University Counseling

The University Counseling Center wants to explicitly and unequivocally express our support and love for our BIPOC students, colleagues, and community members who are uniquely grieving during this time of civil, political, and racial unrest, continued violence against black and brown bodies, and the global pandemic that has disproportionately affected racial and ethnic minorities. On a more intimate level, our immediate community is grappling with serious issues pertaining to institutional history, campus climate, and debates over a potential historic name change. These are challenging and potentially traumatizing times, and we at University Counseling acknowledge the heavy psychological toll of these realities. Know we are here to listen to your stories, to offer an outlet for your pain, and to humbly receive your feedback.

Washington and Lee University is committed to the development of the whole person. Therefore, a highly trained and experienced counseling staff is available to help students with a variety of difficulties that might impact not only a student's academic work, but overall sense of well-being. University Counseling provides direct psychotherapy services, assessment of academic problems, and (with student consent) collaboration with faculty, administrative personnel, or parents to provide necessary supports for struggling students. Psychiatric consultation is also available.

The University Counseling Center can help you with:

For Faculty

Recognizing and Responding to Students in Distress — a faculty handbook from the Campus Suicide Prevention Center of Virginia.
Creating a Culture of Caring — From Active Minds and the Association of College and University Educators comes this guide of applied methods that faculty can use to support student mental health and wellbeing

Mental Health Awareness for International Students

This short video provides an introduction to mental health and mental health services for international students in the U.S. The video seeks to demystify a complex topic, and covers mental health awareness and warning signs, dispels myths, and shows ways to seek treatment on college campuses.