Counseling and Wellness Center

During regular office hours, counseling is available either in-person or by telehealth (Zoom). There is a doorbell to ring for admittance if needed.

There are multiple ways to make an appointment:

• CounselingCWC@stmartin.edu
• 360-688-2016
• Or just come by in person!

Please note: If you have returned home to an out of state location, CWC counselors may not be able to provide counseling due to the need to be licensed in the state the client receives services. If so, you may access a therapist through TimelyCare, which is available in all fifty states and internationally, or one of the CWC staff will assist you in locating counseling services in your area.

What is a skills-based workshop?

Purpose: Wellness skill building

Workshops are different from “typical” group therapy because they are structured and have a specific topic for each meeting. Participation is encouraged, but if you wish to be an observer you will still gain important information. 

So why the group setting? Meeting in a group has a number of benefits! It helps remind people that they are not alone in needing additional tools to support their wellness and it brings different perspectives! Someone may even ask the facilitator a question you had not considered but is relevant to your situation and you might appreciate the information!

The CWC’s skill-based workshop is Hacking Your Headspace, a 4-week long rotating workshop with a new skill emphasized each week. This workshop offers students an opportunity to expand their mental health toolkit and receive a small gift!  The workshop is open to all students and no appointment is required. Some students attend to supplement their individual therapy and others are brand new to any kind of mental health care. All are welcome!

The topics may include:

• Stress management
• Improving sleep
• Understanding and managing emotions
• Navigating healthy relationships
• Have an idea for a new topic? We’d love to hear from you!  

Email us topic ideas

The Marty Newsletter, flyers, and marketing screens across campus will provide the most updated information regarding days (with their corresponding topic), times and location of Hacking Your Headspace. You are also welcome to stop by the Counseling Center with questions or for more information.

Fall 2025 Hacking Your Headspace

12-1 p.m. at Raven’s Haven (HH room #109)
Weekly Wellness Workshop
All students welcome! Drop-in/no appointment required
Free!!

• Stress management (Sept 18th & Oct 16th): 
  Take a stress Quiz and discuss various types of stress
• Improving sleep (Sept 25th & Oct 23rd): 
  Exploring barriers and techniques to improve sleep
• Emotional regulation (Oct 2nd & Oct 30th): 
  Exploration of the relationship between thoughts, emotions and behaviors
• Healthy relationships (Oct 9th & Nov 6th): 
  Learn about your communication styles and better understand your own needs.

Purpose: Community

Peer support groups differ from workshops in a few important ways. First, the therapist is not a presenter, but rather someone to help facilitate peer communication and empower students to participate in a manner that honors their needs. Groups are usually created for peers with shared experiences. The students choose topics of conversation and the therapist invites supportive dialogue. Students often appreciate sharing space with peers who make them feel seen, understood and less alone while navigating practical problem-solving together. 

Currently, the CWC offers the peer support group SOGI Sanctuary! This group is for students who may be looking for community and shared space to discuss topics related to sexual orientation and gender identity. Students can join SOGI by scheduling an initial consultation appointment at the CWC and letting their therapist know they’re interested in the SOGI peer support group. Weekly participation in group is not required; however, it is encouraged because consistency helps build community and support students' wellbeing. Students are welcome to engage in the conversation to the degree they are most comfortable.

As always, the CWC cares about the needs of SMU students and so if you know of a group that would benefit from creating a peer support group please contact us!

Phone: 360-688-2016
Email: counselingCWC@stmartin.edu

TimelyCare provides free - no insurance required - confidential counseling to all students upon school registration and has an average student satisfaction rating of 4.87 out of 5. Once care is requested, the average wait is only 4 minutes. Timely Care can be used 24/7, from anywhere, and sessions are encrypted for your privacy. Language options are available.

Also available through TimelyCare is a prescription savings card that can be used to save an average of 60% on brand-name and generic prescriptions.

TimelyMD has partnered with Violet, the first health equity platform, to advance health equity among college students. 

A first-of-its-kind partnership in higher education, Violet works with TimelyCare providers to upskill cultural competence and deliver identity-centered care coordination, with a goal of closing disparity gaps for diverse students across the country.

Sign in to TimelyCare Watch TimelyCare video

Emergency mental health or medical care?

Please call 911, or go directly to the nearest emergency room. If you are on campus, Providence St. Peter Hospital is the closest emergency room location.

Additional emergency resources

Additional mental health resources and assistance - all available 24/7 and free of charge

• Call 360-754-1338, available 24/7 for mental health crisis services in Thurston, Mason and Lewis counties
• www.crisistextline.org/text-us, or text HOME to 741741
• suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Medical concerns

Connect with the Student Health Center for emergency medical resources or head to your nearest emergency room. In an emergency, please call 911.

The graduate training program at the CWC is an opportunity to develop and practice clinical and professional skills within a university setting. Our professional team of licensed mental health professionals and graduate trainees provide clinical counseling services, crisis intervention, assessment, consultation, psycho-education, wellness workshops, resource development, and support to the Saint Martin's student body.

In our graduate training program, knowledge and experience are advanced through direct clinical work with individuals and groups of students, and through multidisciplinary collaboration with the Student Health Center, Disabilities Support Services, Residence Life, Dignity Center, Public Safety, Academic Advising and other departments as needed. Community resources and care coordination is provided for students requiring specialized or longer-term treatment. All services are confidential and free to students enrolled at Saint Martin's.

Download brochure and application

Since a large portion of our student body is active on social media, we utilize Instagram as a platform to promote center events, prompt community members to consider certain mental health practices, and celebrate inclusive, diverse and holistic healthcare. There are potential risks* and benefits** that students may experience while engaging with social media for mental health support.

* The risks include the following:

• Social media content alone may not be sufficient to support an individual’s mental health needs. We emphasize that our Instagram posts are meant to be educational and not as a substitute for clinical mental health care.
• The amount of screen-time each individual can engage with before feeling adverse effects varies. We encourage users to be mindful of how their body and mind feels and reacts to engaging with this form of screen-time.
• While we don’t disclose identifying information about our clients or their engagement with our center, we cannot fully ensure that student engagement with our Instagram account is private or confidential.
  • To enhance student privacy and confidentiality, we have turned off commenting features on our posts. We do not connect, link or tag personal social media accounts for Saint Martin’s students and/or employees.

** The benefits students can gain from engaging with our Instagram account include:

• Increased college student mental health literacy, coping skills and other ways to promote wellbeing.
• Familiarity with our services and other campus resources to promote student wellbeing.
• Validation knowing they are not alone in managing mental health concerns as college students.

In addition, please note that:

• To encourage appropriate and timely response to student mental health needs, commenting and messaging features on our Instagram account are turned off and students are encouraged (on our account bio section) to refer to our website for information on how to connect with us (via phone, email or in-office visits) and appropriate crisis/emergency response services.