Mental Health Services

Availability of counseling while at WashU

Our brief individual counseling model is designed to help students manage immediate problems and provide short-term therapy. These services are ideal for issues that have arisen recently or that are expected to resolve relatively quickly. MHS also offers a strong group counseling program with many helpful options.

For students who may need more open-ended counseling services, the MHS staff can facilitate a referral for counseling in St. Louis, close to campus. Common examples of issues that may be more appropriate for a referral to professional counseling off campus are outlined in our Scope of Services statement at students.wustl.edu/importantmental-health-policies.

Continuing mental health care while in St. Louis

If your student currently attends weekly therapy or could benefit from longer-term counseling beyond one semester, we recommend finding a therapist in the St. Louis area to best meet these needs. You can find a list of therapists in the St. Louis area at wustl. thrivingcampus.com.

If your student currently takes medication for mental health-related concerns, please contact your prescribing physician/provider prior to their arrival on campus to arrange for continued prescription coverage while your student is at school. Most students find this arrangement generally easier than switching providers. Follow-up visits can be scheduled in advance with your prescribing physician/provider during break periods when your student plans to be home.

If your student would like assistance transferring their mental health care, please have your student call 314-935-6695 or email MHSCoordinator@wustl.edu. We recommend that your student contact us over the summer prior to arrival on campus.

It should be noted that we will not be accepting any new or transferred patients who require the prescription of stimulant medications. Stimulant medications include but are not limited to Adderall, Adderall XR, Ritalin, Concerta, and Focalin. If your student is already receiving stimulant medications, we encourage them to try to continue to work with their current provider. If they are considering starting a stimulant, we will try to assist them in finding a provider outside of Habif that accepts their insurance. Visit students.wustl.edu/ adhd-treatment for more information.

The Jed Foundation has an excellent “Transition of Care Guide” for transitioning mental health care from home to school that can be found at jedfoundation.org/transitionof-care-guide. In addition, there is a searchable database of therapists located near the WashU campus available at students.wustl.edu/community-mental-health-services.