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First Time Appointment
Help In a Crisis
Confidentiality

Reaching Out

Have a question? Call the Center for Well-Being at 202-885-3500 and we'll work with you to schedule an appointment. 

To schedule with a Victim Services Advocate, call 202-885-3500 or visit the online scheduling portal at titaniumccweb.american.edu.

To schedule with schedule the Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Specialist, you may email directly at rdenson@american.edu.

To schedule a Psychological Services Initial Consultation or Single Session Appointment, call 202-885-3500.

Visit Hughes 105 for wellness information!

Please know that you can always speak with someone via the AU ProtoCall Services 24/7 if you are experiencing a mental health crisis. The number for AU ProtoCall is 202-885-7979.

At Your Initial Consultation (Intake)

You may schedule an in-person or virtual appointment. Please allocate 1.5 hours from your arrival time for your consultation appointment. You will need to reschedule your appointment if you sign on or arrive more than 15 minutes after your appointed arrival time.

For virtual (telemental health) appointments: On the day and arrival time of your appointment, you will log on to the Center Doxy platform. Upon accessing the platform, please use the drop-down menu to select “CenterforWell-Being” as the name of the clinician room you will enter.
 
As a reminder, due to licensing laws, you will need to be physically located in Washington, DC (not Maryland or Virginia) at the time of your appointment. You will also need to show a photo ID to your clinician. A photo ID is required for any first-time appointment with any clinician in the center.

For in-person appointments: In-person appointments occure in Mary Graydon Center 244. Please bring your photo ID.

Please bring a laptop (recommended) or other charged device to complete paperwork for your appointment and to attend your appointment. If the assistant is not at the front desk, you will need to check in with the virtual assistant by going to the Center Doxy platform.

During your appointment: You will meet with one of our clinicians, who will help you sort out your concerns, gather some background information, provide initial strategies for healthy coping, and discuss your options for further care.

What's Next

You and your clinician will choose an option based on what you discuss in your initial consultation. This could include:

Ongoing appointments will be arranged with the help of your clinician.

If You Can't Make Your Appointment

Please call the front desk at (202) 885-3500 to cancel or to reschedule your appointment. 

In an emergency, you can contact the AU Police Department (x3636), call 911, or go to the nearest emergency room.

Any time of day or night, from anywhere you are located, a student may also call 202-885-7979 (AU ProtoCall Services) to speak to an on-call crisis clinician. Parents, faculty and staff may also call AU ProtoCall services if concerned about a student.

What is an Urgent Concern?
That’s something that each student defines for themselves. If you have an urgent need to talk with a clinician, our ProtoCall Services are available 24 hrs a day and can be accessed from any location at 202-885-7979.  

If this is a crisis, please see information on hospitals, helplines and other resources for help in a crisis.

CRISIS RESOURCES

Local Hospitals

Crisis Helplines

Confidentiality

Victim Advocacy and Psychological Services care often involves the discussion of sensitive personal information. It is important that you feel safe in your discussions us, and that your privacy is respected and protected. The confidentiality of information you share with us is protected by professional ethical standards as well as by state law. The primary governing mental health regulation is the District of Columbia Mental Health Information Act. Other professional guidelines include the National Organization for Victim Advocacy Ethical Standards, American Psychological Association Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Ethics, the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics, and the American Psychiatric Association Principles of Medical Ethics.The Center will not disclose your status as a client or release any information related to your services to anyone outside the Center without your written permission. This includes responding to inquiries from parents, friends, professors, advisors, etc.

There are a few very rare exceptions to confidentiality which you should know about:

  • The law allows for confidential information to be shared as necessary under the following circumstances:
    • to prevent you from injuring yourself or someone else
    • to halt or prevent child abuse or abuse of an incapacitated adult, or
    • when required by a court of law:
      • for a criminal case in which you are charged with killing or injuring another
      • for criminal proceedings in which you raise an insanity defense or such defense is raised on your behalf, or
      • for civil proceedings in which you have raised your mental or emotional condition as an aspect of a claim.

**Please note: Should such a rare circumstance occur, we will discuss with you whenever possible any action that is being considered (although we are not legally obligated to do so) and we will release only the minimum information required by the circumstances.**

  • We may obtain necessary and confidential consultation or supervision with other care professionals to ensure the quality of your care.
  • Minor students under the age of 18 who voluntarily seek treatment in their best interests are generally afforded the same confidentiality protection as an adult student, but there are some limitations which a provider will be happy to discuss with you. These limitations should not keep you from seeking help. Call and consult with us about your confidentiality concerns.

If you have any questions, or your would like to learn more about confidentiality, call x3500 and ask to speak with a center provider.

Confidentiality

Confidentiality

Counseling often involves the discussion of sensitive personal information. It is important that you feel safe in your discussions with a clinician, and that your privacy is respected and protected.

The confidentiality of information you share with a Center clinician is protected by professional ethical standards as well as by state law. The primary governing regulation is the District of Columbia Mental Health Information Act. Other professional guidelines include the American Psychological Association Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Ethics, the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics, and the American Psychiatric Association Principles of Medical Ethics.

The Center will not disclose your status as a client or release any information related to your counseling to anyone outside the Center without your written permission. This includes responding to inquiries from parents, friends, professors, advisors, etc.

There are a few very rare exceptions to confidentiality which you should know about:

  • The law allows for confidential information to be shared as necessary under the following circumstances:
    • to prevent you from injuring yourself or someone else
    • to halt or prevent child abuse or abuse of an incapacitated adult, or
    • when required by a court of law:
      • for a criminal case in which you are charged with killing or injuring another
      • for criminal proceedings in which you raise an insanity defense or such defense is raised on your behalf, or
      • for civil proceedings in which you have raised your mental or emotional condition as an aspect of a claim.

**Please note: Should such rare circumstance occur, we will discuss with you whenever possible any action that is being considered (although we are not legally obligated to do so) and we will release only the minimum information required by the circumstances.**

  • Clinicians may obtain necessary and confidential consultation or supervision with other mental health professionals to ensure the quality of your care.
  • Minor students under the age of 18 who voluntarily seek treatment in their best interests are generally afforded the same confidentiality protection as an adult student, but there are some limitations which a clinician will be happy to discuss with you. These limitations should not keep you from seeking help. Call and consult with a clinician about your confidentiality concerns.

If you have any questions, or your would like to learn more about confidentiality, call x3500 and ask to speak with a Counseling Center clinician.