Counseling Services
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are answers to some frequently asked questions about Counseling Services at Goodwin College. If you have additional questions that are not covered in this website, please contact the counselor at 860.913.2395.
- Students who are enrolled in courses for the current semester
- Students residing in Goodwin College's Emergency Housing
- Immediate family members of Goodwin students, who meet the above stated eligibility, are also eligible for short term services. This often will alleviate some stress, while the counselor conducts a proper assessment and links the immediate family member to appropriate services. (Sessions are limited and based on the counselor’s availability)
- Faculty and staff seeking referrals/immediate crisis intervention/and to assist in connecting them to a counselor who specializes in the area of their need(s) through the Employee Assistance Program. (Faculty and staff are offered 1 session with the counselor)
Goodwin College is extremely careful about protecting the confidentiality of student records. Information about visits will not be disclosed without the student’s permission to any college staff or faculty member or to family, friends or roommates except in very specific circumstances.
Those circumstances are limited to:
- If the student is believed to be in danger to him or herself or someone else
- Suspected abuse or neglect of a vulnerable individual such as a child, the elderly or someone cognitively or physically limited
- If a student's lawyer introduces the student’s state-of-mind in a trial, Confidential Records are then subject to disclosure regarding specifics of the therapy sessions.
- If a court compels a counselor to testify about what is discussed in therapy. This is not often done, but most ethics codes state that counselors are required to follow court orders.
- A student’s insurance company often gets detailed information on therapy sessions
- Therapy records might be a part of a larger medical record. If treatment occurs within a large healthcare system, then all therapy notes might be available to any health provider treating a student for any purpose.
With a student’s written consent, the counselor may provide clinical information to other professionals for the purpose of further treatment.
Written recordings of individual and group therapy sessions might be reviewed by the counselor’s supervisor for consultation on treatment planning.
When a student has an immediate mental health concern for themselves or another person, he or she can contact Latoya Watson, LCSW at 860.913.2395. After normal working hours or if the counselor is not available, emergency response is initiated by calling 911. The counselor also coordinates and assists with follow-up to such emergencies.
Students cannot schedule appointments for anyone but themselves. This is to ensure the privacy and confidentiality of students.
If a student is concerned about another student, he or she should contact the counselor for suggestions on how to handle the situation. If the student is in critical need of services (mentally decompensating or has expressed suicidal or homicidal ideation), call 911 immediately!