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Your emotional health is our priority. When levels of distress start to impact academics, interpersonal relationships, physical health and safety, or your day-to-day, reach out to us.
We foster emotional well-being in a respectful and confidential environment through a range of psychological counseling, consultation, and outreach services, at no cost to Colby students.
“We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face. We must do that which we think we cannot.”
Eleanor Roosevelt
Monday – Friday 8:30am – 12pm, 1pm – 5pm
We schedule initial appointments as soon as possible, usually within a week. We do our best to honor specific requests for counselors, though it is not always possible at busier times of the year.
Cancelling and Rescheduling Appointments
Cancellations and reschedules can be made by phone or in person as indicated above. We respectfully request that you notify us 24 hours in advance, if at all possible. This allows those appointment times to be utilized by other students.
Referring a Student for an Appointment
While we are happy to assist concerned others (parents, faculty/staff, peers) with referring a student to counseling, we require students to contact us directly to schedule their own appointments.
Mental health emergencies: 207-859-4490
Crisis and Counseling Centers Crisis Line
**If you have reason to believe a student is suicidal, consult the Colby College Protocol for Safeguarding Students at Risk for Suicide for guidance on how to respond.
Explore the services we offer, and reach out to make an appointment
“A tasty therapeutic culinary experience”
Cooking therapy is making its way into Colby Counseling services in the form of Culinary Art Group Therapy for wellness!
Are you struggling with fatigue, low mood, irritability, stress intolerance, overeating, craving sweets, and inability to sleep?
Are you interested in learning how to use food as a therapeutic means to support and improve mood, and feel vibrant?
Participants will be able to relax and engage in a hands-on, creative, fun, nourishing, and inspiring cooking class.
Group will run weekly. For more information, please contact facilitator Alfonso Ortega, Psy.D at: [email protected] or call 207-859-4490
Group therapy helps you realize you’re not alone and gives you a voice. It’s about giving and receiving support while relating to others—and yourself—in healthier ways.
1-on-1 support and guidance from a fellow student helps to foster deeper connections on campus.
Free Telehealth Counseling for Students
Colby is proud to offer a free, year round telehealth option for all Colby students. Talkspace is an online therapy service that connects students to a dedicated, licensed therapist in their state of residence via private messaging or live sessions. Students can regularly message their therapist via text, voice or video as life happens – anywhere, anytime. FMI or to create a free account, visit talkspace.com/colbycollege.
Group therapy helps you realize you’re not alone and gives you a voice. It’s about giving and receiving support while relating to others—and yourself—in healthier ways.
A weekly group that provides a space to engage in creativity and self-reflection through collaging and journaling. Art supplies and journal prompts are provided. Come to unwind, relax, contemplate, and create. No sign-up is required—just show up! Hosted by Nora Jordan from Counseling Services every Thursday from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Rose Chapel in Lorimer Chapel.
For questions or more information, email Nora Jordan.
Not a typical art group. In this group, we use multiple art modalities for self-care, self-growth, and self-exploration. Materials are provided, and no artistic skill is necessary. This group meets on Tuesdays at 4 p.m. Hosted by Carey Patrick Wertz from Counseling Services.
For questions or more information, email Carey Patrick Wertz.
A support group for students affected by the substance use of a family member. The group currently meets on Tuesdays at 11 a.m. and is hosted by Katie Barlow from Counseling Services.
To register, or for questions and more information, email Katie Barlow.
A group for Swifties! Does it ever feel like Taylor Swift lives inside your head? Same. If Taylor has provided the soundtrack for your last good cry or your go-to pick-me-up, Counseling Services has the group for you. Join us on Wednesdays at 4 p.m. as we share the lines that speak to us and engage in a community of support for recognizing and working through our feelings.
For questions or more information, email Nora Jordan or Katie Barlow.
HealthRHYTHMS is a fun, evidence-based, whole-person strategy for wellness. Not to be confused with a drumming lesson, it’s rather an opportunity for communication and personal expression. It’s not about the performance, and no prior musical experience is required. All instruments provided! Hosted by Dr. Alfonso Ortega from Counseling Services on Tuesdays at 5 p.m. in the Garrison-Foster Building.
For questions or more information, email Dr. Alfonso Ortega.
Improve mood and feel vibrant with whole foods! Pre-registration required. Hosted by Dr. Alfonso Ortega from Counseling Services on Fridays 3-5:30 p.m. in Dana 002.
For more information, email Dr. Alfonso Ortega.
A weekly accountability and learning group. Do you experience anxiety, time-management challenges, social challenges, or mood fluctuations? If so, this group could be a good fit for you. Following DBT principles, topics covered include mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, distress tolerance, and emotional regulation. This group meets on Mondays 9:30-10:30 a.m. and is hosted by Nora Jordan in Counseling Services.
For questions or more information on joining, email Nora Jordan.
A safe and supportive space for those who have experienced gender or sexual-based violence or trauma. While guided by a therapist, group members will connect to navigate through topics and activities meant to relax, empower, and educate.
If interested or for more information, email Dr. Julia Houska.
We know it can be uncomfortable to approach someone who is struggling emotionally. We can’t always predict how they will respond. Some may become defensive or deny any concerns. Most respond with openness and appreciation. It’s okay if they minimize, become defensive, or reject your offer of support. They have heard you at some level and that is an important first step.
Colby students seek counseling for a wide variety of emotional health concerns, from transition and relationship concerns to concerns about depression, anxiety/stress, and eating and body image, to name only a few. We encourage students to seek counseling when emotional health concerns are negatively impacting their academics, personal relationships, physical health and safety, or any other aspects of their day-to-day lives. If you believe counseling could be helpful to you in any way, we encourage you to connect with our office. Know that if you decide to seek counseling, you are not alone. More than 40 percent of Colby students seek individual counseling through our office over their four years on campus.
Our services are free for all Colby students.
Confidentiality is a critical component in the formation of a trusting therapeutic relationship. Information regarding a student’s counseling, including whether or not they have been seen in our office, cannot be released to anyone outside the Counseling Services office without prior consent of the student. Confidentiality in the counseling relationship is regulated both by law and professional ethics. The exceptions to confidentiality include: when a person is in imminent danger of harming themselves or another person; when there is suspected child or elder abuse; or when there is a court order requiring disclosure of counseling records.
Your first appointment is called an intake and we will ask you to fill out a few electronic forms on an iPad upon your arrival. This will take approximately 10 minutes. Following the completion of your paperwork, you will sit down with your counselor to discuss the concerns that brought you in, as well as other current and background information that will help your counselor better understand you and your presenting concerns. You and your counselor will then work together to identify a plan for moving forward. This will take approximately 50 minutes. Ongoing counseling appointments are typically scheduled weekly, or every other week, and include you working together with your counselor to address the concerns that brought you in and/or other concerns that may surface along the way. While we don’t adhere to strict session limits, our counseling work with students is designed to be shorter term and solution focused in nature.
Colby’s Counseling Center does not provide distance counseling for students who are studying abroad or who are away from campus during extended breaks, however all students have access to Talkspace, a free online therapy platform with licensed therapists. Create an account at talkspace.com/ColbyCollege to sign up or learn more. All students abroad also have free access to My SSP, an app available for download on your mobile device. Simply log in with your Colby email address and follow the instructions.
Garrison-Foster Building, 2nd Floor
