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24-Hour Support | Call 315.443.8000
Syracuse University students experiencing a mental health crisis, seeking support for sexual assault or relationship violence, or needing urgent medical consultation can receive free confidential services 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling 315.443.8000. Please note, routine consultations should hold until the next business day.
Schedule a Counseling Appointment
Please note, there is a No-Show Fee.
Students scheduling a mental health appointment for the first time are asked to follow the instructions below.
- Have Syracuse University I.D. number and insurance information available.
- At this time, drop-in services are not available.
- Select one of the following ways to schedule an initial mental health appointment.
- Schedule using the Patient Portal. Visit the Patient Portal Instructional webpage to learn more.
- Call 315.443.8000, during this time students may request a same-day appointment.
Students who have attended a mental health appointment in the past are asked to follow the instructions below. Please note, Patient Portal scheduling is not available for returning mental health appointments.
- Have Syracuse University I.D. number and insurance information available.
- At this time, drop-in services are not available.
- Call 315.443.8000, during this time students may request a same-day appointment.
Explore opportunities and learn how to get started on the Group Counseling webpage.
Explore complete details on the Mental Health webpage.
Participating in Individual Counseling
Individual counseling can provide an opportunity to talk confidentially with an objective, caring professional about concerns and gain insights for a better understanding of one’s difficulties. These insights are then used to create a plan of action to carry out in one’s daily living.
- An initial consultation will be hosted during the first appointment. During this time, you will provide information about presenting concerns, relevant history and identify possible goals for counseling.
- At the end of the appointment, the therapist will provide related recommendations and options that best meet needs. During this time, students will have the opportunity to discuss the recommendations and make a plan for how to move forward. For issues that might be better served by long-term counseling, a referral to a community provider will be explored.
Participating in Roommate Mediation
A student’s living environment can have a significant impact on their mental health, well-being and academic success. Roommate Mediation provides Syracuse University students with a structured, supportive space to address and resolve conflicts with their roommates. Facilitated by trained staff from the Barnes Center Counseling team, mediation helps students improve communication, set clear expectations and create a more functional living environment.
Mediation can help with concerns such as:
- Communication challenges.
- Differences in lifestyle or habits.
- Conflicts over shared spaces or belongings.
- Setting boundaries.
- Interpersonal conflict.
- Addressing unmet roommate agreements.
Participation in Roommate Mediation is voluntary, and all roommates must be willing to participate. This service focuses on skill-building, understanding and collaboration. It is not the same as individual counseling or therapy and does not involve mental health treatment or diagnosis.
Students are encouraged to first partner with Residential Living staff for assistance with addressing roommate concerns. Students interested in mediation can request a referral through the Residential Living or by contacting the Barnes Center directly for more information.
Participating in Relationship Counseling
Relationship support services are available to Syracuse University undergraduate and graduate students. Please note, all participants must be Syracuse University students.
Relationship Enrichment is a psychoeducational experience designed specifically for intimate partners who want to strengthen their connection and build healthier, more fulfilling relationships. Facilitators and participants work collaboratively to identify and practice key relationship skills such as communication, stress management, conflict resolution, building intimacy and more. Relationship Enrichment is open to partners at any stage of their relationship, whether dating, engaged, married or in other forms of committed partnership.
Please note that this is not the same as relationship counseling or therapy. The focus is on skill-building and enrichment, not on processing specific relationship problems or challenges.
Relationship Counseling is a psychotherapeutic experience designed to help intimate partners explore and work through thoughts, behaviors and patterns that may be contributing to challenges in their relationship. The focus is on processing concerns and developing healthier ways of relating to one another.
Examples of reasons intimate partners may seek Relationship Counseling include:
- Adjusting to cohabitation.
- Navigating parenting roles together.
- Creating and maintaining intimacy.
- Healing after breaches of trust, including infidelity.
- Addressing sexual concerns.
- Strengthening emotional connection and trust.
This service is open to partners in any type of intimate relationship, at any stage of their partnership.
Family Counseling at the Barnes Center is available to families in which all participating members are currently enrolled Syracuse University students. This service is designed to help student family members navigate changes, strengthen communication and address relational challenges that may arise while attending college together.
Family Counseling can support enrolled student family members with:
- Adjusting to life cycle changes.
- Navigating feelings of homesickness.
- Fostering independent identity development while maintaining family connection.
- Managing family dynamics while living apart or together during college.
- Processing and healing from impactful childhood experiences.
- Resolving sibling conflict or other student-to-student family concerns.
- Responding to current family stressors, crises or relational challenges impacting well-being and connection.
Virtual sessions are available to student family members who are physically located in New York State at the time of the session. In-person sessions are available on campus at the Barnes Center at The Arch.