Office of Student Care
The Grand Canyon University Office of Student Care offers short-term, solution-focused, psychoeducational programs, individual, group and crisis counseling to traditional full-time, on-campus students.1 Counseling is a professional relationship that helps you clarify issues, discover your true thoughts and feelings and deal effectively with problems. We offer support for students as they enhance their strengths, develop, grow and learn in their personal and academic lives.
Our Mission
The mission of the Office of Student Care is to provide quality professional care in an environment that recognizes the inherent value and dignity of each person.
Our Vision
- We demonstrate relational equity with our student population through embracing inclusivity.
- We demonstrate relational equity through investing in the community.
- We demonstrate relational equity through thinking holistically.
1 At this time, we are unable to provide counseling services for online and part-time students.
602-639-7007
[email protected]
Student Life | Building 26, 2nd Floor
Hours
Monday – Friday, 8 am – 5 pm
Additional Resources
We do recognize that several of our students will need longer term or a more specialized type of care and we have a strong network of community providers to offer. See the list of referrals below.
- Student Care Referral List in the Greater Phoenix Area
- National Therapist Directories
You can use filters to search for providers near you, providers who accept various insurance, self-pay or low-cost plans, and/or providers who specialize in specific/relevant issues or who provide in-person or teletherapy sessions.
You can also reach out any time with a prayer request. Online students can submit prayer requests here. Click on the email address for online students.
Also, please reference our list of online resources available to you.
- Psychology Today: Explore articles on essential topics.
- ULifeline.org: Self-help information with a Self e-Valuator (online assessment), drug database and mental health library.
- Help Guide: General self-help organized by topic.
- Psychology Topics and Help Center: Resources from the American Psychological Association.
Make an Appointment
The Office of Student Care is here to support traditional full-time, on-campus students as they make the most of their GCU experience. Students can follow these simple steps to schedule an appointment in our office. Please note that office hours are Monday – Friday from 8 am – 5 pm and closed from noon – 1 pm daily.
Step 1:
Visit the Student Life Building 26, 2nd Floor to complete the paperwork in person.
Step 2:
After your paperwork has been completed, a consultation will be scheduled with one of our providers to assess and navigate which of our services best meets your needs.
Minor Consent
For students under the age of 18, Arizona law requires consent from a parent or legal guardian prior to mental health treatment. Please contact the Office of Student Care at 602-639-7007 or [email protected] to request further details, along with the required Minor Consent documentation.
The GCU Office of Student Care offers short-term, solution-focused counseling free of charge to traditional full-time, on-campus students.
Consultation
Consultation appointments are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. A consultation visit is a 30-minute confidential conversation with a licensed professional counselor or qualified graduate intern. During the appointment, the therapist will come to a better understanding of the student’s concerns and how the GCU Office of Student Care may be of most help to them. At the end of this first appointment, a plan will be developed which best meets the student’s needs, and may include attending a wellness workshop, referrals to on-campus resources, individual counseling, group counseling or a referral to another professional in the Phoenix area.
Our Wellness Workshop is a 75-minute workshop offered on Mondays to provide the foundation for your counseling experience. It will help with understanding how your thoughts, emotions and self-care all work together. You'll learn practical coping strategies that you can start using right away to better manage stress, handle difficult emotions and navigate life's challenges. These skills will help you build a strong foundation for your mental well-being and get the most out of your individual counseling sessions.
An individual counseling session is a one-on-one conversation between the student and a licensed counselor or qualified graduate intern that lasts 45 to 50 minutes. This conversation is confidential for the purpose of support, personal growth and skills to help the student cope with life’s difficulties and other mental health concerns.
Group counseling is a 45- to 50-minute weekly meeting with peers to discuss common struggles. This group session is facilitated by licensed counselors or qualified graduate interns to offer support and learn new ways of coping with a variety of mental health concerns.
In certain situations, students may require services outside the scope of the Office of Student Care. In these cases, a list will be provided of on-campus or off-campus resources to meet the student’s needs. While we attempt to take into consideration limitations regarding finances and transportation, referrals and recommendations are based on clinical criteria and scope of practice. It is the student’s responsibility to follow through with the recommendations that best meet their needs.
A short-term counseling model has been incorporated in order to meet the needs of the student body on campus and is provided by licensed mental health counselors and supervised graduate student interns. As a rule of practice, the specific type and frequency of counseling services is determined by multiple factors, including the student’s needs, the scope of practice of the office and the overall demand for services by the GCU student body.
The Office of Student Care services include:
- Crisis and safety intervention
- Consultation, assessment and treatment recommendations
- Referral to online resources, campus resources and community support groups
- Psychoeducational programs and a Wellness Workshop
- Group counseling
- Individual counseling
- Off-campus referral for specialized services (i.e., psychiatric treatment, psychological testing, intensive and long-term counseling, etc.)
- Collaboration with Student Affairs departments, Title IX Office and Behavioral Intervention Team
The Office of Student Care services DO NOT include:
- Long-term counseling
- Psychiatric evaluation and medication management
- Emotional support animal requests
- Legal and health assessments
- Employment assessments
- Evaluative letters
Thank you for your interest in the Office of Student Care for therapeutic counseling. Please be advised that our services are offered to traditional ground students only.
If you are facing a psychological emergency, please dial 911 immediately or call GCU Public Safety at 602-639-8100.
As an online student, please refer to the additional resources to help you get connected with a mental health provider in your area.
Mental Health Tips
Below are links to some mental health tips you can utilize to gain understanding or learn new skills. As always, you can make an appointment to learn more or find support from a licensed professional.
There may be times when a student needs immediate help. Suicidal thoughts and actions are common among young adults. While not all suicidal thoughts lead to action, these symptoms should be taken seriously and addressed quickly. If a student is struggling with thoughts of suicide, please use the following crisis resources:
- If a student is facing an immediate, life-threatening emergency, call 911 or Public Safety at 602-639-8100 or email [email protected] to initiate a wellness check (available 24/7).
- If a student is experiencing a crisis that is not immediately life-threatening, have them come to the Office of Student Care and request to see a crisis therapist.
- Crisis therapists are available Monday – Friday, 8 am – 5 pm.
- Outside of these hours, please call Public Safety at 602-639-8100 (available 24/7).
- Students can utilize the following community resources available 24/7:
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Dial 988
- EMPACT Suicide Prevention Line: 480-736-4950
- Crisis Text Line: Text “HOME” to 74141
- Warm Line: 602-347-1100 (a non-emergency line with peer specialists available to talk 24/7)
Loading
Christine has a deep love of relationships and values the times she spends with her family and friends. Christine is passionate about helping her clients achieve a stronger sense of self, reduce anxiety and develop healthy coping skills.
Kristin’s passion is to provide hope and healing to her clients through the counseling relationship. She loves helping students build healthy coping and communication strategies to better manage distressing emotions and improve their connection with self and others.
Krista is passionate about walking with people through life’s many seasons of challenges, pain, growth and healing. Krista believes the powers of human connection, vulnerability and work are a powerful force of growth in people’s lives. She desires to help others find their passions and purpose.
Teresa is delighted to be serving Office of Student Care students, welcoming them and assisting with their scheduling needs. She adores spending time with her children, creating precious memories through travel, adventures and exploring the great outdoors.
Mike is a loving father of two children who loves sports, reading and working with people. He has a passion for learning new things. Mike is a firm believer in meeting clients where they are with their concerns by seeing the person first and their condition second. He has 22 years of counseling experience and has learned a lot from his clients.
Taylor’s love for life is both full of faith and understanding. He is passionate about helping clients overcome adversity with grace and poise. Taylor enjoys playing golf, writing, reading and a good cup of coffee.
Lindsey is a graduate from GCU who has a passion for working with young adults. Lindsey is a firm believer in “come as you are” and provides an open and non-judgmental environment where individuals can thrive. She is passionate about seeing clients reach their full potential and incorporating their faith walks with their healing journey. In her free time, you can find Lindsey on a jog, buying iced coffee or serving at her church’s coffee shop.
Raina strives to offer a safe and non-judgmental place for clients to heal and find tranquility. She is passionate about helping clients feel comfortable with themselves and their emotions. She thoroughly believes that with awareness, determination and acceptance, people can overcome and succeed. In her spare time, Raina enjoys animating, tabletop-gaming, music and cooking.
Karley is passionate about creating a safe space where students can come as they are with no judgment, fear or shame. She enjoys helping students explore their understandings of themselves with empathy as they navigate life. She is a firm believer in learning to befriend emotions with curiosity rather than with animosity and is committed to moving beyond surface-level messages around mental health and faith to cultivate meaningful, healing relationships and growth.
Anderson desires to provide a safe place where clients can come in and feel heard without judgment. He considers it a privilege to walk alongside clients with a spirit of compassion, gentleness and empathy while working together toward healing and restoration. In his spare time, you can find him playing tennis or pickleball.
Jackie believes deeply in the power of human connection and the gift of being human. She feels honored to walk alongside clients through life's ever-changing seasons, holding space for both the joys and challenges that shape each person's journey. She creates space for clients to move forward with curiosity, authenticity and empowerment, while fostering self-discovery and self-acceptance.
Evelyn believes that getting to know each client as a whole person is essential to providing meaningful support. As such, she prioritizes authenticity and compassion to build a strong therapeutic relationship. She also feels that lasting change involves balancing self-acceptance with personal growth and is honored to be there for clients throughout that journey. Outside of work, Evelyn spends her time crocheting, reading and enjoying everything the East Valley has to offer.