Counseling Center

Counseling Services

If you are a student in crisis, please click here.

Mental Health Chats every Tuesday, 11:30 AM to Noon in the Union. Lunch is not provided, but you are welcome to bring your own food.

Mission Statement

The Counseling Center aims to support student’s mental and emotional health through a supportive environment. Students can work with a counselor in a safe and confidential setting and explore concerns to gain a better understanding of themselves and work towards resolutions that support their academic endeavors.

Message from Counseling Services

Welcome William Penn students! We are happy you have chosen to take a step toward your emotional health and well-being. We are here to help you develop and maintain the skills integral to mental health through hands-on workshops; individual, couples therapy; crisis intervention; consultations with parents, faculty, staff; and mental health training.

Counseling Services is staffed by licensed mental health professionals with graduate degrees in independent social work. We work with a range of students from different academic performance, traumatic experiences, suicidal thoughts, substance use, or anything else that might be going on for them. Rather than advice-giving, we offer a particular kind of listening (called “active listening”) and expertise in human development, along with strategies to support your personal, social, and emotional growth. You might be surprised how much talking with a professional can help. Our services are free, confidential, and available to all currently enrolled students. We look forward to working with you.

Because Counseling Services is funded by student fees, there are no additional charges at the time of service.

Eligibility For Services

• Currently enrolled at William Penn University
• William Penn offers therapy appointments through the fall (August) and spring (May) semesters
• For couples counseling, at least one partner(s) must be currently enrolled as a William Penn Student

Crisis Intervention Steps

Crisis Intervention services is located at the William Penn Counseling Center on Fridays from 12:30 – 4:00 pm. Walk-ins are welcome.
Services include:

• Sexual assault advocate
• Violent crimes advocate
• Prevention education

Mental Health Workshops

The WPU Counseling Center has created several Mental Health Wellbeing Workshops that will help you grow and learn by doing! We know that students are busy and can benefit from quick and useful tools for common presenting concerns. The Mental Health Workshop series is currently comprised of three unique workshops, all of which are broken up into 3 sessions (provided once per week) of 50 minutes each. All workshops come with a student workbook that will allow you to practice your new skills in between sessions.

Topics include:

• Mindfulness
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Relationships
• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy

Mental Health Workshops will be held every Tuesday at 11:00 in the Student Union in the Mahaska State Bank room. Lunch will be provided!

You are free to do more than one workshop and to repeat them as often as you like! If you plan on attending please arrive on time to maximize your learning and decrease a disturbance to others.

Community Services

William Penn takes great pride in providing quality and professional services. However, due to special requirements of care, ineligibility for service, a need for extenuating services, or other reasons; you and your provider may decide that a referral to another agency or services provider would be most beneficial. William Penn partners with local services to provide additional resources for students.

• National Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-(TALK)8255
• Therapists in Oskaloosa

Factors to Consider When Looking for a Therapist

The relationship, or fit, between therapist and client accounts for over 80% of what works in therapy. Make sure you trust your therapist and feel comfortable with them. If you attend or session or two and you don’t feel good with the therapist, go somewhere else!

Potential questions to ask therapists when you call:

• Are you taking new clients?
• How often can I be seen by you? (Biweekly is fairly typical)
• What is the cost per session? Do you have a sliding scale or special rates for WPU students?
• What is your therapy style? How do you typically operate in a session?
• Do you have any experience working with my type of concern?
• What is your preferred therapeutic approach?

In Quarantine?

In an effort to connect and reach out to students who are in quarantine here are some things the Counseling Center can do for you.

• Join our quarantine group Monday-Thursday at 11 AM. Click here to join.
  • Meeting ID: 736 7839 2876
  • Passcode: 1703
• Schedule an appointment! We can have a one on one phone call or Zoom session
• Go for a walk. Walks must be supervised, just sign up for a 30-minute session and indicate that you would like some outside time.

What is a Crisis?

Are you planning on or made an attempt to seriously injure yourself or someone else (or both)?

Do you feel unsafe because someone else is stalking you, abusing you, assaulting you, and/or seriously threatening to do any of those behaviors?

Are you unable to bathe, feed, or otherwise care for yourself due to a mental health concern (including substance abuse)?

Someone connected to you has passed away within the last few days?

Are you hearing voices or seeing things that others do not see or hear?

Are you unable to provide your own food, clothing, or shelter?

Are you having a severe reaction to a psychiatric medication?

These concerns or similar level of student distress warrants an Emergency session that same day.
Call/Walk to the Counseling Center for an ER session or call the following:

• WPU Counseling Center: 641-670-1703
• Southern Iowa Mobile Crisis Unit: 1-844-430-8520
• Campus Safety: 641-673-1170
• Dial 911

*If you are not experiencing a crisis but feel this is an urgent concern, please email the campus counselor at: SmithT@wmpenn.edu