Lets Talk! Drop in Consultation
Let's Talk Consultations
Consultations are held on:
- Mondays 10am-12pm (D.D. Dougherty Hall Room 214)
- Tuesdays 2:00pm-4:00pm (Plemmons Student Union Room 102 - Watauga River Room)
- Wednesdays 1:00pm - 3:00pm (Let's TeleTalk via Zoom (opens in a new tab))
- Thursdays 1:00pm-3:00pm (Plemmons Student Union Room 102-Watauga River Room)
Consultations are:
- Provided by Appalachian State University Counseling Center
- Conducted outside of the Counseling Center
- Free of charge
- Confidential
- Offered on a first-come, first-served basis - no appoinment needed
- Brief and informal (not a clinical service and not a substitute for ongoing or traditional counseling)
Frequently Asked Questions
Let's Talk was developed at Cornell University and has been implemented on a variety of college campuses. At Appalachian State, this program is available to enrolled students and provides easy access to informal and confidential support and consultation with counselors from the Counseling & Psychological Services Center (Counseling Center). Any student is welcome to visit any of our locations. There is no appointment or fee necessary. Students are seen on a first-come, first-served basis.
Students come to disucss a variety of topics, including:
- Stress
- Worry/Anxiety
- Cultural barriers
- Building Friendships
- Roommate struggles
- Difficulty concentrating/paying attention
- Financial struggles
- Problems in relationships with romantic partners, friends, family, roommates, faculty, etc.
- Adjustment/culture shock
- Sadness
- Relationship break-ups
- Homesickness
- Academic performance
- Sleep difficulties
- Sexual orientation/Gender identity
- Whether formal counseling may be a good fit for them
Although Let's Talk counselor consultants are professionals, Let's Talk is not a substitute for psychotherapy or formal counseling and doesn't constitute mental health treatment.
Let's Talk is not the best fit to address to psychological emergencies, such as recent traumatic events (e.g. a sexual assault), seeing/hearing things others do not, and concerns for immediate safety (including suicidality or homicidality). In these cases, students should seek help by walking in to the Counseling Center (first floor, Miles Annas Building) or, if outside of business hours, calling 828-262-3180.
Students should also contact the Counseling Center (or other psychological services provider to whom they have been referred) instead of going to Let's Talk in the following situations:
- Waiting to start services with the Counseling Center or another provider but wanting to be seen sooner
- Already receiving services at the Counseling Center or with another provider but desiring an earlier appointment
- Feeling dissatisfied with current services at the Counseling Center or with another provider
The counselor consultant will listen closely to your concerns, ask questions and provide support, perspective, and suggestions for resources. When you come to a Let's Talk location, look to see if the office door is open. If it is, please come on in. If the door is closed, please wait nearby for a few minutes until the counselor consultant finishes with the person they are talking with and opens the door.
Let's Talk is held at the following locations/times:
- Mondays 10:00am - 12:00pm (D.D. Dougherty Hall Room 214)
- Tuesdays 2:00 - 4:00pm (Plemmons Student Union Room 102 - Watauga River Room)
- Wednesdays 1:00 - 3:00pm (Let's TeleTalk via Zoom (opens in a new tab))
- Thursdays 1:00 - 3:00pm (Plemmons Student Union Room 102 - Watauga River Room)
Let's Talk provides space for a brief conversation or informal consultation and it should not be confused with or substituted for counseling or therapy services. This is a confidential service; however, we may need to share information with others in the event of:
- Any immediate risk of you ending your life or seriously harming someone else's life
- The abuse/neglect of minors, elders, or those who are dependent on someone's care
- Court ordered requests for information
Information shared at Let's Talk is maintained by the Counseling Center and not included within educational records.
Julia Padgett, MSW, LCSW-A
Post-Master's Resident
Pronouns: she, her, hers
- Master's Degree - Social Work with Individual/Family Concentration, Appalachian State University
- Master's Internship - Counseling & Psychological Services Center, Appalachian State University
Adriana Varela-St.Clair, M.A., LCMHCA, NCC
Staff Counselor
Pronouns: she, her, hers
- Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate in North Carolina, National Certified Counselor
- Graduate Program - Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Wake Forest University
- Masters Internship - Counseling Services, University of North Carolina School of the Arts
Feven Ghile, MACL
Doctoral Psychology Intern
Pronouns: she, her, hers
- Doctorate Program - Clinical Psychology, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology
- Master's Program - Clinical Psychology, Argosy University Northern Virginia
Matthew C. Morgan, Psy.D.
Staff Psychologist
Pronouns: he, him, his
- Doctoral Program - La Salle University
- Doctoral Internship - Immaculata Consortium: Belmont Behavioral Hospital Outpatient Program
If you have other questions not answered above please contact Adriana Varela-St. Clair.
The Counseling & Psychological Services Center at Appalachian State University is deeply indebted to the counselors at the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at Cornell University who pioneered and modeled "Let's Talk" and made it such a successful service at Cornell. Appalachian's Let's Talk program is based on Cornell's concept. With permission, some of the material from this website has been adapted or reproduced from the Let's Talk websites of Cornell University, Northwestern University, Southern Utah University, University of Minnesota, and the University of Notre Dame.
