Counseling & Student Development Center

Students seeking in-person services on campus can typically be seen every few weeks and average about five to seven counseling appointments per academic year.

To schedule a first-time initial assessment online

• Select Online Scheduling
• You will be walked through an appointment scheduling process
• The wait time for an initial assessment is typically between two to three weeks, depending on the time of the semester.

What to expect
Students meet for an initial assessment with a counselor who will explore their concerns, assess for safety and provide professional recommendations about services that may be a good fit for them. A recommendation may include referrals to an off-campus provider, or a course of brief individual counseling at the CSDC.

Phone appointments are available on a first-scheduled, first-serve basis.
Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 1–4 p.m.

To schedule

• Select Online Scheduling
• Select Same Day Phone Appointment
• Sign up for an available spot that day

What to expect
One of our counselors will call your preferred phone number between 1–4 p.m. for a brief and confidential conversation to address your immediate needs. By the end of the 15– to 20–minute call, you and the counselor will have discussed the next steps, which could include encouraging you to follow up as needed, connecting you with a campus partner or discussing the Center's various services like individual or group counseling.

Home Psychologist/Therapist/Psychiatrist
If you already have an established relationship, we recommend that you continue to see a provider at home and this connection can be facilitated by telehealth opportunities. However, if desired, we welcome students to connect to CSDC so we can be here if you have an urgent need or could benefit from coordination of care.

When to pick a community provider?

• Students seeking weekly therapy or require or more frequent sessions, including clients with frequent crises, incidents or episodes requiring clinical intervention
• Active/impairing significant eating concerns/disorders
• Active/impairing drug or alcohol problems as the primary presenting issue
• Students with ongoing, persistent behavioral issues or safety concerns
• Untreated psychotic disorders
• Students who require services beyond the expertise of staff
• Student who is already in treatment with another mental health provider
• Students seeking therapy for the sole purpose of obtaining documentation for another university office
• Students seeking documentation for emotional support animals
• Mandated clinical services
• Students who have a history of multiple hospitalizations due to a psychiatric concern
• Comprehensive psychological evaluations of any type, including but not limited to: forensic evaluations, custody or divorce assessments, academic disability, neuropsychological exams, ADHD assessments, etc.

Only students who are engaged in ongoing CSDC counseling services are eligible to make appointments with a psychiatric provider. Due to the limited nature of psychiatric services, students who already have an established relationship with a prescribing off-campus professional are encouraged to continue working with that professional. Upon termination of counseling at the CSDC, students will be required to identify a psychiatrist in the community with whom they will continue care.

The process of psychiatric treatment begins by scheduling an initial assessment appointment with a counselor with the intention of meeting for the duration of recommended care. The counselor will meet with the student for two to three sessions to evaluate the student's symptoms by performing a background screening and assessing the results. It is up to the counselor to recommend psychiatric services if they are needed. The counselor may also recommend other resources that may include a course of brief individual counseling or a referral to other types of health or mental health providers.

• Stimulant medication (Adderall, Vyvanse, Concerta, Ritalin or generic varieties) or other controlled substances are not prescribed at the CSDC.
• We do not provide Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) testing.
• Students seeking medication only will be assisted in finding an appropriate provider in the community.
• CSDC cannot provide letters of support for students in need of emotional support animals.
• Students who discontinue counseling services at CSDC but would like to continue medication management should identify an appropriate provider in the community.
• For students who require long-term, ongoing mental health care, the CSDC staff may assist students with a referral to a psychiatric provider in the community.

Students who already have an established relationship with a prescribing professional off-campus are encouraged to continue working with that professional.

Counseling groups on a variety of topics. Please call 570-577-1604.

What to expect
Therapy in a group setting can be a productive and supportive way to address common concerns. Students meet as a group with one or more clinicians to explore a specific topic and develop coping skills. Some groups are time-limited, while others are ongoing. Group offerings vary each semester and lists are updated at the beginning of the semester. Additional groups may be developed, depending on student interest and staff availability.

When a student is preparing to return to Bucknell University following a Health Leave of Absence, an Off-campus provider form following a leave of absence for health-related reasons (pdf) must be completed by their counseling or psychiatric provider and submitted to Counseling & Student Development Center by fax at 570-577-1849 in order to initiate the reinstatement process.

In addition to resources available on this site, we've gathered our most relevant and requested mental health outreach resources in one place: the CSDC Outreach Resources site. These resources are intended to be used by Bucknell students, staff and faculty in your groups and classes. Our goal is to empower you to learn more about mental health and how you can support yourself and others, to help make the college years more satisfying, rewarding and productive. Our programs are designed to help you grow in self-understanding and use your intellectual and emotional resources as effectively as possible.

View the CSDC Outreach Resources site

The CSDC works with students in individual counseling on a short-term basis and assistance in matching students with off-campus services. All services are free and strictly confidential. Our counselors and psychologists are trained mental health professionals with concentrated study on the specific developmental needs of college students.

Explore our student services

Now that your student has started college and is starting an independent life, they will begin to face many social, emotional and physical changes. It is important that they still have a strong support system at home while they are away at college. If you are concerned about your student, we have resources to help and bring you peace of mind.

Find resources for parents

As a faculty or staff member, you play an active role in a student's life. Whether you are their adviser, professor or boss, you are in a unique position of recognizing if a student begins to struggle with their academic and social lives. If you are concerned about a student, check out our resources to learn more about best practices for helping students.

Learn about faculty & staff resources