Counseling and Psychological Services is committed to providing support for students on all three of Pacific’s campus, offering both in-person and virtual telemental health appointments. All of our clinicians are well-versed in handling the unique issues and concerns that impact our students, including anxiety, depression, stress management, relationship issues, substance abuse, trauma and more.
CAPS offers emergency / crisis intervention sessions from 12:00pm-4:00pm each weekday. These appointments can be accessed either in-person (on the Stockton campus) or virtually, and must be scheduled that day. We leave the decision of whether it is an emergency or not up to you. For more information about our emergency / crisis-intervention sessions please see When You Need Emergency Assistance.
We offer short-term individual therapy for students of Pacific. Individual therapy may help to clarify concerns, gain insight into yourself and others, and learn ways to most effectively cope or resolve problems. The first meeting with a therapist is structured to gain an understanding of you as a whole person, and the concerns that brought you to therapy. This allows you and the therapist to better set goals for what you would like to accomplish in therapy. Individual therapy works best when you have an idea of what you would like to talk about, feel motivated to do so, and are comfortable enough with the therapist to address your concerns. For these reasons, it is often helpful to think about what you would like to discuss during a therapy session, and to spend time between sessions reflecting on your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
The focus of relationship therapy is on the relationship that you have with your romantic partner/partners. Relationship therapy is offered to students on a short-term basis to help address a variety of issues, including communication skills, conflict resolution / problem solving, and other issues that may arise within a relationship. Only one of the individuals in the relationship must be a currently enrolled Pacific student. There is a small fee associated with these appointments if there are members of the relationship who are not enrolled Pacific students.
Group Therapy
Group therapy provides an opportunity for small groups of students to meet and share common concerns, explore personal issues, and learn new skills in a confidential setting under the guidance of trained group facilitators. It is often helpful to hear that other people in the group are currently or have experienced a similar concern, and ways they are trying to figure out how to work through the problem(s). The shared experience of facilitated group interactions helps promote a trusting, respectful, and inclusive environment where people can feel free to care about and help each other. Through helping others you can also learn to help yourself. Additionally, group therapy offers a safe environment where you can experiment with new ways of relating to people and expressing yourself. By taking risks you might discover what does or does not work for you.
Our consulting staff psychiatrist is currently available on the Stockton campus for in-person and virtual appointments (for all three campuses) on Monday mornings, Tuesday afternoons, and Wednesday mornings. Appointments to see her fill quickly; we recommend scheduling an appointment as soon as possible at the start of each semester. We can also help you find a local provider that currently accepts your student or private health insurance. Please contact CAPS at caps@vaftizo.com.
If you are a parent, a faculty member, a staff member, or a student who would like to speak to someone about a student of concern and it is during regular business hours please call our regular number (209.946.2315, extension 2) and ask to speak to an available CAPS staff member about your concern. If it is after hours, you can contact our 24/7 crisis therapist (209.946.2315 x3), submit a Care Referral to the Care Managers, or email us at caps@vaftizo.com.
RIO is a three week workshop offered by CAPS that focuses on Recognition, Insight and Openness. It is specifically designed for college students to develop a foundational awareness to handle their emotional concerns. Many students who attend RIO report that they have gotten all of their therapy needs met through these workshops. Each workshop focuses on teaching stress management skills and tools that can help build insight into their own concerns and values.
A special thank you to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, who graciously created this program and shared it with us.
RIO Learning Objectives
- To help you gain a deeper understanding of your issue;
- To help you become aware of your moment-to-moment experiences;
- To help you take the first steps toward becoming more open and accepting of your experiences; and
- To help you create a road map of change based on your personal values and goals.
When is RIO Offered?
RIO is no longer offered in person. Please access it virtually.
Virtual RIO Workshops!
You can virtually participate in RIOs 1, 2, and 3 by accessing our videos from our RIO Workshop Playlist. In order to best participate, please first download the Fillable Student Workbook.
This program works best if you take a few days a week between each workshop to practice the skills you have learned.
