provider off-campus, please search ThrivingCampus or Psychology Today.

Outreach

CAPS staff also provides outreach and training to University faculty and staff on a variety of mental health topics including (but not limited to) suicide prevention, managing anxiety, and self-care. If you are interested in having CAPS visit, please email CAPS Director, Jeff Burda: burda@harford.edu.

COVID-19 and CAPS

CAPS is currently providing in-person clinical services only. Wearing a mask is optional.

 

Student

Meet with a therapist for a confidential initial consultation.

Counseling for Students
Parents and Guardians

Is your UHart student considering counseling? As a parent, you can learn about our services and policies.

Information for Parents
Faculty and Staff

As a faculty or staff member, you are often one of the first encounter a student in need. Here are a few resources on how you can help a student in distress.

Resources for Faculty and Staff

Graduate Training Program

CAPS has a longstanding commitment to the training and development of mental health professionals who are pursuing advanced degrees. We offer doctoral-level practicum opportunities for psychologists-in-training.

Common Questions

If you are referred to CAPS, our services are available to undergraduate and graduate students at no additional cost and with no health insurance involvement. 

If you are referred for therapy off-campus, you will most often need to use your health insurance or pay for treatment out-of-pocket.

CAPS adheres to professional ethical standards and all state and federal laws regarding confidentiality. This means that once you have contacted our office, CAPS is not permitted to disclose any information, including the fact that you are coming to therapy, without your written consent. Records at CAPS are kept confidential and are not part of your academic or medical record. The primary exception to this rule is if you are in danger of causing harm to or killing yourself or someone else. Additionally, there are special confidentiality considerations for students who are 17 years of age or younger and are considered minors.

TalkCampus is a free app where you can talk with other students from around the world if you're struggling and worried about your mental health. Your student email address will give you free access, just download TalkCampus from the app stores.

TalkCampus is anonymous, it isn’t run by UHart and we won’t be able to see if you are using it, you also won’t be able to see where other students are from. TalkCampus is based around peer support; you can use it if you need some help yourself or you can go on there and listen and support others.

At times, a student may choose to take a break from their program with intent to return in a later semester. This may happen for a variety of reasons. Taking a leave of absence does not indicate that a student has failed at something, but rather it can be a tool to help deal with other pressing issues and upon return a student will be able to better focus on their studies.

There are a few different ways a student may take a break; including, a leave of absence (active status), medical leave of absence, or a withdrawal from the University. 

STUDENT LEAVE OF ABSENCE/ACTIVE STATUS:

If a full-time student is considering taking a leave of absence, they should consult with their academic advisor to discuss their options, impact on their degree progression and how best to return. A student, while in good academic standing, may request to be placed on an “active status” to remain out of classes for up to two semesters while maintaining matriculation.

To make this request students must submit the standard Registration (Add/Drop) Form  indicating their intent for an active status and when they plan to return. This form should be signed by the academic advisor. If approved, students will be charged a $75 active status fee.

If a student does not register for a semester and does not request active status, the student will have to apply for re-admission upon returning to the University. Part-time students need not register each semester to maintain their matriculation. However, part-time students who have not registered for three consecutive regular semesters, nor for any summer session during the three-semester period, will be required to apply for re-admission.

STUDENT MEDICAL LEAVE OF ABSENCE

Occasionally, students experience medical or psychological problems severe enough to require more intensive treatment or time away from the University environment. Students needing to interrupt their studies for psychological reasons may request to be placed on a medical leave of absence upon the written recommendation of a staff member from the Office of Counseling and Psychological Services, a private therapist, or a medical provider. Students requesting a medical leave of absence must present a statement from their attending physician, which will be reviewed and acted upon by the Associate Vice President of Student Success.

Students on medical leave of absence remain matriculated at the University and are not required to reapply for admission. Students participate in the normal registration and room-selection process in absentia, are eligible for tuition and fee refunds according to the University’s published refund policy, and are informed of the implications of the leave on their financial aid packages. It is the student’s responsibility to contact financial aid to determine what, if any, impact the leave will have on their financial aid for the semester.

Students returning from a medical leave of absence will be required to submit a return to campus form (available in the Dean of Students Office) completed by a qualified licensed professional; to meet with the Associate Vice President of Student Success, and to make arrangements when appropriate, for on or off campus support services tailored to their individual needs.

The full Student Medical Leave of Absence policy can be found in the student handbook, The Source.  

VOLUNTARY WITHDRAWAL

We encourage students to speak with their academic advisor prior to making a decision to withdraw from the University. However, if a student decides to voluntarily withdraw from the University they should do so by withdrawing (dropping) from all courses, if currently enrolled, through the Registration Add/Drop form, or contact the Center for Student Success (CSS) in writing via e-mail from their University of Hartford issued account.

A tuition refund, if applicable, for a student who is voluntarily withdrawing is based on the date of withdrawal. See the current academic calendar in the bulletin of classes for specifics.

Any student seeking to return to the University should contact the Admissions Office. Students who are reapplying to the University under the Fresh Start program need to re-apply through Admissions.

Counseling and Psychological Services Staff

Jeffrey Burda
Director
Counseling and Psychological Services

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Nicole Hill
Assistant Director of CAPS, Psychotherapist
Counseling and Psychological Services

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Najeia Mention
Psychotherapist
Counseling and Psychological Services

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Paige Casalino
Psychologist
Counseling and Psychological Services

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