Office of Student Care
The Grand Canyon University (GCU) 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 (south side of the second floor next to the elevators) to fill out paperwork.
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.
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.
The Wellness Workshops are a set of three workshops recommended to promote understanding and knowledge about emotions, thoughts and self-care. These workshops help students increase their emotional recognition and regulation and provide skills to change unhealthy coping strategies. Wellness Workshops are held on Mondays at 10 am and 1:30 pm. Please schedule an appointment with our office to enroll in the Wellness Workshops.
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 Wellness Workshops
- 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)
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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.
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.
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.
Kasey has a passion for helping young adults understand their identities through genuine relationships and self-discovery. He believes that an important part of the healing journey is loving and accepting oneself. Knowing each of us are inherently creative, courageous, curious and compassionate, Kasey creates the space for his clients to get to know their truest and purest selves.
Ryan has a profound respect for the human spirit as well as the sacredness of each human being’s unique narrative or story. He enjoys helping students 5ind their personal strengths and the courage to tame and befriend their own inner critic. Ryan enjoys spending time with loved ones, writing, playing sports, hiking and paddleboarding.
Emily’s passion is helping individuals navigate the journey toward healing, self-love and growth. She believes that having a supportive and safe space in which a client is met where they are is essential to the process. She desires to help others explore and discover their identity. In her free time, Emily enjoys reading, baking, cooking and exploring new restaurants.
Haley is passionate about creating a safe space where people feel truly accepted, heard and encouraged. She is honored to walk alongside clients as they explore their own stories and gain resources to thrive. In her free time, Haley enjoys playing guitar, exploring new places and hiking with her pup.
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.
Krystal leads with compassion and provides a judgment-free space where you can explore, heal and grow. Krystal wholeheartedly believes in the resilience of individuals, empowering students to build on their strengths as they navigate life’s challenges. She believes embarking on this journey can assist with creating meaningful relationships with others and yourself. Krystal likes to say, “Future you will thank you for taking time for your mind!” In her free time, Krystal likes to explore nature, play soccer and try new places to eat or drink coffee.