Counseling and Psychological Services

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Learning to take care of your mental health prepares you for a lifetime of overall well-being. Our professional counseling staff supports students as they learn skills to reach their full potential.

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) provides a wealth of services and is free for any degree-seeking student.

CAPS is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.–12 p.m. and 1–5 p.m.

Call our office (616.395.7945) during regular business hours to schedule a time to speak to a CAPS staff counselor. Students will have the option of either in-person sessions or virtual sessions with a counselor.

After-Hours Crisis Service

When the CAPS office is not open, a crisis on-call service is available for students who are in significant distress, especially those who are concerned about the potential of harming themselves or someone else. To access the on-call service, call the CAPS number (616.395.7945). In the case of an emergency in which an individual's safety has already been compromised, call 911.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Statement

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) celebrates, embraces and affirms the diverse identities students bring to Hope College. We offer a safe and trusting space, inclusive of all beliefs, values and attitudes, which allows for the healing and supportive discovery of emotional, intellectual and social development.

CAPS staff appreciate and respect the race, color, ethnicity, language, national origin, ancestry, religion/spirituality (or lack thereof), veteran status, physical and mental abilities, size and appearance, family status, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information and socioeconomic status of all persons who enrich our campus community.

We recognize that identities are multiple and intersectional, and, too often, have been marginalized. Oppression, discrimination, bias and invalidation are all harmful forces that impair emotional and physical well-being. We invite all students to explore our services and look into how we can best support their needs. If you experience barriers as a result of a chronic medical condition, mental health, physical or sensory disability, an injury or temporary condition, learning disability and/or ADHD, contact Hope's Disability and Accessibility Resources Office.

CAPS counselors follow and practice the multicultural guidelines and standards provided by the professional organizations in which they are members, such as the American Psychological Association (APA) and the National Association of Social Workers (NASW).

Many students experience personal, relational, spiritual, social or academic difficulties they cannot fully resolve on their own. We offer tools to help you:

Address personal problems that interfere with academic success
Adjust to college life, pressures and changes
Resolve life crises that threaten success in college
Explore questions of faith and how that impacts daily living
Cope with problems which stem from medical or physical concerns
Provide referral for medication evaluation
Succeed in college while coping with mental illness

Our team provides individual and group therapy for students, orientation for parents, training for faculty and staff, and stress-reducing events during exam weeks.

Would you like to know more? Call our office (616.395.7945) to schedule a time to speak to a CAPS staff counselor. After a few initial questions, you'll hear about opportunities and work with our professional team to determine next steps.