The Student Counseling Center offers a wealth of free mental health services to support students throughout their academic journey, particularly for those navigating college life with disabilities. In a recent interview, Erin Schrader, Assistant Director and Training Director at the Student Counseling Center, shared valuable insights into the comprehensive services available.
The center provides individual counseling, psychiatric services, therapy groups, workshops, and crisis intervention—all at no cost to students. Among the most popular offerings is the Attention and Motivation Group, which has been particularly beneficial for students with ADHD and other forms of neurodiversity.
“It is a very, very popular, well-attended group,” notes Schrader. “We have found the Attention Motivation Group has been something that many students with disabilities have sought out. Sometimes we’ve been offering multiple sessions of it a semester.”
Students can easily begin the process by visiting the counseling center’s website and scheduling an intake appointment online. During this initial meeting, students discuss their concerns with a clinician who helps create a personalized treatment plan.
For urgent situations, same-day crisis services are available during office hours. Students can visit in person or call the 24/7 crisis line at 972-UTD-TALK to speak with a counselor at any time.
When discussing mental health challenges frequently experienced by students with disabilities, Schrader highlighted several themes:
“Very, very commonly would be feeling like a burden… If you’re running into so many different access barriers all the time and all the time having to voice and advocate for different access needs and ask for things and ask for things to be different, it’s exhausting,” Schrader explains.
The counseling center actively works to normalize seeking help for mental health concerns. Many students worry their problems aren’t significant enough to warrant attention or come from backgrounds where mental health wasn’t openly discussed.
“We are so glad, and it is so appropriate for them to reach out to us,” Schrader emphasizes. “It’s so good that you’re here. Any concern you’re having, even if it feels small, is absolutely worth reaching out to us.”
With a team of approximately 25 staff members, the Student Counseling Center has the capacity and flexibility to match students with counselors who best meet their needs. If a student doesn’t connect well with their initial counselor, they can request a change through the front desk staff.
Students can also access counseling services, including night and weekend services, life coaching, nutrition services, and psychiatric services through the TimelyCare app. For more information about the Student Counseling Center’s services, visit their website or stop by their office on campus.
“Any concern you’re having, even if it feels small, is absolutely worth reaching out to us.”