Are you experiencing difficulties dealing with:
- Academic pressure
- Isolation and loneliness
- Sexuality
- Conflict or separation with family
- Friendship and love
- Stress and/or anxiety
|
- Substance use and abuse
- Depression and despair
- Death or loss
- Roommate disputes
- Relationship violence
- Cultural adjustment
|
We have experience working with students of all ages who have these problems. It helps to get support when things seem overwhelming. As a student of Foothill College, free and confidential personal counseling services are available.
Hours: Monday – Friday by appointment*
(during school sessions only)
New Campus Center, Room 2120
*For a confidential appointment, call (650) 949-7910, or go to the Office of Psychological Services & Personal Counseling, Room 2120 located on the Lower Level in the New Campus Center and speak with Jan Michelsen to schedule an appointment.
You will be asked to complete some basic paperwork (See Initial Appointment Forms) before your scheduled appointments. If your problem is urgent, please advise Jan and a same-day appointment may be made available.
Our Web address is: http://www.foothill.edu/vcc/psych.php
All services are free to current Foothill students!
faqs
What Does Psychological Services & Personal Counseling Provide?
- Brief individual and couples counseling.
- Crisis intervention services.
- Mediation for student/student or student/faculty conflicts
- Outreach and Prevention Services.
- Assessment, Information and Referral Services to campus and community resources.
Do I have to have a serious psychological problem to come to Psychological Services?
No. Students come to our office to discuss a wide range of problems. Students are encouraged to come in to discuss any type of concern, big or small.
Who are the staff?
Licensed mental health professionals and graduate school/post-graduate school interns working towards their license. They have many years of counseling experience in mental health organizations and community service settings.
What type of counseling do you provide?
We provide brief therapy. This means that we focus on solutions and achievable goals within a limited time (6-8 sessions). Although the length of time in counseling is limited, most students report feeling better after 1-2 sessions. The type of therapy that we use most of the time is called Cognitive-Behavioral. Basically this means that we focus on how students are thinking, behaving, and feeling in the here and now, rather than looking back at early childhood experiences. This type of therapy tends to be very effective in a short amount of time, which works well for our college setting. We teach self-help skills and assign homework or activities to do between visits to make our work together more productive. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is action-oriented, practical, rational, and helps the student gain independence and effectiveness in dealing with real-life issues.
What about privacy? Are the services confidential?
Yes, Psychological Services maintains a strict policy of confidentiality. No information is released without the student's written consent except where disclosure is required or allowed by law.
How do I get an appointment?
Simply call (650) 949-7910, or go to the Office of Psychological Services & Personal Counseling, Room 2120, located on the Lower Level in the New Campus Center, and speak with Jan Michelsen to schedule your first appointment. You will be asked to fill out some basic paperwork (See initial Appointment Form) before your scheduled appointment. If your appointment is urgent, please let Jan know and a same-day appointment may be made available.
We take the time to listen, make an appointment today
Foothill's Office of Psychological Services is not a 24-hour program, for after hours help please call:
24 Hour Suicide and Crisis Service
County of Santa Clara
(650) 494-8420 (408) 279-3312
psychological services staff
|
|
|
Melanie Hale
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Melanie is a licensed clinical social worker and full-time counselor for the Office of Psychological Services. She has over thirty years of clinical experience working with adult populations, youth and families. She earned her master's degree from Columbia University School of Social Work and a bachelor's degree in sociology from City College of New York. Melanie has worked in a variety of clinical settings prior to her beginnings at Foothill College in 1990. She has also served as part-time instructor and faculty field liaison for the graduate program at San Jose State University College of Social Work. |
|
|
Ernest Schmidt, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Ernie has been working in the field of mental health since 1996. He earned his Bachelors Degree in Psychology from the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California and his Masters Degree in Social Welfare from The University of California at Berkeley. Before joining Foothill in 2005, Ernie worked for the County of Santa Clara, where he provided therapy and counseling to young adults and their families, specializing in youth who were having difficulty adjusting to adulthood. Ernie spends his time at Foothill seeing students for individual, personal counseling and teaching various courses on stress and emotional wellness. In addition to working at Foothill, Ernie is affiliated with the Bay Area Pain Program in Los Gatos, where he provides pain management therapy to patients with chronic pain. He also sees individuals in his private practice. Ernie was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. He enjoys spending his personal time going on walks with his wife and daughter, playing tennis and traveling. |
|
|
There are also three counselor interns supporting Psychological Services this year, and they are:
Anahita Mazdiyassni
Anahita is a second year graduate student from San Jose State University School of Social Work, with a concentration in health and mental health. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science from SJSU, and worked in that field for some time before returning to school to follow her dream of becoming a counselor. Anahita has worked with New Directions Valley Medical Center and Gardner Family Care Corporation. She is fluent in English and Farsi.
|
|
|
Kristen Kurland
Kristen is a second year student from San Jose State's Masters in Social Work Program. Her special interest is working with people who have drug and alcohol addictions. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, with a minor in education. Kristen has worked with Children's Place, Foundation For Students Rising Above, and the PACT Parenting program, and also has experience working in the criminal justice system, and with young adults transitioning into college life.
|
|
|
Rebecca Ishii
Rebecca is a BSW Intern from San Francisco State University. Rebecca holds an Associate in Arts Degree in Liberal Arts and a Certificate in Communications from West Valley College. Rebecca has worked for Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in urgent care, OBGYN, pediatrics, and geriatrics, and has also worked with disabled students for the Educational Support Program for West Valley Community College. She is fluent in English, Spanish, and Japanese.
|
initial appointment forms
Please complete these forms and bring them to your first appointment. If you have any questions or concerns about this information feel free to talk directly with your counselor. (These are pdf documents that can be downloaded, viewed and printed with Adobe Acrobat Reader.)
Informed Consent
Student Information Form
classes offered
(Meets a Foothill GE Requirement!)
Stress, Wellness, and Coping
This class, taught by Ernest Schmidt, LCSW, is for anyone who wants to learn more about stress, depression and anxiety; specific and effective coping skills; and strategies and tools to help improve mental health and wellness. The class is also for those who are interested in the field of psychology and wish to learn what therapists do to help their clients in a variety of areas. For more information on this class, contact Ernest Schmidt at (650) 949-7020 or schmidternest@fhda.edu.
student comments
"I am extremely glad that Foothill College has the counseling services you provide. I don’t know what would have happened to me without your help. I might have dropped out of college without you to talk to. I don’t feel like I am powerless anymore."
"I found it helpful when you gave me exercises on assertiveness training. "
"You were very comfortable to talk to, very open, and helpful. Willing to help more than just one session."
"I felt very comfortable talking openly with the counselor. He made me feel/know he was concerned about me progressing with my problems. "
"You were patient with me whenever I started to cry- you didn’t push me to put on a false smile or false happiness, you let me recover. "
"The counselor seemed very sincere, kind, and genuine. It was a great experience, very helpful. "
"The counselor is bright, sensitive, and insightful. She tried in a limited number of sessions to life my spirits and to see the issues behind a course decision clearly. "
"Writing about my problems on paper helped me with my self-evaluations in my life. "
"I liked that these services are available on campus. I liked that I was encouraged to talk about all aspects of my problems-family, personal, etc."
"The counseling was extremely helpful. I always felt that I had been listened to. I was able to realize the things driving me to make decisions, and ways to cope."
