Appointments

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At CAPS, USF students can be seen for brief, intermittent individual therapy to address a variety of concerns. The first step in connecting with CAPS is a short triage phone screening appointment, which can be scheduled by calling CAPS or requesting online. In the initial triage appointment, CAPS therapists assess risk, identify primary mental health concerns, and recommend appropriate next steps for treatment, whether it be at CAPS or elsewhere on or off campus. If CAPS brief individual therapy is the right fit for a student’s needs, the next step is typically a 45 minute intake appointment. The intake process begins prior to the appointment, with the student completing paperwork to help the therapist better understand their background, history, and reason for seeking help. During the appointment, the student and therapist talk about the student's concerns to determine what next steps make sense; these may involve additional therapy appointments at CAPS, a group or workshop at CAPS, referral to other CAPS or USF resources, referral to off-campus resources, and/or steps the student can take outside of therapy.

Therapy typically involves talking about concerns to build the student's insights and provide new perspectives, building coping and wellness skills, providing information about mental health and treatment options, and/or helping the student set and work toward goals for change.

Due to high demand for services at CAPS, the number of sessions per academic year is limited, and meetings are typically spread out every 2 weeks or longer.

Students seeking a one-time meeting with a counselor to get focused help and advice about a specific concern may wish to schedule a Single Session Therapy appointment rather than a brief therapy intake appointment.

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Like individual therapy at CAPS, brief relationship therapy can address various concerns. Both members of the "relationship" (who may be romantic partners, roommates, siblings, friends ...) must be current USF students. Relationship therapy can address common concerns, such as issues with communication, trust, finances, responsibilities, boundaries, and conflict.

  • The first step in connecting with CAPS is a short triage phone screening appointment, which can be scheduled by calling CAPS or online.
  • If CAPS is the right fit the next step is a 60 minute intake appointment. The intake process begins prior to the appointment, with both students completing paperwork to help the therapist better understand their background, history, and reason for seeking help.
  • During the appointment, the students and therapist talk about the relationship concerns to determine what next steps make sense. These next steps may involve additional relationship therapy appointments at CAPS or referral to other resources on or off campus. Sometimes the therapist may recommend that one or both students engage in individual therapy instead of or in addition to relationship therapy.
  • As with individual therapy at CAPS, the number of relationship therapy sessions per academic year is limited, and meetings are often spread out every 2 weeks or longer.
  • Students in the relationship seeking a one-time meeting with a counselor to get focused help and advice about a specific concern may wish to schedule a Single Session Therapy appointment rather than a Relationship Intake appointment (see next section).
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What Is It?

Single Session Therapy (SST) is a service CAPS began offering in fall 2019. SST appointments are designed for students who would like to meet a therapist on a one-time basis to talk about a specific concern in a very focused way. Many students find that a single session is effective in providing what they need. SST can be used by individual students or students in a relationship (as long as both students are currently enrolled at USF; the members of a "relationship" may be romantic partners, roommates, or friends).

What Happens During a SINGLE SESSION APPOINTMENT?

You will meet with a therapist for about 60 minutes. You and the therapist will work together on clarifying your needs and goals for the session. The therapist will provide skills and strategies focused on your strengths to help you address your concern. You will leave with a personalized action plan and/or other resources.

Students are eligible for two SST appointments per semester, which count toward the maximum number of individual or relationship appointments per academic year a student can access. Examples of concerns for which SST may be a good option include:

  • Challenges with time management, study skills, stress, or anxiety
  • Recent conflict (e.g., with a friend, roommate, partner, or family member) or a pattern of conflict
  • Needing to make a decision and wanting to talk it through with someone objective
  • Needing information about mental health and treatment options at CAPS, or about therapy in general
  • Getting advice about off-campus referrals for ongoing therapy or other mental health services
  • Concerns about how to help a friend or loved one who is having a hard time
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  • Be ready 60 minutes early for your initial Intake appointment or 30 minutes early for a Single Session Therapy appointment to fill out an online assessment (please have your 8-digit USF student ID number).
  • Be on time for your appointment.
  • Be honest with your therapist; therapy is a safe place to tell the truth without being judged.
  • Give your therapist feedback on how your therapy is going.

Making Appointments

To schedule an appointment

  • Fill out our web form  or please call our office at (415) 422-6352.

  • If you are unable to reach someone at the CAPS front office, please leave a voicemail with your name, phone number and student ID, and CAPS will call you back by the next business day.

Canceling Appointments, No-Show Fees

Because CAPS has a limited number of appointments available, we encourage you to keep your scheduled appointments. If you can't keep an appointment, please give us 24 hour notice and cancel or reschedule by calling the CAPS front office 415-422-6352. 

  • Please DO NOT CALL CAPS All Hours to cancel an appointment. If you do not show up for two consecutive triage appointments or a therapy appointment without canceling in advance, a $30 no-show fee will be charged to your student account.

FAQS

Who is eligible for services at CAPS? Any USF undergraduate or graduate student currently enrolled in classes and residing in California.

What is the cost of services at CAPS? Will anyone know I had an appointment? Services are free (covered by student fees) and confidential.

Are there limits on services at CAPS? Yes, therapy at CAPS is brief (with limits on number of sessions per academic year), and CAPS services are not a good fit for every issue or situation. (Read more in the drop-downs on our Services page.) 

What happens when I contact CAPS? Students seeking services will be scheduled for a brief phone triage appointment with a therapist, usually within a few business days. During the triage, the therapist will talk with the student about their needs and briefly assess safety, then help the student set up an appointment or give them other resources if CAPS is the wrong fit. For example, students desiring or needing longer-term, specialized, or weekly therapy or other services CAPS does not provide, such as psychiatric care, will be provided with referral options.

How quickly can I start therapy at CAPS? Although CAPS staff strive to see students as expediently as possible, there are times during the academic year when the center is heavily impacted. The typical wait for a first therapy appointment at CAPS is two to three weeks. Students will be offered alternatives off campus if they are seeking therapy at a time when CAPS has a longer wait time. Students will be seen the same day for mental health emergencies.

If you need to speak to a mental health clinician immediately, please call the CAPS 24/7 All Hours line at 855-531-0761 (available daily, including weekends and holidays, and accepts international calls).