CAPS Services

Most students experience rapid personal and social growth during their college years. While they learn in the classroom, students also develop new relationships, clarify values, learn to manage stress, make important academic and career decisions, and set life goals. Sometimes individuals encounter situations that become barriers, preventing them from fully realizing potentials and goals. Perhaps they have made some poor choices, or unattainable goals have been placed upon them. Often persons experience problems in relation to others, such as new roommates, friends, parents, and professors. And, sometimes students simply feel the pressures of life weighing upon them, in a time of changing values, interests, and new ideas.

During times like these, it often helps to share such concerns with another person. Counseling can help individuals learn to make better decisions, enhance their interpersonal skills, develop increased confidence, and acquire a keener awareness and appreciation of their needs, as well as the needs of others. In this way, a person may gain new perspectives, which often leads to further personal, interpersonal, and intellectual growth.

Eastern students consider entering counseling for many reasons. Some of the most common concerns include: feelings of depression and anxiety, problems with roommates or other interpersonal relationships, career indecision, family concerns, sexual questions, difficulty managing alcohol or drug use, victimization, and uncertainties about personal values and beliefs.

Counseling and Psychological Services is not a place that hands out pat answers or ready-made solutions. Rather, it is a place where an individual can share concerns in a comfortable and confidential setting, and work out a plan to address them. This plan may include individual or group counseling, biofeedback or online treatment resources, and/or referral to other campus units or community providers.

Individual Counseling

Counseling and Psychological Services offers short-term individual counseling for any student who wants to explore personal concerns one-to-one with a therapist. Concerns vary from coping with the challenges of college life to more severe emotional and interpersonal problems. A variety of therapeutic approaches may be used to help students identify and understand the source(s) of their difficulties. Such insights may then be translated into plans for action and change. For longer-term individual counseling, CAPS assists students with referrals to appropriate providers within the community.

Group Counseling

Group counseling offers a supportive environment for personal development and resolution of interpersonal concerns. CAPS offers a variety of groups - including general therapy groups, support groups for specific populations, and groups focusing on specific issues such as stress and depression. Group counseling affords the unique opportunity of joining a small group of students who share similar concerns - to explore personal issues and learn new skills to facilitate growth, development, and change. Groups usually form at the beginning of each quarter and typically meet once a week for about ninety minutes. Take advantage of this opportunity to learn, share, and grow with others. All groups require a pre-group interest appointment - to learn more about the group and whether it will meet your particular needs. If you would like to find out more about a specific group, or would like to request that a new group be offered, just give us a call at 509.359.2366. Please consult our Counseling Groups page for current group offerings.

TAO Online Services

TAO (Therapist Assisted Online) is a suite of online modules and tools that are designed to help students learn and practice new skills to reduce and overcome symptoms of anxiety and depression. Please consult our TAO Online page for more information regarding this program.

Biofeedback Services

Biofeedback is a process in which you learn to gain greater awareness and control of your body's functions, such as your heart rate, by using instruments that provide "feedback" on the activity of such body systems. With regular practice, you can learn to regulate your response to stressful events and optimize your wellness. Please consult our Biofeedback page for additional information.

Workshops, Outreach and Consultation

Consultation and outreach services are available to the Eastern Washington University community. CAPS offers developmental and prevention programming through workshops, outreach presentations, mental health screenings, guest lectures, and other venues. Professional staff often act as consultants in crisis situations, and in making appropriate referrals to other agencies. For example, students, parents, or faculty/staff may consult with a CAPS professional regarding a student, child, or colleague having a specific emotional problem, or about other matters. Such consultations are available by appointment or telephone. CAPS staff serve as consultants to Residential Life and Student Life. Consult our Student Workshop Series page for a listing of workshops available this quarter.

Crisis Intervention

CAPS is available Monday through Friday during regular working hours for crisis intervention. For individuals struggling with suicidal thoughts or attempts, staff work to support and stabilize the student while an appropriate referral is made with one of the area crisis agencies or hospitals. Note that walk-in counseling services are available most weekday afternoons, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., during the academic year.

***In case of after-hour emergencies (after 5:00 p.m., Monday - Friday, and weekends), individuals should contact Frontier Behavioral Health at 509-838-4651 or the Regional Crisis Line at 877-266-1818 (suicide attempt, 911).