Welcome to Student Counseling Services

Confidential counseling services are free of charge for currently enrolled full-time students.

Student Counseling Services Mission: As part of the Student Health and Wellness Center, Student Counseling Services supports the mission of Otis College of Art and Design by providing counseling services, mental health outreach, and co-curricular activities designed to help students maintain psychological wellness to enhance functionality and motivation as they pursue their academic goals.

Introduction:

Welcome to Student Counseling Services at the Student Health and Wellness Center! Student Counseling Services is here to support you in attaining greater understanding about yourself, your relationships with others, and to help you to identify strengths and solutions for overall wellness and academic success at Otis College. We provide support in the form of individual thearpy, crisis services, and outreach/programming, as well as consultation to those who are interested in reaching out to a student in distress. We also facilitate connection to other Otis College resources and community providers when indicated.

Counseling can help facilitate overall well-being by assisting you in problem-solving, gaining insight and developing useful coping and self-care strategies. Talking to a therapist can be helpful if you are struggling with adjustment to college, identity development/phase of life issues, stress, anxiety, relationship concerns, depression or other mood problems.

We look forward to supporting you and providing resources to help you thrive at Otis College!

• Student Counseling Services Menu:

  • Individual counseling
  • Crisis and traige appointments
  • Couples counseling (when both parties are Otis College students)
  • Group counseling and workshops
  • Consultations for students, parents, faculty/staff
  • Referrals to external mental health providers for open-ended therapy or specialized treatment
  • Substance abuse screening and counseling
  • Psychological assessment for diagnostic and treatment tracking purposes
  • Outreach programming / educational events to promote wellness in the Otis College community
• How do I make an Appointment?

  Making an Appointment

  Appointments can be made in-person at the Student Health and Wellness Center (Ahmanson 107), or by calling our office at (310) 846-5738.

  The counseling center is open M-F 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM unless otherwise posted. There is no cost to currently enrolled Otis College students for counseling. Otis College employees and alumni are not eligible for counseling services.

  Counseling services are confidential with a few exceptions. Your rights and and responsibilities as a patient at the Student Health and Wellness Center and limits of confidentiality can be found here.

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  No-Shows:

  You will be marked as a no show for your appointment if you do not come to the appointment, or arrive 15 or more minutes past your scheduled appointment time. The no show fee is $5, due at check in for your next scheduled appointment.

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  Cancelling an appointment:

  If you decide that you do not need a scheduled appointment, please cancel your appointment in person or by phone (310) 846-5738. Email and secure message are not acceptable forms of cancelling your appointment. Appointments must be cancelled 24 hours prior to your scheduled appointment time. If you do not cancel your appointment within that time frame, you will be responsible for the $5 late cancellation/no show fee.

• What if I'm in crisis?

  Students who are experiencing a psychological or emotional emergency often need immediate help and intervention. Some examples of serious circumstances include:

  • Suicide or homicidal thoughts or impulses
  • Sexual or physical assault
  • Unusual experiences such as seeing or hearing things other people do not
  • Grief or loss, such as a death in the family

  Dealing with a personal crisis:

  If you are in crisis and need to speak with someone right away, please come to the Student Health and Wellness Center and express this urgency. You will be scheduled to meet with a counselor as soon as possible.

  In a life-threatening emergency during or after business hours, call 9-1-1 and then alert Campus Safety and Security (310) 665-6965. For further instruction on what to do in an emergency or after hours, please go here.

Student Counseling Satisfaction Survey

If you have received counseling from Student Counseling Services, please fill out our anonymous Satisfaction Survey here. Your feedback is invaluable and will help us to continually improve our services.

OwlCheck: Mental Health Screenings

Getting help can start with a free and confidential assessment available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The brief screenings may assist students to determine if they or someone they care about should connect with a mental health professional. Screenings include, but are not limited to: Depression, Generalized Anxiety, Post-traumatic Stress, and more. These screenings, which can be completed here, are educational, not diagnostic.

Off-Campus Resources:

Telephone/Internet

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255.
• U-Lifeline, your online resource for college mental health: website.
• Mental Health America: website.
• Tiny Buddha, Meditation and Mindfulness Quotes and Articles: website.

Los Angeles Metropolitan Area

• Santa Monica Rape Crisis Center / The Rape Foundation: website, Phone 1-310 451-0042.
• Start Your Recovery: Substance Abuse Resources and Support: website
• Peace Over Violence: website, Phone 1-310-392-8381
• Los Angeles LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) Community Center: website, Phone 1-323-993-7400.
• Asian Pacific Counseling and Treatment Center, for Asian and Asian-American people: website, Phone 1-213-252-2100.
• Center for TransYouth Health and Development at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles: website, Phone 1-323-361-5372
• Alcoholics Anonymous Los Angeles: website, Phone 1-323-936-4343
• Airport Marina Counseling Center, outpatient therapy and psychiatry near Otis College: website, Phone 1-310-670-1410, Email: info@airportmarina.org