Explore SJSU’s Mindful Steps System for access to several resources and services to support your mental health and well-being.  From self-help resources to manage stress, to wellness activities, to brief therapy and psychiatry, there are options you can begin to use today.

Your health fees fund essential mental health services offered in the SWC, such as brief therapy.  This funding structure ensures that services are broadly available and most students incur no additional costs.

The CSU System has created two policies to define the essential services and associated funding strategies for CSU campuses:

• Policy on Student Mental Health
• Policy on University Health Services

A few mental health services require additional fees. Please review the SWC’s fees for more information.  

If you are enrolled in a regular session program (most SJSU students are), you pay mandatory health fees to gain access to essential mental health services. 

If you are enrolled in a self-support program, such as Special Session, SJSU Online, or Open University, you do not pay mandatory health fees to access mental health services.  Depending on your program’s agreement with the SWC, you may be directly billed for services you elect to use. Consult SWC’s fees and your academic program coordinator for more information.

The SWC’s services are funded by student fees that make essential mental health services accessible to all students. Therefore, SWC does not accept insurance, including the insurance required for international students. 

We aim to help every student who comes to the SWC, but there are some cases when we’re unable to deliver services.  To receive care from the SWC, you must be a currently enrolled SJSU student.  To receive telehealth (Zoom-based) care, you must be physically located in the State of California at the time of the service due to telehealth laws.  If you don’t meet these eligibility criteria, we will help you find off-campus and/or out-of-state care.

In addition, SWC therapists continually assess your treatment needs and goals to ensure you are receiving the appropriate level of care.  If your therapist and/or treatment team determines that specialized care or a higher level of care is indicated, you may be referred to off-campus services.

Quality

SWC therapists and healthcare providers possess the same training, credentials, and licenses required by off-campus clinics.  The SWC is accredited by and adheres to the required quality management practices of the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) and the International Accreditation of Counseling Services (IACS).

Brief Therapy Approach

The SWC provides brief, goal-oriented care that helps you define your needs and goals for treatment, and supports your academic progress.  Your treatment will be based on the nature of your concern and/or diagnosis, and will prioritize your safety, health, and well-being.  Typical treatments are short-term in nature, and most students complete their treatment within a few sessions, often experiencing significant improvements in their well-being. 

If it becomes clear that your needs would be better supported by ongoing or specialized care, the SWC may refer you to external providers to ensure you receive comprehensive services from specialists. In those situations, you are encouraged, supported, and expected to secure external care Your treatment team will support your care until you have transitioned and/or have a clear transition path.

If you’re already working with an off-campus therapist, it’s important to continue with your established care and treatment plan.  Doing so will minimize care interruptions and is more likely to generate the greatest impact on your health and well-being.  

Get started with mental health services by booking an appointment in the SWC Patient Portal or by calling (408) 924-5678.  

For more information, please see the guidance from the SWC home page on making an appointment.  

After business hours (listed at the bottom of the web page), follow the guidance on the emergency page for help.

There are periods in the academic year, particularly around exams or end of the semester, when appointments fill up. When that happens, you are encouraged to make an appointment for a same day service.  New same day appointments are opened each day for self-scheduling on the SWC Patient Portal. Alternatively, you can drop into Counseling & Psychological Services on the SWC 3rd floor or call the SWC at 408-924-5678.

Please complete those forms. The forms will help you understand and consent to the services you will receive, and understand your rights and responsibilities as a patient.  Be sure to allow time to complete the forms before your appointment time.  Incomplete paperwork may delay or impact your appointment.  Most importantly, we can’t provide care to you until you complete the forms. 

Therapy groups are intended to help you connect with others who have similar concerns, feel a sense of belonging, develop self-awareness, enhance interpersonal and communication skills, and learn new coping strategies. Some therapy groups are drop-in. Others require a referral from a SWC therapist.  Learn more on the Counseling & Psychological Services web page.

SWC’s Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) same-day services offer rapid access to support for your most immediate concern.  Most students find that one appointment helps them address their current primary concern.  This approach is collaborative, goal-oriented, and strength-based to help you clarify your concern, identify possible resources, and decide on a path forward. Schedule a same-day appointment to address a concern that's affecting you right now. 

Brief therapy is goal-oriented care that helps you define your needs and goals for treatment, and supports your academic progress.  Your treatment will be based on the nature of your concern and/or diagnosis, and will prioritize your safety, health, and well-being.  

Typical treatments are short-term in nature, and most students complete their treatment within a few sessions, often experiencing significant improvements in their well-being.  The therapeutic process typically moves through the following stages:

Assessment and Treatment Planning

1. Clarify presenting concerns and collaboratively define treatment goals.
2. Develop a focused treatment plan aligned with client needs and desired outcomes.

Exploration and Contextual Understanding

1. Explore the history and context of the concern.
2. Identify strengths, past successes, coping strategies, and areas for growth.

Insight and Change Strategies

1. Facilitate new insights and perspectives.
2. Introduce and practice strategies for change, including new skills, actions, and problem-solving approaches.

Consolidation and Maintenance

1. Review progress and celebrate achievements.
2. Develop a plan for sustaining growth and preventing relapse.
3. Provide resources, referrals, and recommendations to support continued well-being.

Lastly, for your treatment plan to succeed, it’s essential that you attend (or reschedule) your appointments and engage with the recommended resources and services.

Yes. Psychiatric services at SJSU typically focus on evaluating, diagnosing, and prescribing medication for mental health concerns.  The psychiatry team works in partnership with your CAPS therapist and treatment team to ensure there is an integrated treatment plan.  Please prepare for your psychiatry appointments by providing your previous psychiatry records.  

Lastly, for your treatment plan to succeed, it’s essential that you attend (or reschedule) your appointments and engage with the recommended resources and services.

If you meet the criteria for a condition, you will receive a diagnosis. Getting a diagnosis can help you build insight on how to manage your mental health and guide your treatment. In some cases, you may receive a working or provisional diagnosis to help inform your treatment while further assessment continues.

Let us know! Your comments, positive or constructive, are important to us. Our team reads and responds to your input.

You’ll receive a post-appointment survey after each visit. You can also submit feedback from the QR codes in our building or the link on our website. 

The SWC strives to maintain a team with a wide range of professional experiences, training, backgrounds, and identities.  SWC therapists also continually engage in professional development to better meet evolving student needs.  In addition, all of our therapists practice with cultural humility and competence, and are committed to creating a safe, respectful, and inclusive space for every student.  We understand how important it is to feel seen, heard, and supported.  

While finding a therapist who aligns with your specific preferences and identities can be helpful, meaningful therapeutic relationships are often built on empathy, trust, and mutual respect – qualities that our team aims to bring to each session. 

You may be eligible to receive documentation in support of your withdrawal request if you are currently in treatment with the SWC, or if you were in treatment with a SWC therapist or provider during the semester for which you are requesting a withdrawal.  The concern must have been assessed, diagnosed, and met specific clinical criteria relevant to your request.   

You will not receive documentation in support of your withdrawal request if you were not in treatment with the SWC for the relevant concern during the applicable time period, or did not meet the necessary criteria related to your withdrawal request.

The SWC pharmacy can fill prescriptions for most psychiatric medications.  Find the directions on how to transfer your prescription on the pharmacy web page. Please note that we keep a limited supply of controlled substances [pdf] on site.

If you are not enrolled in summer session classes, your therapist will work with you to establish a transition plan as spring semester ends.  The transition may include a referral to external providers to continue treatment.

The SWC provides brief, goal-oriented care that helps you define your needs and goals for treatment, and supports your academic progress.  Your treatment will be based on the nature of your concern and/or diagnosis, and will prioritize your safety, health, and well-being.  Typical treatments are short-term in nature, and most students complete their treatment within a few sessions, often experiencing significant improvement in their well-being.

If you have a new concern that can be supported by brief therapy, you can make an appointment to be reassessed for treatment recommendations by contacting SWC.  Though we can’t make guarantees, it may be possible to continue working with a therapist you saw in a recent prior semester.

If it becomes clear that your needs would be better supported by ongoing or specialized care, the SWC may refer you to external providers to ensure you receive comprehensive services from specialists.  In those situations, you are encouraged, supported, and expected to secure external care.  Your treatment team will support your care until you have transitioned and/or have a clear transition plan. 

While AI is easily accessible and may appear to offer mental health support, it has significant limitations and should not be relied upon as a substitute for therapy, crisis services, or psychiatric care.  AI lacks the ability to provide genuine empathy and understand the complexity of your full situation.  It also lacks clinical judgment, may offer generic suggestions, and is not equipped to handle mental health crises.  More serious risks of harm are posed by a lack of private health information security, and the potential for bias against certain disorders, and misdiagnoses.

However, AI, e.g., ChatGPT, can be a complement to mental health care in the use of self-help tools, mood tracking, or psychoeducation.  If you’re seeking resources to learn helpful skills like stress management, check out the Well-being@SJSU website and YOU@SJSU, in particular.  The website and app were developed and vetted by the SWC’s professional Wellness & Health Promotion team.

Absolutely. Off-campus therapists can be a great option if you’re seeking more service options or speciality care. The SWC provides a tool called Thriving Campus to help you find off-campus therapists and other mental health care resources who work with college students and may be covered by your private insurance.  

The SWC provides brief, goal-oriented care that helps you define your needs and goals for treatment, and supports your academic progress.  Your treatment will be based on the nature of your concern and/or diagnosis, and will prioritize your safety, health, and well-being.  Typical treatments are short-term in nature, and most students complete their treatment within a few sessions, often experiencing significant improvement in their well-being.

If it becomes clear that your needs would be better supported by ongoing or specialized care, the SWC may refer you to external providers to ensure you receive comprehensive services from specialists.  In those situations, you are encouraged, supported, and expected to secure external care.  Your treatment team will support your care until you have transitioned and/or have a clear transition plan.

If your condition is chronic (long-term) or highly complex, the SWC may refer you to external care to ensure you receive comprehensive, ongoing, and specialized services from appropriate community providers.  It is best practice to avoid having multiple therapists simultaneously treat a condition, as this can lead to confusion, fragmented care, and conflicting treatment approaches.  

In those situations, you are encouraged, supported, and expected to secure external care.  Your treatment team will support your care until you have transitioned and/or have a clear transition plan.

The SWC typically does not provide or charge fees for ongoing therapy after a treatment plan has been completed. The SWC provides brief and goal-oriented care that helps you define your needs and goals for treatment, and supports your academic progress.  Your treatment will be based on the nature of your concern and/or diagnosis, and will prioritize your safety, health, and well-being.  Typical treatments are short-term in nature, and most students complete their treatment within a few sessions, often experiencing significant improvement in their well-being.   

If it becomes clear that your needs would be better supported by ongoing or specialized care, the SWC may refer you to external providers to ensure you receive comprehensive services from specialists.  In those situations, you are encouraged, supported, and expected to secure external care.  Your treatment team will support your care until you have transitioned and/or have a clear transition plan. 

Students can explore Thriving Campus, a tool to connect with off-campus therapists and other mental health care workers who work with college students and may be covered by private insurance

If you’re currently working with an SWC provider, you are encouraged, supported, and expected to secure external care.  Your treatment team will support your care until you have transitioned and/or have a clear transition plan.