About Us

CAPS Mission, Vision and Purpose

Mission

To serve as an essential mental health resource for UCF students by providing high quality culturally competent, clinical and outreach services and a nationally renowned training program.

Vision

To enhance the lives of students by reducing the impact of phase of life and mental health challenges, elevating resiliency and minimizing the interruption of their academic pursuits.

Purpose

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is a free-of-charge campus agency designated to provide culturally and trauma informed services to university-enrolled students. We seek to strengthen student success by minimizing the interruption of learning caused by mental health concerns. During normal operations, CAPS offers initial assessments, brief individual counseling, group therapy, workshops and educational presentations on a variety of topics, crisis intervention and daily walk-in services, and professional consultations to staff, faculty, students and parents. We offer services in an atmosphere that is welcoming and comfortable for all students regardless of race, gender, ethnic background, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, citizenship, or physical status.

Please explore our website to learn more about us to determine if you might benefit from our services.

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is accredited by the International Accreditation of Counseling Services, Inc. (IACS) since 2004. This means that UCF CAPS meets the highest standards of university counseling center practices and professional services. Due to this accreditation standard, we do not do mandated counseling.

What is Brief Counseling

The therapy process is aimed at helping you resolve personal difficulties and acquire the skills, attitudes, coping, and knowledge necessary to succeed in the college environment and to create a satisfying and productive life. During this time of new challenges and significant changes, counseling can assist you with the adjustment and personal growth necessary to cope with the competing demands of school, family, work, and social pressures. Most students only need a few sessions to get back on track.

Most students who come to CAPS use an average of 4-6 individual sessions, being seen every other week. (some use less, and some use more). If you are needing more individual therapy sessions beyond this brief model, CAPS will help you connect with a community provider for longer term or ongoing care, or transfer you to a CAPS therapy group that meets weekly, if that is appropriate. Your therapist will take many factors into consideration to decide what is the best next step for you. Some students may begin treatment in group therapy, as group therapy may be a more effective mode of treatment for your concerns. For more information on groups and workshops , go to the groups page.

Our staff is comprised of licensed (or license-eligible) psychologists, mental health counselors, social workers and marriage and family therapists and graduate level therapist-in-training who provide a confidential environment in which you may explore and resolve issues of concern.

CAPS therapists speak and offer therapy in the following languages: English, Spanish and additional languages.

Students seek services at CAPS for a variety of concerns, including:

CAPS Values and Strategic Plan

Accessibility

Provide high quality, barrier-free clinical services that minimize interruptions to student learning and aid in the development of skills needed to function optimally while enrolled and after graduation.

Student Centered

Student voices are heard and are at the heart of the development and implementation of our programs and services. Develop and train graduate students and other emerging professionals, who are ethical, versatile, clinically and culturally competent and aware and who provide highly skilled services to a wide range of clients.

Collaboration

CAPS works together with on-campus stakeholders as well as community providers and other Counseling Centers both locally and nationally to foster meaningful and collaborative liaison and consultative relationships with relevant offices, colleges, student leaders and organizations. Provide excellent primary prevention through mental heal education and student development programming.

Professional Excellence

CAPS strives for professional excellence and high quality ethical care and promote scholar-practitioner identity by developing and expanding CAPS research and scholarly activities that inform our clinical practice and contribute to the field of collegiate mental health.

Positive Work Environment

CAPS will create a workplace infused with creativity, collaboration, professional satisfaction, positivity, growth opportunities, and strong intra-unit communication.

Equity & Inclusion

Contribute to a highly inclusive campus as a beacon for equity, inclusion, and social justice in programming, service provision, recruitment, curriculum involvement, and advocacy.

Mindful Innovation

CAPS is committed to growth through creative and innovated ideas that are guided by best practice, scholarship, and conscientiousness.

Holistic Wellness

CAPS takes a holistic wellness approach to treating a person’s mental health issues through mind, body and spirit and considers alternative approaches to treatment.

Accessibility Statement

At the student’s request, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) will facilitate access and reasonable accommodations to enrolled eligible students to ensure services, programs and activities sponsored by CAPS are accessible.