Counseling

Personal Counseling Services

Houston Community College Counseling Services provides time-limited, short-term counseling (approximately 3 to 5 sessions per semester) to currently enrolled students. The purpose of short-term counseling is to focus on personal issues that may prevent a student from achieving academic success. For longer-term counseling and other supportive services, counselors can help students make contact with appropriate community resources.

• • Anxiety and Depression
  • Goal-setting and Decision-making
  • Loss and grief
  • Positive Coping Skills
  • Title IX Issues
  • Stress Management Strategies

Confidentiality

Counselors practice under professional ethical standards that prohibit the disclosure of any information that students tell them during a counseling session, except by a written release from the student or under specific circumstances. Exclusions to confidentiality may include a risk of harm to self or others, abuse of a minor, elder or vulnerable adult, health or medical emergency, or other circumstances required by law. Counselors will review confidentiality and exclusions with you. 

Additionally, HCC Counselors encourage students who witness a crime or are a victim of a crime to contact HCC police at 713-718-8888. If students are off-campus and need immediate police assistance, they should dial 911.

Eligibility 

Currently enrolled HCC students are eligible to receive services through the Counseling Offices.  However, eligibility for individual counseling services may vary.

Questions may be directed to your counselor or the Director of Counseling and Ability Services at 713-718-7449.

ADA Counseling Services

Students with a need for reasonable classroom accommodations through our Ability Services office may visit our Ability Services Webpage.

If you are experiencing a mental health emergency, please call 9-1-1 for immediate assistance.

If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988, 1-800-273-8255 or Text “TALK” to 74174.

Options for Deaf and Hard of Hearing 1-800-799-4889.

• Harris Center for Mental Health (713-970-7000 Crisis 24-hour Hotline)
• Disaster Distress Helpline (1-800-985-5990 24/7 or Text "TalkWithUS" to 66746)
• Crisis Intervention of Houston (832-416-1177 24/7)
• The Veterans Crisis Line supports Veterans in crisis and their families and friends through a confidential toll-free hotline, online chat, or text. Veterans and their loved ones can call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1, or send a text message to 838255 to receive confidential support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
• Trans Lifeline 1-877-565-8860, is a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to the well-being of transgender people. We run a hotline staffed by transgender people for transgender people. Trans Lifeline volunteers are ready to respond to whatever support needs members of our community might have.

Additional Crisis Resources

Successful Learning Intervention Program (SLIP)

• Identify behaviors that lead to low GPA at HCC
• Change those behaviors in order to graduate from HCC
• Connect to counselors at HCC
• Realize the impact an academic suspension/probation has on student goals/plans
• Assess learning strategy strengths & weaknesses
• Assess and change career decision-related problems
• Connect to the HCC resources & staff available to help
• Identify, discuss, & change psychological barriers to success

Student Success Workshops

• Adjusting to an academic culture
• Anxiety & stress management
• Balancing school, work, & family
• Coping with problems in classes
• Drugs & alcohol abuse prevention
• Domestic violence prevention
• Healthy relationships & intimacy
• Identifying barriers to success
• Improving concentration, motivation, &information processing
• Motivation toward academic goals
• Reducing test anxiety
• Study Skills
• Time-management skills
• Support and advocacy