AS&E Students
Arts and Sciences, Engineering, SMFA at Tufts
TUFTS.EDU
AS&E Students
Arts and Sciences, Engineering, SMFA at Tufts
Health & Wellness

Individual Counseling

Most students in individual counseling at CMHS work with us for several sessions, with the range being from once to up to a semester, depending on the student’s needs and goals. Generally, students meet with their individual clinicians every other week.

Appointments

We are meeting with students virtually and in-person for Individual Counseling. Masks are required in our building. Click here during the academic year to schedule an appointment. 

Schedule a Virtual Individual Counseling Appointment                     Schedule an In-Person Individual Counseling Appointment                      Schedule a Virtual Appointment with Mantra Care (see below)

For all students, canceling and rescheduling cannot be done online. If you do not see what you are looking for online or need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, please call us at 617-627-3360 (or message your clinician via the secure Health & Wellness Portal). Please plan to check in or arrive 15-20 minutes early to fill out a few forms prior to your appointment.

Same-Day Scheduling  

To provide rapid access for students who are not inclined to schedule in advance, we offer a limited number of same-day sessions each day. Call us to request a same-day appointment; same-day appointments cannot be scheduled online. Please note that because these appointments are scheduled on a first come, first served basis, flexibility in scheduling a convenient time will likely be limited. It is also possible that the day’s appointments will already be booked by the time you call. In that case, you can schedule an appointment for another day or call back on a different day to try again with same-day scheduling.

Mantra Care

Tufts University Counseling and Mental Health Service (CMHS) is collaborating with Mantra Care to offer students access to expanded hours and additional confidential clinicians for talk therapy. All students that have paid the Student Health & Wellness fee can use Mantra Care.

By logging in to the Mantra Care Hub, you can virtually connect with licensed therapists during daytime, evenings, or weekend hours.

Please note that telehealth sessions are a convenient and effective option for a wide variety of mental health needs, but sometimes not the most appropriate method for addressing one’s concerns. For individuals dealing with bipolar disorder, disordered eating, substance use problems, or active thoughts of self-harm or harm to others, we recommend starting the process of mental health treatment with an in-person assessment at CMHS to determine whether telehealth is the best option.

Follow this step-by-step guide to sign up:

  1. Visit mantrahealth.com/tufts
  2. Create your account by clicking on "Sign Up" using your @tufts.edu email address.
  3. Complete the onboarding tasks in the Care Hub, which take only 10 minutes, and schedule your initial appointment. Ensure that onboarding is completed before your first appointment.
  4. Log in to the Mantra Care Hub to meet with your therapist at the scheduled time.

Why Students Use Counseling Services

Counseling can provide support and help you gain a better understanding of yourself, as well as help you develop skills to cope better emotionally, socially, or academically. Each year, approximately 25% of Tufts students seek support through CMHS for issues including:

Adjustment to life transitions such as starting or finishing college, anxiety and stress, body image and eating concerns, cultural adjustment, depressed or low mood, drug and alcohol-related concerns, family issues, grief and loss, gender dysphoria, LGBTQ+ issues, identity issues, loneliness, low self-esteem, racism, relationship difficulties and interpersonal conflicts, sleep disturbances, trauma, including interpersonal violence, sexual assault, racial trauma, and other traumatic experiences, and trans health care

Scope of Care at CMHS

We offer time-limited counseling services based on students’ individual needs.  There is no pre-determined number of sessions, which may range from one or several meetings up to about a semester. An individual plan regarding the type, length, and frequency of counseling is tailored to the specific needs of each student and is created by the student and their counselor, often in the first meeting. 

Although we are able to help the majority of students who seek our services, sometimes students need help with issues or concerns that are generally beyond our scope of practice. Some students seen at CMHS may be referred to providers in the community for further services after a course of treatment at CMHS, while in other situations students may be referred more quickly, including after the initial assessment. In situations such as the following, we are happy to assist students with referrals to a more appropriate off-campus or community resource when a student:

  • Requires longer term or more frequent counseling sessions
  • Has issues best met by exploratory, open ended, or long-term supportive care 
  • Needs a specialized treatment modality that CMHS does not provide
  • Needs a more intensive level of care such as an intensive outpatient or inpatient program
  • Needs psychological or neuropsychological testing for diagnostic or treatment purposes
  • Requires court-ordered or mandated treatment or forensic evaluation
  • Can be more appropriately assisted by another office, service, or specialist on campus
  • Is seeking medication for ADHD without the documentation required by CMHS
  • Is seeking psychiatric medication but is not interested in concurrent counseling services
  • Is ineligible for services at CMHS