Frequently Asked Questions

The goal of counseling is to help you work through any personal concerns that may occur during the course of your college life. Speaking with a Counselor is a good way to get help and support if you’re dealing with a stressful situation, especially if it’s something that you might not feel comfortable talking through with friends or family. It can also be a good resource if you’re worried about a friend and want advice from an experienced professional about how you can best be helpful. If you are experiencing any of the following concerns, then please make an appointment. Please note this list is not all-inclusive. 

• Stop by St. Joseph’s – Room 100

• Call (814) 886-6515 or (814) 886-6336

• Email: counseling@mtaloy.edu

*Confidentiality Notice: All counseling sessions are confidential and covered by Pennsylvania confidentiality laws. By submitting this form, you acknowledge that this appointment request does not fall under HIPPA until a clinician/client relationship is established. If you prefer to schedule an appointment by phone, please call the Office Manager for Health and Counseling Services at (814) 886-6515.

Students sit down with a counselor to survey the situation and decide together where the problem lies and what is needed. The counselor will listen and prompt you to clarify your own thinking, rather than deciding for you or giving advice. The counselor will make suggestions and recommendations about what course of therapy might be most helpful. 

Ordinarily, students will see a counselor for a 30 to 45 minute appointment. The frequency of appointments, (e.g. once per week, bi-weekly) will be based on what might be the most practical and helpful way to address the student’s individual needs. 

Most students find that they have reached some helpful clarity with six sessions. It is certainly possible to return if the problem reoccurs or if another problem presents itself. Counselor Services can also help students with referrals for longer-term counseling with private therapists in the area. 

Counseling Services is a confidential resource; a counselor would only talk with a professor or parent if a student makes a formal written request, or there were an imminent risk of serious injury or violence. No other campus office has knowledge of a student’s visits to Counseling Services without his or her explicit permission. Counseling Services records are destroyed 7 years after graduation.