Counseling Services

Counseling Services:

We are currently offering short-term counseling both in-office and via Zoom. Assistance includes exploring immediate needs and providing practical support, helping students with referrals for ongoing counseling with off-campus providers, and referrals for emergency/crisis evaluations. 

Counseling services offers free and confidential professional counseling or therapy to support student development and assist students with their mental health needs. Personal concerns and challenges are a normal part of the college experience. Students frequently seek counseling to deal with a variety of life issues including anxiety, family concerns, academic stress, sexual violence, racial trauma, sexual and gender identity development, and ongoing mental health symptoms. 

We offer daily consultation visits for students interested in services or who are having an urgent need Monday-Friday, from 8:30 am-5 pm. 24/7 Crisis support is available via text by texting HOME to 741-741 anytime or by calling the SSU Mental Health Support line at  978.542.8327. 

Students:

If you would like to connect with a counselor, please call 978-542-6413 or see below for mental health emergency information. Counseling and Health Services is open 8:30-5 pm M-F and closed on all university holidays and the weekends. 

For non-urgent needs you can call the above number, or you can also connect to the general counseling mailbox at in the counseling and health portal. To log in, use your Salem State ID, with the “S” in front of the number and your regular password. Use the Messages tab once in the Health Portal. Select the option to message a counselor about counseling services. If you are already connected to a counselor, your message will be forwarded to them. 

For mental health emergencies, visit here. For more resources on specifics mental health topics, email prevention@salemstate.edu. 

Faculty, staff and families:

Only students can schedule visits for themselves, and our office is not staffed to provide emergency services. If you have concerns about a student’s immediate safety and they are on campus, please call University Police at 978-542-6111 to have an officer dispatched to the student’s location for a wellness check. You can also call University Police regarding an off-campus student, and let them know you need help connecting to the town a student lives in for a wellness check. 

For non-emergency issues, the Care and Concern team works with campus partners to identify students in need of support and provide outreach and referrals. Please submit your concern via the following portal, which is monitored via the Maxient system. 

In the event of an emergency after business hours, call 6111 if you are on campus. Call 911 if you are off campus or go to your nearest emergency room. 

Access our informed consent form and additional information on making an appointment.  

Your confidentiality and privacy are important to us. Learn about our confidentiality policy. 

Discover our full list of FAQs on counseling, including information on discussion topics, how it works, who you will work with, what’s next, and what to expect.