SHWCC supports students’ holistic mental health wellbeing through in-person and virtual counseling with a Linfield counselor.
Students are encouraged to meet with a counselor even if they are not experiencing serious problems. Counselors can help with problem-solving, skill-building and navigating common challenges faced by students.
Yes. If the problem or concern is beyond what the counselor or medical staff at SHWCC can treat, the counselor may refer the student to the appropriate off-campus resources, including Yamhill County. Counselors can also help connect students to community resources over the summers or during breaks when students are away from the university. SHWCC maintains a list of community resources and mental health practitioners available to provide mental health and related services to residents of McMinnville and neighboring communities.
Counseling within SHWCC is usually shorter-term, typically averaging between 6 to 8 visits, along with periodic follow-up sessions as needed. There are no specific limits to the number of sessions available to students; however, more serious or longer-term concerns may be referred to more specialized care off campus.
Undergraduate and graduate students who are currently enrolled in in-person classes on the McMinnville or Portland campus have access to counseling at no cost. Note: only McMinnville-based students have access to medical services at SHWCC.
University employees, alumni, and community members are not eligible to receive counseling services through SHWCC. Linfield offers an employee assistance program for faculty and staff members. Information on this service is available from the Linfield Human Resources office.
Yes, with just a few exceptions. In most situations, what students tell their counselor is strictly confidential. This means that no information you share with a counselor can be disclosed to anyone, including parents, professors, coaches, other Linfield offices, without a written authorization.
The rare exceptions when confidentiality would not be guaranteed are:
If SHWCC determines that a student is at high risk for self-harm, the student’s emergency contacts may be notified, typically by the Vice President of Student Affairs. This may also include engaging Yamhill County Behavior Health professional and possible transport to the local hospital for safety planning. SHWCC will engage other university offices to provide additional support, including Residential Housing, Care and Support, and Learning Support Services to assist with follow-up care.
The Office of Learning Support Services (LSS) can help with these and related areas. The LSS office is in Melrose 020. (503)-883-2562.
Linfield University and Student Health, Wellness and Counseling are now working with BetterMynd, a national teletherapy platform, to expand access to mental health support. Students can access in-person counseling through SHWCC, or request access to teletherapy with a provider of their choosing and at a time that fits their schedule. Counseling is fully confidential and free to Linfield students.
Learn more about BetterMynd
