The university remains open, with emergency management protocols activated and operational modifications and precautions in place. Read the latest updates.
Due to recommendations from the CDC, State of North Carolina, and UNC System related to COVID-19, the ASU Counseling & Psychological Services Center (the Counseling Center) is not offering in-person Let’s Talk consultations until further notice. However, we are excited to offer a virtual version of this service, Let’s TeleTalk. Let’s TeleTalk is a program that provides easy access to informal, brief, confidential one-on-one consultations with Counseling Center counselors. Let’s TeleTalk provides informal consultations to help students address specific problems and to familiarize them with the process of talking to a counselor. Let’s TeleTalk consultants can share helpful resources, offer their perspective on a student’s concerns, and assist in learning how to help a friend; additionally, they can help students determine whether formal counseling at the Counseling & Psychological Services Center would be useful and, if appropriate, assist students in scheduling an appointment. Although Let’s TeleTalk counselor consultants are mental health professionals, this service is not intended to be a substitute for psychotherapy or emergency services and does not constitute mental health treatment.
Disclaimer: While we strive to ensure the confidentiality of Let’s TeleTalk sessions, there are privacy risks associated with any online platforms.
Let’s TeleTalk is available at the times listed below. If you are interested, please use the link at the designated time to join a Zoom meeting with a Let’s TeleTalk counselor consultant via Engage. Students will be seen individually for a 15-20 minute consultation on a first-come, first-served basis. There may be a wait in the virtual waiting room if the counselor consultant is seeing another student. Please wait and we’ll be with you as soon as we can.
"All Let’s TeleTalk sessions through the Spring 2021 semester will be held virtually via Zoom. They are offered weekly on Tuesdays 1-3pm (February 9-May 4) and Wednesdays 2-4pm (February 10-May 5). To find the Zoom links and more information, please visit https://engage.appstate.edu/organization/counseling-psychological-services-center/events and click on the Let's TeleTalk shift you would like to attend. PLEASE NOTE: These event pages will not be visible unless you first log in to engage.appstate.edu with your App State username and password."
-provided by Appalachian State University Counseling Center
-take place online with a counselor consultant from the Counseling Center
-free of charge
-confidential
-offered on a first-come, first-served basis
-brief and informal (not a clinical service and not a substitute for ongoing counseling)
"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, and usually there is not much of a wait.
Who should visit Let’s TeleTalk?
Students come to discuss a variety of topics, including:
Stress
Worry/Anxiety
Cultural barriers
Building friendships
Roommate struggles
Difficulty concentrating or paying attention
Financial struggles
Sadness
Adjustment/Culture shock
Problems in relationships with romantic partners, friends, family, roommates, faculty, etc.
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
What happens at a visit to Let’s TeleTalk?
The counselor consultant will listen closely to your concerns, possibly ask questions, and provide support, perspective, and suggestions for resources. When you join the zoom meeting, you will be placed in a virtual waiting room and be seen on a first come, first serve basis. You may have a short wait if the counselor consultant is meeting with another student.
Let’s TeleTalk visits are confidential. Are there any limits to confidentiality?
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 someones care
Court ordered requests for information
Information shared at Let's Talk is maintained by the Counseling Center and not included within educational records.
Who are the Let's TeleTalk counselor consultants?
The counselor consultants are mental health professionals who are employed by the Counseling & Psychological Services Center and work in that setting as well as working at Let's Talk locations. Check out the bios of the Spring 2021 semester Let's Talk counselor consultants:
Staff Counselor, Groups Coordinator
(Pronouns: she, her, hers)
Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor in North Carolina, Registered Expressive Arts Therapist
Graduate Program: Master in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Graduate Certificate in Expressive Arts Therapy, Appalachian State University
Masters Internship: Counseling & Psychological Services Center, Appalachian State University
Audrey is a generalist by training, and as such enjoys working with students with a broad variety of presenting concerns. These commonly include anxiety, depression, relationship issues, trauma, grief, and eating concerns. Special areas of interest include group therapy, campus outreach, connecting with traditionally under-served student populations, and the therapeutic use of art for healing and self-expression.
Audrey uses an integrative, person-centered approach to therapy that draws on mindfulness, interpersonal processing, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and expressive arts therapy. She strives to incorporate a multicultural perspective into her work, acknowledging and valuing the many identities that shape her clients' unique experiences in the world. She places great importance on authenticity, support, challenge, and even humor in her sessions.
Staff Psychologist
(Pronouns: he, him, his)
Doctorate Program: La Salle University
Doctoral Internship: Immaculata Consortium: Belmont Behavioral Hospital Outpatient Program
Matt has experience working in inpatient psychiatric hospitals, community mental health clinics, and college counseling centers and has worked with most varieties of psychological distress and illness. He has particular interests in mindfulness-based interventions and psychosis, but believes that all varieties of psychological distress inform aspects of the human experience.
Initially, Matt focuses on building understanding and appreciation of others’ experience, and drawing out the processes which contribute to distress. After mutually acceptable consensus is reached, he will likely encourage informed and relevant experimentations in self-awareness practices, daily habits, and styles of interaction. Matt’s primary training is in cognitive-behavioral and mindfulness-oriented treatment approaches, and is informed by a variety of perspectives, including evolutionary, psychodynamic, existential and transpersonal.
Let's TeleTalk visits are never reported on a student's official university record.
We don't want anything to be a barrier to students accessing help. If you have further questions about confidentiality, we encourage you to discuss them with a Let's Talk counselor consultant.
If you have further questions about Let’s TeleTalk, please contact: Dr. Emily Lazar
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.
The Counseling Center offers after-hours emergency coverage for urgent mental health concerns such as suicidal thoughts, sexual assault, and other trauma. Call the Counseling Center at 828-262-3180 and select the option to speak with the counselor on-call.
For additional resources see our Emergency Services page.
