Mental Health Services
Mental Health Service (MHS) is committed to providing a range of clinical services to help LSU students develop skills to cope effectively with emotional, interpersonal, and academic concerns. MHS primarily offers short-term therapy but provides referrals to the community when students need longer-term or more specialized services.
Need help but not sure what your first step should be?
Request a Mental Health 101 appointment by calling 225-578-8774. During your appointment you will learn about the various levels of treatment and consultation services available through Mental Health Service.
These are brief 15-30 minute appointments to help match your needs with the right entry level of care.
Range of Services
During an Initial Consultation appointment, students have an opportunity to talk confidentially with a therapist about immediate concerns. The therapist will discuss with the student their reasons for seeking help and evaluate which services and resources may be most useful.
Some students find that this consultation is sufficient to resolve immediate concerns. If further counseling support would be beneficial, recommendations are discussed for services at Mental Health Service (MHS) or in the local community, depending on personal needs.
Students should arrive 15 minutes early to complete all necessary paperwork. The consultation session typically lasts 30-45 minutes.
Please call 225-578-8774 if you would like to schedule a consultation appointment with a therapist at Mental Health Service.
Fall 2021 Schedule: TBD
Let's Talk offers brief, informal and confidential consultations at locations around campus. Students can seek support, perspective, and assistance connecting with campus and community resources.
Let's Talk may be a good fit for you if…
- You have wondered what it is like to talk with a mental health counselor
- You are not interested in ongoing counseling, but would like the perspective of a counselor
- You have a specific problem suitable for a 15-minute conversation
- You are concerned about a friend and want ideas about what to do
Let's Talk is not intended for crisis intervention or to replace formal mental health therapy.
Mental Health Service (MHS) offers individual therapy based on a short-term, developmental model, which emphasizes emotional growth through dealing with difficult life issues while also helping students maintain a necessary focus on academics. Students determine focused treatment goals with their therapist and may be encouraged to participate in psychoeducational seminars to reinforce coping skills.
A range of group therapy services are available to students including psychoeducational seminars, interpersonal process groups, and semi-structured groups on focused topics.
View Seminars
View Group Therapy
If a student experiences a mental health crisis, varying levels of support may be
appropriate including consulting with an Mental Health Service (MHS) On-Call Crisis
Counselor during MHS office hours, calling The PHONE (24-hour Crisis Counseling Hotline),
or seeking emergency care. Students, faculty/staff, and parents can consult with the
MHS On-Call Crisis Counselor by phone if uncertain about how to manage a crisis situation.
How can I help a student of concern?
What crisis services are available to meet my immediate needs?
Psychiatric consultation, evaluation, and medication management are provided by referral,
based on an assessment of a student’s needs by a MHS (Mental Health Service) therapist.
Are psychiatric services at MHS an appropriate fit for my needs?
Students may request assistance with referrals to community mental health providers by discussing specific needs with their Mental Health Service (MHS) therapist, or scheduling an appointment with the case manager.
The Student Health Center hosts the Lighthouse Program to support students who have experienced interpersonal violence.
Students seeking treatment for eating disorders receive services from a multidisciplinary team of professionals including a mental health therapist, psychiatrist, physician, and dietitian.
Confidentiality
All information that students share with trained mental health professionals at MHS
remains confidential with a few specific exceptions (e.g., when a student represents
a clear and present danger to themselves or others). Confidentiality is a basic requirement
of trust in therapy and necessary to its success. Mental Health Service (MHS) files
are maintained separately from educational records and not shared outside the Student
Health Center. This confidentiality is safeguarded by our professional codes of conduct
and by law.