CPS has many free and confidential services available to assist you during your time at MSU. These include:

  • Brief individual counseling
  • Group counseling
  • Brief couples counseling
  • Consultation
  • Self-help resources
  • Crisis intervention
  • Assistance with community referrals
  • Seminars & presentations on mental health topics

CPS does not prescribe medication, though students can consult about medications at SHP Medical Services. CPS and its affiliated training program are accredited by the International Accreditation of Counseling Services and the American Psychological Association.

Scope of Clinical Practice Statement

At the initial intake, and sometimes during the course of treatment, it may be determined that the needs of a student fall outside the CPS scope of practice.  In these cases, your counselor may recommend referrals to community providers with more specialized or longer-term service options. Care management services are available to students who would like guidance and support connecting with referral resources.

Concerns/circumstances likely to fall outside of the CPS scope of practice:

  • Concerns that require frequent counseling sessions (i.e. more than one-time weekly appointments) or long-term care
  • Specialized or intensive treatment (e.g. Outpatient/Inpatient care for Eating Disorders)
  • Formal psychological assessments (e.g. ADHD, learning disability evaluations)
  • Mandated counseling or mental health evaluations
  • Services initiated for class credit or as a course requirement
  • Concerns being addressed concurrently by another mental health provider
  • Lack of consistent attendance/adherence to recommended treatment
  • Documentation for emotional support animals
  • Services initiated for the sole purpose of obtaining documentation for another office

At times, CPS clinicians may provide services that extend beyond the stated scope of practice. In general, these services are time-limited, individualized, and based upon considerations for client welfare and clinical judgment.

CPS remains available to all MSU students for crisis intervention, emergency services, and/or assistance accessing off-campus mental health resources, regardless of eligibility status.

Individual Counseling

CPS offers free and confidential short-term individual therapy to students seeking support for immediate concerns that are relatively well-defined and can be adequately addressed or effectively managed within a brief time frame. If referred to individual counseling, most clients find they need four to eight sessions to resolve presenting concerns. Your individual experience in counseling will vary depending on the issues you wish to address, your counselor’s approach, and your treatment goals. 

Single Session Appointment

A single session appointment provides students the opportunity to meet with a CPS counselor for support regarding a specific concern. It is meant to be a one-time only appointment and is ideal for students who have determined they are not in need of ongoing counseling services. Students who elect this option will not complete the intake process required for the establishment of on-going individual, couples, or group counseling services.

Relationship and Couples Counseling

CPS offers brief relationship counseling to students and their partner(s) when presenting concerns would best be addressed with all members of that relationship present. Recognizing and valuing the diversity of relationship compositions, CPS provides relationship counseling to all students and partner(s) as long as one person in the relationship is eligible for services.

Consultation

CPS staff provide consultation services to students, faculty, staff, and parents to aid in situations involving a mental health concern. Friends, parents, faculty, and staff often consult with our office when they are concerned about a student, and CPS can provide guidance regarding how to help the student in question. For faculty, staff, and parents, click here for more information.

Care Management & Referrals

For students who wish to participate in specialized or longer-term treatment, MSU has partnered with ThrivingCampus, which is an easy-to-use database of mental health providers in the Gallatin Valley.

If you are having trouble finding a provider, please call our office at 406-994-4531 to meet with our Care Manager who can assist you in finding a qualified professional in the community. 

Let's Talk Drop-In Hours

Not all students want or need on-going counseling and may just need a one-time meeting to get some input on smaller problems. Let's Talk allows students the opportunity to have a quick consultation with a CPS counselor who can provide their professional insight, as well as assist with referrals to CPS or other campus resources. 

Click here for Let's Talk times and locations. Please note that Let's Talk services are not intended for crisis situations or on-going counseling. To receive those CPS services, please call our main office at 406-994-4531. Let's Talk is for non-crisis consultation regarding smaller questions/issues.

Group Counseling

Group counseling can be one of the most effective strategies to address many of the issues and concerns commonly experienced by college students. Groups allow students to share their experiences with peers who can likely relate to their concerns and understand their difficulties. Group can also provide unique opportunities to increase our knowledge of self and others, connect across differences, learn new perspectives, and develop coping skills. There is no limit to the number of times you can come to group. 

Groups Spring 2024

Mindfulness Skills Group: Mondays 3-4 p.m. and Tuesday 4-5 pm in Swingle 

Develop a more balanced way of being through meditation, gentle yoga, and guided imagery technique.

Understanding Self and Others Group: Tuesdays 5-6:30 p.m.; Wednesdays 11-12:30 p.m. at Culbertson; Thursdays 3-4:30 p.m.

Feel less alone in your struggles by giving and receiving support and practicing new ways of relating to yourself and others.

Building Social Confidence: Mondays 11-12:30 p.m.

A space to learn to identify and acknowledge fears related to social interaction, reduce unhelpful thinking patterns, and strengthen effective social skills and behaviors.

Empowered to Heal: Wednesdays 3-4:30 p.m.

Open to female-identified survivors of unwanted sexual experiences and relationship violence.

Grief and Loss Support Group: Wednesdays 12-1p.m.

Gain support and connection after the death of someone significant in your life. 

Nourish: Body and Self: Tuesdays 2-3:00 p.m.

A space to connect with and support peers with similar struggles in their relationship to food and body image.

Substance Abuse Counseling

CPS provides counseling services to students who would like to address substance use concerns. 

Eligibility

All on-campus students are eligible to be seen at CPS for intake, crisis services, and group counseling. Unfortunately, students enrolled in online-only degree programs are not eligible for on-going counseling services at CPS.  

To be eligible for ongoing individual or couples/relationship counseling services, students must pay the health fee for the semester(s) during which they receive ongoing services.

  • Students who are enrolled in 7 or more credits automatically pay the health fee and no additional steps are necessary for eligibility.

  • Students enrolled in fewer than 7 credits that establish ongoing services at CPS will have the health fee added to their student account after the first ongoing counseling appointment.

  • Gallatin College students, regardless of the number of credits, are not automatically charged the health fee and as such, must pay the health fee to be eligible for ongoing services. The health fee will be added to Gallatin College students’ accounts at the first ongoing counseling session.

  • CPS offers relationship and couples counseling to students, where at least 1 person in the relationship is an eligible student.

  • Live-in partners/spouses of students residing in USH-Apartments are eligible for couples counseling. Spouses/partners of students residing inUSH-Apartments can also receive individual counseling services.

In the event that a student is not eligible to receive services at CPS, they may access ThrivingCampus or meet with our CPS Care Manager for assistance with referrals to counselors/agencies in the Bozeman area.

Confidentiality

CPS staff work closely with other providers at Student Health Partners including Medical, Psychiatry, and Nutrition Services. At times it is helpful to share treatment information to coordinate mental health care, and as an integrated agency, your providers may do so. Outside of Student Health Partners, CPS services are completely confidential within the limits of the law. The fact that you received services from our office, the reason for your visit, and the content of what was discussed are confidential and cannot be disclosed to anyone without your signed consent. This means that parents, professors, Residence Life staff, partners, coaches, friends, etc. will not be privy to your contact with CPS without your permission. CPS values your right to privacy and confidentiality and adheres to strict legal and ethical standards set forth by the State of Montana and the American Psychological Association. Exceptions to confidentiality include: 1) threat of harm to self/others; 2) report of abuse of minor children or dependent adults; 3) report of minor children witnessing abuse; 4) if records are subpoenaed by a court of law. 

Additional Campus Resources:

Depending on your needs, these MSU offices may be of interest or offer relevant resources.