Counseling and Psychological Services offers confidential, short-term individual therapy.  Individual therapy is available to currently enrolled CalPolyPomona students who have paid the Mandatory Student Health Fee.  Eligibility for individual therapy is based on a student's recommended treatment that is determined by the clinician/therapist during the triage or intake session.  A student may not necessarily be recommended for short-term individual therapy with Counseling and Psychological Services as proper treatment may be long-term, comprehensive care with an outside provider or clinic.  If longer-term, comprehensive care is recommended, the clinician/therapist or a case manager from the Care Center will assist you.

Short-term individual therapy is defined as approximately 6 - 8 sessions per academic year and is most effective with students who are motivated, are open to suggestions and willing to work on them, and are able to self-reflect.  Many students may meet their treatment goals in under six sessions while others may need a few more.  The number of sessions is determined by the clinician/therapist and the current treatment plan.  Due to the demand for individual therapy, short-term therapy is offered to provide more access to more students.

What to Expect from Individual Therapy

Individual therapy is one of the many ways of addressing the concerns that brought you into Counseling and Psychological Services.  Therapy is an intensely personal process that can bring a lot of personal growth.  It can help you in developing effective coping skills, encourage behavioural change, reduce distressing symptoms, and improve your overall quality of life.  Therapy can also bring up unpleasant memories and/or emotions and there is no guarantee that therapy will be successful in resolving your concerns.

Individual therapy sessions are typically 45 - 50 minutes in length, however, your therapist may shorten or lengthen the session due to individual reasons.  Sessions may be scheduled on a weekly basis, every other week, or once every three weeks.  It is not recommended to have scheduled sessions more than three weeks apart.  Your clinician/therapist will work with you to ensure that you receive the most proper treatment.

Your first session with your clinician/therapist may feel like an interview.  Your clinician/therapist may ask a lot of questions about you.  They may ask questions about how you cope, your symptoms, your past experiences, relationships, current responsibilities and activities, and family dynamics.  It is important to be as open as possible when answering these questions, but feel free to express your discomfort in answering any, should you feel that way.  Your clinician/therapist will work with you on your treatment goals and expectations.

You should treat your individual therapy sessions like a medical appointment.  Much like how you receive medical treatment for physical health, individual therapy is treatment for your emotional and psychological well-being.  Make your appointments a priority and arrive early.  Our clinicians/therapists are eager to assist and support your success here at CalPolyPomona.

Communicating with your Clinician/Therapist

In our world today, there are many ways to communicate with each other.  Counseling and Psychological Services utilizes a confidential electronic medical record system (EMR).  The best way to communicate with your clinician/therapist is by either calling them or sending them a message through the EMR called My Health Portal.  Sending an e-mail through Google, Outlook, or any e-mail platform to your clinician/therapist is not a preferred method of communication as it is not secure.  Your clinician/therapist will also communicate with you either by telephone call or through My Health Portal.  Due to the confidential nature of Counseling and Psychological Services, your clinician/therapist may not leave a voice message on your telephone, should you not be able to answer.

Canceling or Rescheduling

We understand that sometimes events come up that may interfere with your ability to attend your scheduled appointment.  If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, please telephone us more than 24 hours in advance (weekends included) from your scheduled appointment at (909) 869-3220 to assist in rescheduling your appointment.