AS&E Students
Arts and Sciences, Engineering, SMFA at Tufts
TUFTS.EDU
AS&E Students
Arts and Sciences, Engineering, SMFA at Tufts
Health & Wellness

Individual Counseling

Students can meet individually with a counselor to discuss what’s on their mind. Individual counseling usually lasts anywhere from a one or two session up to a semester, depending on your needs and goals. 

Appointments

CMHS currently offers virtual and in-person individual counseling appointments on the Medford-Somerville and SMFA campuses. Masks are required in the building. Click below to schedule an appointment online or call 617-627-3360. If you are trying to make an appointment online and don’t see options that fit your schedule, call CMHS – there may be additional flexibility available. 

Schedule a Virtual Individual Counseling Appointment                     Schedule an In-Person Individual Counseling Appointment                      Schedule a Virtual Appointment with Mantra Care (see below)

Canceling and rescheduling cannot be done online. To cancel or reschedule, please call 617-627-3360 or message your clinician via the secure Health & Wellness Portal. Please plan to check in or arrive 15-20 minutes early to fill out a few forms prior to your appointment. For more information on scheduling an appointment, please visit Making an Appointment.

Same-Day Scheduling  

To provide rapid access for students who are not inclined to schedule in advance, we offer a limited number of same-day sessions each day. Call us at 617-627-3360 to request a same-day appointment; same-day appointments cannot be scheduled online. For more information on same-day scheduling, please visit Making an Appointment.

Mantra Care

Tufts University Counseling and Mental Health Service (CMHS) is collaborating with Mantra Care to offer students access to expanded hours and additional confidential clinicians for talk therapy. All students that have paid the Student Health & Wellness fee can use Mantra Care. For more information on scheduling a Mantra Care appointment, please visit Making an Appointment.

Why Students Use Counseling Services

Counseling can provide support and help you gain a better understanding of yourself, as well as help you develop skills to cope better emotionally, socially, or academically. Each year, approximately 25% of Tufts students seek support through CMHS for issues including:

Adjustment to life transitions such as starting or finishing college, anxiety and stress, body image and eating concerns, cultural adjustment, depressed or low mood, drug and alcohol-related concerns, family issues, grief and loss, gender dysphoria, LGBTQ+ issues, identity issues, loneliness, low self-esteem, racism, relationship difficulties and interpersonal conflicts, sleep disturbances, trauma, including interpersonal violence, sexual assault, racial trauma, and other traumatic experiences, and trans health care

Scope of Care at CMHS

We offer time-limited counseling services based on students’ individual needs.  There is no pre-determined number of sessions, which may range from one or several meetings up to about a semester. An individual plan regarding the type, length, and frequency of counseling is tailored to the specific needs of each student and is created by the student and their counselor, often in the first meeting. 

Although we are able to help the majority of students who seek our services, sometimes students need help with issues or concerns that are generally beyond our scope of practice. Some students seen at CMHS may be referred to providers in the community for further services after a course of treatment at CMHS, while in other situations students may be referred more quickly, including after the initial assessment. In situations such as the following, we are happy to assist students with referrals to a more appropriate off-campus or community resource when a student:

  • Requires longer term or more frequent counseling sessions
  • Has issues best met by exploratory, open ended, or long-term supportive care 
  • Needs a specialized treatment modality that CMHS does not provide
  • Needs a more intensive level of care such as an intensive outpatient or inpatient program
  • Needs psychological or neuropsychological testing for diagnostic or treatment purposes
  • Requires court-ordered or mandated treatment or forensic evaluation
  • Can be more appropriately assisted by another office, service, or specialist on campus
  • Is seeking medication for ADHD without the documentation required by CMHS
  • Is seeking psychiatric medication but is not interested in concurrent counseling services
  • Is ineligible for services at CMHS