About Counseling Services

Enrollment in college involves numerous transitions and adjustments that can be exciting, stimulating, and challenging, but also stressful. It is not uncommon for students to feel overwhelmed by stressors and have difficulty coping. Some students may experience significant problems with depression, anxiety, eating disorders, substance abuse or other issues that interfere with their academic performance. The mission of Penn State Berks Counseling Services is to provide short-term counseling services that are available free of charge to all students at the Berks campus. These services promote the mental health of students, improve the quality of their lives, aid in their academic success, and support overall personal wellness.

Top 5 Mental Health Challenges of College Students

Our Staff

All services are provided by experienced and qualified therapists. Our staff include licensed professional counselors and certified addictions counselors.

Confidentiality

Students can be assured that what is said during counseling sessions will be held in the strictest of confidence. Information will not be released to anyone outside the Counseling Center, including faculty, staff, and family without written permission from the student. The only exceptions would occur when a student is considered to be in danger of harming him or herself or others.

Services Offered

  • Initial student interviews and assessments
  • Screening services for depression and other mental health problems
  • Short-term individual therapy
  • Short-term drug and alcohol counseling
  • Crisis intervention assistance and referral
  • Consultation services for faculty and staff
  • Educational programs and activities including classroom presentations
  • Referrals for medication, community services and longer-term therapy
  • WellTrack – Interactive Self Help Therapy
    • Each student can register for a free account using their @psu.edu email address that grants full access to WellTrack’s suite of online tools and courses that help support mental health and wellness.
  • [email protected] - a new free online portal that gives students one place to access comprehensive resources, tools, and information, addressing everything from academics and career planning, to mental/physical health, to connections on campus.
    • [email protected] is filled with timely information, customized to your needs, and helps you set & achieve personalized goals. Use your Penn State ID to log in and create your personal profile.
  • Thriving Campus - Off-Campus Counseling Resources
    • We provide short-term individual services on campus. However, we often refer students with ongoing or chronic conditions to private practitioners in the local community.

Office Hours

Services are offered on the Berks Campus as follows:

Monday: 10:00 am - 9:00 pm
Tuesday: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Wednesday: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Thursday: 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Friday: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm 

How to Access Services

Short-term counseling is provided FREE OF CHARGE to all current Penn State Berks students. To set up an appointment, simply call or stop by the office. You may also contact staff in the offices of Health Services or Residence Life for assistance in setting up an appointment.

Additional Mental Health Resources

National Resources

National Eating Disorders Association
https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/

National Alliance on Mental Illness
https://www.nami.org/#

NCAA Sport Science Institute – Student Athlete Mental Health
http://www.ncaa.org/sport-science-institute/mental-health

RAINN – National Anti-Sexual Violence Organization
https://www.rainn.org/

The Trevor Project Support Center
https://www.thetrevorproject.org/resources/trevor-support-center/#sm.00…

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism
https://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/

National Institute on Drug Abuse
https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/college-age-young-adults

Local Resources

Safe Berks – Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Support Services
http://www.safeberks.org/

Service Access Management (SAM) – Mental Health Crisis Intervention
http://www.sam-inc.org/Locations/berks-county.html

LGBT Center of Greater Reading
https://www.lgbtcenterofreading.com/

Caron Treatment Centers – Addiction Treatment Services
https://www.caron.org/

Berks Counseling Center – Community Behavioral Health Services
https://berkscounselingcenter.org/

Reading Hospital – Acute Behavioral Health Services
https://reading.towerhealth.org/services/behavioral-health/adult-care/