ABOUT THE CENTER

More About the Counseling Center

Located on a 328-acre site in suburban Baltimore County, Towson University is second in size among Maryland public institutions of higher learning. It is a comprehensive university, offering bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs in liberal arts, pre-professional and professional fields of study.

The Counseling Center at Towson University was established in the fall of 1966. It was originally staffed with a director and one staff position. In 1971, the Counseling Center was moved from the second floor of the Health Center into its present facility, a large Victorian style house called Glen Esk. Historically, Glen Esk had been the home of the presidents of the university since the institution moved to this site in 1915. In Glen Esk there are currently 14 individual staff offices, a Career Library, reception room, staff lounge, and professional library areas. Significant efforts have been made by the state of Maryland and Towson University to maintain Glen Esk in its historically significant condition. We are pleased to provide full handicap accessibility to the Center with minimal alteration to the 100 year-old structure.

The Counseling Center has grown to its present size of 11full-time equivalent professional positions. In addition to the senior-level professional staff, the Center also has three full-time pre-doctoral interns and three part time externs. The interns participate in a program that began in 1974 with a single internship position and grew to its present comprehensive size, with full accreditation by the American Psychological Association. Three part-time psychiatrists and two psychiatric residents are on the staff to provide consultation, in-service training, referral and back-up resources to the Counseling Center. Furthermore, the Center has a full-time office manager, a full-time receptionist, and a half-time office secretary who provide invaluable support services. A staff of student workers and peer educators complete the Center staff.

On a campus serving over 20,000 students (undergraduate, graduate and continuing studies), the Counseling Center is the primary agency for the delivery of mental health services. We therefore serve a wide variety of clientele, covering a broad spectrum of presenting problems. Center policy recognizes the need for direct service programs to meet the counseling needs of students. In addition, we also view the context in which students, faculty and staff interact as a target for intervention, and thus offer consultation and outreach programming.

With regard to direct service, approximately 80 percent of our clients seek assistance for personal/social concerns. Both individual and group counseling/therapy services are available.

The Counseling Center provides services to a large percentage of the university community. In a typical year, over 1,200 clients are seen in individual and group counseling and therapy, approximately 2,000 clients participate in various groups, workshops, and courses offered by Counseling Center staff. Additionally, over 5,000 contacts are made through various types of indirect Counseling Center interventions as a result of our consulting with Residence staff, faculty, and other administrative offices.

Administratively, the Counseling Center is within the Division for Student Affairs, one of four divisions within Towson University. The Director of the Counseling Center is also Special Assistant to the  Vice President for  Student Affairs.