Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Counseling Center open?
We are open for services from Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please call 617-747-2310 to get in touch with us. If we are not available when you call, please leave a message including your name, email address, phone number, and student ID. Please speak clearly and slowly so that we may accurately get your contact information.
Why do students seek personal counseling?
Personal counseling can help address the following issues:
- Depression or anxiety
- Adjustment to life at Berklee, in Boston, and/or in the United States
- Relationship problems with friends, roommates, parents, or a significant other
- Performance anxiety
- Procrastination or decreased motivation
- Communication issues
- Problematic drinking and/or drug use
- Trauma, assault, or harassment
- Loss, grief, or bereavement
- Concerns about sexual problems
- Developmental and identity issues
- Confidence and self-esteem
- Questions around sexual orientation
- Health and wellness
- Eating disorder and body image
- Sleep problems
Personal counseling can help alleviate signs of distress such as the following:
- Feeling tired, fatigued, or like everything takes a lot of effort
- Loss of interest in once-enjoyable activities
- Unexpected crying
- Bursts of anger or unusual irritability
- Recent changes in your sleeping patterns
- Recent changes in your eating patterns
- Feeling guilty or inadequate
- Social withdrawal
- Having thoughts about hurting yourself or suicidal thoughts
- Having panic attacks or experiencing intense physical discomfort for no apparent reason
What do I do if I am having a mental health emergency?
Getting Mental Health Support: Where to Turn
Immediate Danger or Life-Threatening Emergency
If you or someone else is in immediate physical danger, call emergency services right away.
Call 911 (or call Public Safety at x8888 if you are on campus).
Go to the nearest emergency room.
The closest hospitals to campus are:
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (330 Brookline Ave)
Tufts Medical Center (800 Washington Street)
Urgent Distress or After-Hours Crisis (24/7)
If you need to speak with someone immediately but are not in immediate physical danger:
Call or Text 988: The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline offers free, confidential, 24/7 support nationwide.
Use the TELUS Health App: Berklee students have 24/7 access to real-time phone, chat, or video counseling through the app. This is your best option if you are currently outside of Massachusetts.
During Business Hours (Berklee Counseling Center)
If you are looking for urgent care, stabilization, or routine support during the week:
Call 617-747-2310 or visit us at the Center.
Hours: Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm.
What we offer: We provide daytime crisis stabilization without an appointment to focus on immediate safety, as well as regular intake and ongoing counseling services. Please note: Our regular campus clinicians can only see you for telehealth if you are physically located in Massachusetts at the time of the appointment.
How do I contact a national crisis helpline?
If you need confidential, free support outside of the Berklee community, these national lifelines are available 24/7:
- 988: Call or text 988 to reach a trained counselor immediately.
- The Samaritans Helpline: Call or text 877-870-4673 for compassionate, anonymous support offered in multiple languages (based in Massachusetts but available nationwide).
- The Crisis Text Line Text: Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor over text message.
If I’m out of the state or the country, what services can I expect to receive?
Berklee now provides access to the Telus Health (formerly My SSP), which is a service that offers 24/7 crisis, real-time, brief, and solution-focused counseling with a dedicated clinician over phone, chat/text, or video, or in person. Services are currently available in English, Spanish, French, Mandarin, and Cantonese (simplified Chinese chat). These services are free to enrolled Berklee students.
TELUS Health is a great option for students who are traveling outside of Massachusetts, as Berklee's counselors are only licensed to work with students physically located in the state.
Along with immediate and scheduled short-term support, TELUS Health also provides free access to a variety of wellbeing resources such as informational articles, podcasts, assessments, videos, and virtual fitness sessions tailored to your specific needs. By partnering with TELUS, Berklee strives to make mental health support more accessible than ever before.