Counseling Services

Many students will look back on their days at Otterbein and think of them as some of the very best of their lives. College is an exciting time of challenge and hope, but it can also be a time of anxiety and stressful change. Leaving home, competition, trying out new ideas and lifestyles, forming and losing relationships, and building new identities are all part of the college experience; however, each can contribute to periods of emotional turmoil. At times this turmoil can strain our ability to cope.

Otterbein's Counseling Service offers a range of consultation, counseling, and psychotherapy services tailored to college students. Staffed by clinical psychologists and licensed social workers, the counseling center is ready to help by providing educational and psychological assessments, brief consultation to assist in solving concrete problems, and a more extended series of visits in which to talk through complicated emotional and interpersonal struggles.

What Kinds of Problems are Helped by Counseling?
The examples cited above are some of the problems that our Counseling Service has helped students resolve. Additional difficulties that can be helped include:

What Happens at a Counseling Session?
Otterbein's Counseling Services is staffed by Northeast Psychology Associates, a group of clinical psychologists with offices in Westerville and in the Student Affairs Office. You may schedule your appointment to take place in the Student Affairs Office or in their private offices at 190 South State Street, Westerville.

Counseling and psychotherapy involved talking openly about your personal problems with a professional. This can be difficult and your counselor will understand this. You will be asked only to show up for your appointment and to make your best effort to talk about your difficulties in the most honest and candid way possible. If appropriate, referrals can be made for crisis intervention, medication consultation, or drug abuse evaluation.

The services are available to full-time students at Otterbein College.

How Do I Ask for Help?
If you think it might be helpful to talk with someone, you can talk wtih Bob Gatti, Vice President for Student Affairs, or any of the other faculty and staff listed below under Contacts. These people can help you set up an appointment, review the fee policy statement, and assist you with other concerns that you might have. To set up this appointment call Anne at extension 1250 or email Anne Sillato. You do not need to indicate specifically what your concerns are, but that you are interested in a referral to counseling. If you know that you are interested in counseling, Anne Sillato can also assist you in scheduling this. You will need to sign a fee policy statement prior to seeing a counselor.

Fee Policy
Three counseling sessions per year are provided, without change, by the College. Private/family insurance must be drawn upon for subsequent visits. If insurance is not an option, then additional services can be provided with the approval of the Vice President for Student Affairs. Students are encouraged to discuss this with their psychologist.

Students are required to keep appointments as scheduled, or give a cancellation notice at least 48 hours in advance. Missed appointments without notice of cancellation will be changed to the student.

Other phone numbers: