At the College of Built Environments (CBE), your mental well-being is our top priority. Navigating academic challenges can be difficult, but you don’t have to face them alone. We offer resources to help you find the support you need.
Meet Your Mental Health Counselor
As a CBE student, you have access to mental health support from a licensed mental health professional who works directly with the College of Built Environments. The counselor can help you find referrals to short- and long-term therapy, support with a variety of mental health issues, both virtually and in-person, and provide information about other resources. All concerns and topics are welcome and are responded to without judgement. Conversations with the counselor are confidential except for specific limitations around mandated reporting and safety. Some issues that students may come to the counselor for help with include anxiety, stress, relationships, worry, sadness, family problems, and overwhelm.
The counselor also helps support CBE by providing consultation and workshops to faculty and staff and making recommendations about the systems and procedures which are in place.
Please know that the counselor receives consultation from the UW Counseling Center and not CBE which helps increase confidentiality and allows for students to feel at ease that personal information shared with the counselor will not be reported with faculty/staff (unless consent is provided).
Welcome! CBE students can schedule time with Leigh below. If none of the available times work with your schedule, please email her at leisele1@uw.edu.
Where do I go when I need support?
There are several options depending on the level of support that you may need.
Let’s Talk:
Let’s Talk is a program that connects UW students with support from experienced counselors from the Counseling Center without an appointment.
The CBE Counselor holds drop-in hours via videoconference and in-person to provide insight, solutions and information about other resources. Let’s Talk drop-in visits are free, confidential and there is no appointment necessary.
Let’s Talk offers informal consultation – it is not a substitute for regular therapy, counseling or psychiatric care.
If you are a student currently enrolled in a CBE program, feel free to attend a Let’s Talk session at the times indicated below.
For more information about Let’s Talk at UW and other Let’s Talk sessions, click here.
- Tuesdays In-Person Gould 448E | 11:30am – 1:00pm
On the day of, please wait near the office where you will find a QR code to sign in. You will be assisted in the order in which you arrive.
- Wednesdays Virtual on Zoom | 10:30am – 11:30am
Register Here for a session.
Sign on to the zoom link during the scheduled time. You will be placed in a virtual waiting room until it’s your turn. Once you enter the room, we’ll talk about what’s on your mind.
If one of the times above does not work with your schedule, please email the counselor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Will my professor or advisor find out if I talk with you?
A: No—only unless you explicitly state you want them to! The counselor offers students a safe and confidential place to talk. As a mental health practitioner, the counselor follows HIPAA’s rules of confidentiality. No one will be informed if a student utilizes services or not. Also, content of your conversations will not be shared with anyone else except in instances of physical harm to yourself or someone else. You can read the full UW Counseling Center Informed Consent Policy here.
Q: How much does it cost?
A: It’s free! If you choose to meet for a 1-hour individual session, the Counseling Center will bill your insurance. However, all copays or non-covered services are paid for by the Student Services and Activities Fee. If you don’t have insurance or prefer not to bill it, services are still covered!
Q: What is it like to speak with a mental health counselor?
A: Some students have never spoken with a mental health counselor before. Reasons behind this may include varying cultural understandings of mental health, limited access, feelings of shame/embarrassment, a belief that counseling is reserved only for those with serious conditions, and/or fear of the unknown. So, here is generally what you can expect when talking with a counselor:
1) During your first meeting, you can expect time dedicated to getting to know one another and then talking about what is going on for you, how it is making you feel, and what might make things better.
2) You can bring any topic to your counselor. It does not have to be about your CBE experience.
3) You can explore any thoughts, feelings, and behaviors without judgment.
4) Topics you discuss will stay confidential between you and your counselor except for some limitations, including mandated reporting, imminent safety concerns for yourself or others, and legal requirements due to court proceedings.
5) Sometimes speaking with a counselor may increase feelings of discomfort as you discuss difficult situations and emotions.
6) Speaking with a counselor does not mean that something is “wrong with you”. Counseling can be used for many reasons and maybe you just need a third-party person to support you through a challenging moment/situation or help you find resources to enhance your wellbeing.
7) You can provide feedback to your counselor. If something is not going right or you need something specific, you can speak openly about those concerns.
8) Feel free to ask questions about the process at any time.
Q: I want to work with a counselor who shares some of my identities, is that an option?
A: Yes, you can go to any counselor at the UW Counseling Center for free – read the counselor profiles and schedule online here. Or, you can look for a counselor outside of the UW system however this will either be billed to insurance or have an out-of-pocket cost, here.
Q: My friend is in crisis, what should I do?
A: If you or someone you know is in immediate danger- call 911. You can also call or text the National Suicide Hotline at 9-8-8 or the Husky Helpline at 206-616-7777. After you are safe, you can reach out to the counselor, Husky Helpline or the UW Counseling Center for support processing your experience.
Q: I already have a therapist, can I still access the counselor for support?
A: It is wonderful that you already have a therapist! This should be the person that you turn to for support. However, if you are having issues with your therapeutic experience outside of the UW system, please feel free to discuss these concerns with the counselor.
How can the counselor support faculty and staff?
Although the mental health counselor focuses on student needs, there are ways that faculty and staff can utilize the counselor for support. Faculty and staff can:
- Meet with the counselor to consult about students of concern.
- Refer students to the counselor either to Let’s Talk drop-in times (see above) or by providing a warm handoff through email.
- Learn about and get connected to available mental health resources.
- Request the counselor’s presence at various student events (i.e., orientation, classes).
There are more resources available on the UW Counseling Center’s website for faculty and staff.
Quick Employee Guide: Supporting Students in Distress