Counseling Services

College can be an exhilarating and stressful time in your life. Counseling Services is here to help you manage relationships, coursework, deadlines, living away from home and adapting to a new environment.

Seeking support through counseling is a way to take care of your well-being. Asking for help is a sign of courage and strength, and just recognizing that you might benefit from talking to someone is a huge step. A counselor may provide a new perspective, as well as a renewed sense of confidence and competence.

Make an Appointment

This email address is not confidential and is not monitored 24 hours a day. Please be aware of your privacy and potential security risks associated with email communication.

Emergency Resources

If you need immediate attention due to imminent safety concerns, please choose one or more of the following options for support:

  • 911
  • 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: call, text or chat 988
  • Public Safety (if you are on campus): (401) 341-2325
  • Newport Mental Health (if you are local): (401) 846-1213
  • National suicide prevention lifeline: (800) 273-8255
  • Crisis text line: Text HOME to 741741
  • Trevor Project (LGBTQ suicide hotline): (866) 488-7386 or text START to 678678
  • Crisis text line for students of color: Text STEVE to 741741
  • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration disaster distress hotline: 
    (800) 985-5590 or text TalkWithUs to 66756
  • National domestic violence hotline: (800) 799-7233

Appointment Questions

Your problems are legitimate and can be helped. These are some of the reasons you might come for help:

  • Feeling hopeless or sad
  • Feeling unduly worried or anxious
  • Trouble in relationships with friends, roommates, family or other members of the college community
  • Feeling unmotivated or unable to concentrate
  • Feeling that something is wrong, but not being able to figure out what it is
  • Vocational/career indecision
  • Loss of self-confidence or self-esteem
  • Problems around eating, sleeping, sex
  • Overuse of alcohol and/or drugs
  • Suicidal thoughts
  • Feeling overwhelmed or stressed out
  • Difficulties adjusting to college life

To schedule an in-person appointment, please confirm the following:

  • You are a full-time undergraduate student.
  • You are at least 18 years of age. If you are under 18, you will need a parent/guardian signature and our office coordinator will assist you with scheduling an appointment.

If you're eligible, you may schedule an appointment by calling (401) 341-2919 or emailing counselingservices@salve.edu. This email address is not confidential and is not monitored 24 hours a day. Please be aware of your privacy and potential security risks associated with email communication.

Include the following information in your message:

  • Name and cell phone number
  • Type of appointment you're seeking
  • Your available times between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Please plan for 45 minutes for your first appointment.

Appointment notifications will be sent to your salve.edu email address and will include a link to our intake paperwork.

There is no cost to utilize Counseling Services and all services are confidential within the limits of the law and our professional ethics.

Please note that our standard of care is once every other week, and we do have a session limit for the academic year. Most students who access Counseling Services tend to come in for less than our 15-session limit for the academic year.

If you're not eligible, please email counselingservices@salve.edu to explore your options.

Our goal is to provide services that respect and support the ever-changing and unique needs and experiences of each individual. We make every effort to collaborate with you in planning treatment and provide flexible options to address the dynamic nature of your life experiences and schedule.

It's helpful to know your hopes and expectations prior to your appointment so we can best support you. It is important to us that you feel supported and affirmed.

Appointment Types

  • Initial intake (up to 60 minutes): For all new and returning students seeking brief or ongoing treatment.
  • Follow-up appointment/individual session (45 minutes): For students who have completed an initial intake this academic year and want to begin brief or ongoing treatment.
  • One-time consultation (15-45 minutes): For students seeking to access referrals off campus or resolve a specific matter which may not require brief/ongoing treatment.
  • Urgent appointment (15-30 minutes): For students who require same-day consultation to address a matter needing immediate attention due to impending deadlines for personal decision-making or unexpected disruption to well-being due to a recent/present significant event.

If you're not sure what type of appointment would satisfy your needs, please don't hesitate to contact our office and allow us to assist you in identifying what would best suit your needs.

You'll be able to talk freely and in confidence during the session. A counselor will listen, clarify and help you develop a plan to resolve your personal concerns. Treatment options will be discussed, which may include short-term individual or group therapy in Counseling Services, referrals to external mental health providers and other support services on campus.

All clinical contact with students in Counseling Services is privileged and confidential. Disclosure to parents, faculty, staff or any unauthorized person requesting information about you or the counseling relationship is both illegal and unethical, unless you have signed a "Consent to Release of Information" form.

Clinicians are available to speak with parents by phone or in person (by appointment) if they have questions about specific services provided. Parents may contact Counseling Services prior to or at the beginning of the academic year to discuss treatment options. This may include short-term individual or group therapy in Counseling Services, referrals to external mental health providers and other support services on campus.

Off-Campus Consultations and Referrals

Psychiatric services are limited in Rhode Island and particularly on Aquidneck Island. If you have a current prescribing provider, we strongly encourage you to continue with this provider. We do keep a list of local providers that we can email you as well.

There are a handful of ways to find a local therapist or psychiatrist. The easiest is to contact your insurance carrier and ask for mental health, behavioral health or psychiatric referrals to ensure that you have coverage.

The following websites also offer information on providers:

Please note: This list does not signify an endorsement, as we cannot guarantee the availability or quality of any outside services. If your family is covered by insurance that is provided by an employer, you may have access to low or no-cost referrals through their employee assistance program for short-term care.

Resources for Grief and Loss

Center for Spiritual Life
Our Lady of Mercy Chapel, garden level
(401) 341-2326
mercycenter@salve.edu

Counseling Services
Miley Hall, garden level
(401) 341-2919
counselingservices@salve.edu

Academic Support

If you find yourself struggling to complete coursework due to your grief reactions, support is available. Academic support may be arranged by talking directly with your faculty members or calling the Dean of Students Office at (401) 341-2145.

Crisis Text Line
Text HOME to 741741

National Alliance on Mental Illness
Text NAMI to 741-741 (24/7)
(800) 950-6264 (Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.)
info@nami.org

Samaritans National
Call or text: (877) 870-4673 (24/7)

GriefShare

HopeHealth's Center for Hope and Healing
(888) 528-9077
Grief support services offered throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

Meet Our Team

1 /