Behavioral Health and Psychiatry Services

Tools and resources to support your mental health

On-Campus Services

Our team members are licensed clinicians from counseling, social work, chemical dependency, psychology, and psychiatry. Our therapists are trained to help you explore your thoughts and feelings while providing support and nonjudgmental listening. We are a confidential resource on campus that includes both therapy and medication management options for behavioral health concerns. For psychotherapy services, our clinicians use a brief therapy model. This means that our approach focuses on short-term, goal-oriented treatment rather than long-term, open-ended therapy. A brief therapy model typically involves a limited number of sessions with a clear focus on addressing specific issues or achieving specific goals.

There are many reasons a student may seek out counseling. They may be seeking support over academic stress or relationship troubles. They might be struggling with living away from home for the first time or the death of a loved one. They might be feeling anxious or upset frequently and having trouble working through their feelings on their own. These are just a few examples of the kinds of struggles with which counseling can help. If you are struggling and need support, please call to set up an appointment today.”

All services begin with an evaluation to assess your circumstances and needs to ensure we are able to offer an appropriate level of care. Intake appointments are your first therapy session in which you talk with a therapist about your current concerns and your goals for counseling. You may be asked to complete surveys prior to, or at the start of your visit. During the appointment, your therapist will talk with you about your presenting concerns, as well as ask questions about your mental health history, identities, social supports, coping patterns, and other relevant aspects of your life. This helps your therapist to understand not just your concerns and symptoms, but also your strengths and protective factors that can be helpful in your treatment plan. Your provider will then work with you to develop a treatment plan, including any diagnosis and recommendations. If a student is assessed at the outset or at any point during treatment to need different or more consistent or intensive services than we can offer, we will assist with linking to appropriate resources in the community.

If you currently have a treating provider for your behavioral health, and you are able to maintain that relationship while you are at Denison, we encourage you to continue that relationship to maintain continuity of care. Students seeing providers off campus can utilize telehealth rooms in the Hoaglin Wellness center for virtual appointments and can still access Hoaglin services for urgent concerns.

Reserve a Teletherapy Room

To schedule an appointment at Hoaglin Behavioral Health and Psychiatry, please call 740-587-6200. If you are a returning client, you can call and request to resume with your previous clinician or message them directly via MyChart. For urgent or immediate concerns, you can connect with a licensed clinician through Denison’s 24/7 On-call Counseling Service at 740-587-6647. Students can access the service whether at home, on campus, or studying abroad. For additional support lines, view additional resources.

Individual Counseling

Ultimately, students are the agents of their mental health. Entering into counseling with a licensed clinician is a collaborative effort, which is available to all students at Denison and through our partnership with OSU Wexner Medical Center.

Hours & Appointments

Same Day Crisis Clinic Appointments

Hoaglin Behavioral Health & Psychiatry holds Crisis Clinic hours Monday through Friday from 2-4 p.m. to address imminent mental health concerns. These appointments are brief stabilization visits reserved for students experiencing acute distress related to events such as suicidal thoughts/behaviors, acute trauma, and other urgent safety concerns. We ask that students in crisis arrive by 3:20 p.m. to allow appropriate time to address their concerns.

In addition, all enrolled Denison students always have access to the Denison 24/7 on-call counseling service at 740-587-6647. Students can call this service anytime, from anywhere.

Hours & Appointments

24/7 On-Call Counseling Service

For urgent or immediate concerns, you can connect with a licensed clinician through Denison’s 24/7 On-call Counseling Service at 740-587-6647. Students can access the service whether at home, on campus, or studying abroad. For additional support lines, view additional resources.

Psychiatric Care

Our partnership with the OSU Wexner Medical Center includes medical providers who are able to prescribe and manage most medications for students. A combination of counseling and medication management may be most helpful for managing symptoms and improving overall well-being.

Help Others in Distress

Counseling staff can consult with members of the Denison community about counseling or mental health related concerns pertaining to a student. As always, our confidentiality policies are in place. Contact the Wellness Center for more information or report a concern for a student.

Groups & Training

Check out the group and workshop offerings for Spring 2026! Sign up on What ToDU.

DBT Skills Group

Participants will learn how to practice mindfulness, navigate distress, manage emotions, and improve relationships. Sessions focus on a new skill or strategy and include check ins on weekly diary cards for putting these skills into practice.

Thursdays at 11:30am AND Fridays at 3:30pm – Hoaglin Counseling Group Room

Roll For Courage: TTRPG Group

Roll for Courage uses tabletop role-playing games (TTRPG) to learn how to navigate stressful social situations. Players can expect to get hands-on practice with boundary setting, problem solving, and collaboration – all while solving a fun mystery! Interested? Email Gamemaster Kelsey Wynne (wynnek@denison.edu) for more info!

Dates/Times TBD

3Ts of ADHD

Join one of our staff counselors, Sheila Jones, LISW-S, as she presents about how and why the mind functions the way that it does when a person has ADHD, and learn how to implement practical skills that help manage Time, complete Tasks, and maximize your Talents!

March 2 at 4pm – Hoaglin Multipurpose Room

Small Changes, Big Results: Four Steps to Developing Better Habits

Referencing the book Atomic Habits, come learn strategies that can be used to help establish, implement, and maintain healthy, adaptive habits to help your day-to-day functioning!

March 10 at 4pm – Hoaglin Multipurpose Room

Anxiety Management Workshop

Coming back from spring break got you worried about the semester and your classes? Concerned about relationships on campus? You’re not alone! Join one of our licensed counselor, Clayton Schmidt, LPCC, and discover the 10 “best” anxiety management techniques to get you through feeling overwhelmed and overthinking!

March 25 at 3:30pm – Hoaglin Multipurpose Room

Practically Imperfect: Improv Workshop

In this workshop, participants will engage in improv games to practice breaking out of perfectionist thoughts patterns and learn how to apply the principles of improv into their everyday life!

April 1 at 11am – Hoaglin Movement Room