Counseling and Psychological Services - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Humna Fatima

They claim to care about student’s well-being and mental health but today there is an unexpected thunderstorm and severe weather warning due to which I could not make my appointment and they still wanna charge me a cancellation fee.

They said it’s because I called too late (literally a couple of minutes late) but it was because I had been too taken aback by the rain and was trying to figure out how to go about it since I’m wearing a dress and flats, have a bag that wasn’t zipping properly and only a mini umbrella that most likely could not withstand the rain. I was under the impression that there is a 15-minute grace period. What’s the point of having a grace period if people cannot benefit from it when they need to?

Also, they don’t really offer any ongoing therapy services. They just refer you to an outside therapist, which just sounds like jumping through hoops when I could just call an outside therapist myself and not deal with all of this.

Ali Michaels

If I could give no stars I would. Experiences like the one I had are the reason people don't pursue help with their mental health. They wasted my time and allowed me to sit there crying without checking on me or even offering me a tissue. The 2 women in the room just continued to stare at me and type on the laptop before agreeing I wasted my time coming in there since they couldn't do anything to help me. This office is the biggest joke for "mental health services" I have ever seen. A well-known, large school like UNC should be absolutely ashamed of the lack of care they provide. Don’t walk, run away from here!

Zac T

My first experience with CAPS was great—every experience since then has been just as others describe.

The way their services/funding is structured, students only have access while taking classes. So while students are the most busy and least available is when we also get to make time for our “mental health” using what little CAPS has to offer—which usually just consists of pushing you away to outside therapists.

I found this out the hard way when I tried to go in over the summer and could not. I had to pay $100 just to get an appointment, thinking it would be worth it as I would get to see them all summer. NOPE, I went in and they said find an outside therapist and I had to practically beg for more help, which was just one more appointment—which we spent looking for outside therapists.

(I’ll add, I’m broke and that $100 went to my student account which was covered by loans, so seeking help from CAPS is costing me meals and adding interest over time)

So much potential here, but sadly you could ask any student on campus what they think about CAPS and it will perfectly reflect these reviews. What a shame.

If anyone is really seeking help, just skip this step and find an outside therapist or ask CAPS to connect you directly with a referral coordinator—especially since that’s really all CAPS is..

Callie

I've had an awesome experience using CAPS this semester. I was connected with a clinical psychology student for my brief therapy and a psychiatrist and they have both been wonderful. I was also given tons of resources for therapy both inside and outside of CAPS for the future. If anyone is hesitant about going to CAPS I would highly suggest going in for an initial assessment. Obviously everyone's needs are different, but I found it to be extremely helpful!

b.m rosie

When I came to UNC, I was very impressed to learn of the CAPS services. However, when arriving for help, I was disappointed that all they could do is refer me to an external therapist . Some students are drowning in debt, during a pandemic, and it would be nice if CAPS could work with students more, as oppose to turning them away (since our fees help pay for it). Not everyone has the money for therapy and some people do not even bother seeking help (like the kid that just tried to commit suicide).

Charlotte Traywick

My experience at CAPS was nothing like all these negative reviews are saying. I went to the initial assessment and was greeted cheerfully and given a clear understanding of the process. The provider I saw was friendly, understanding, and supportive. Since I was in need of both short- and long-term counseling (which they do not provide), my provider and I worked out a solution where she would help me find a long-term provider and in the meantime would schedule some weekly appointments with me so that I was not left without support. I did not get a Google search print-out. She emailed me names and numbers of three providers who are in-network and specialize in the type of care I was seeking.

Overall, I would highly recommend this place for people who are struggling. If you're confused or are displeased with the service, communicate it! Ask for clarification. Let them know what it is that you need or what went wrong. They have an email and phone number for this.

Super happy this place exists, and that I (and others) have got a place to go to for support.

Jeffrey Gresham

Terrible. Just go off campus. Not only are therapists flat out mean, but they don't help at all. CAPS refers students out because the university does not want the liability of treating students. It's as simple as that. The school literally has a billion dollar endowment. There's no reason why funds shouldn't be given. Save yourself some time and a painful experience and go else where.

Jenny Jiang

I was experiecing a difficult time on campus spring 2020 due to stress and ultimately caused me to diagnosed with GAD and major depressive disorder. First thing, they had me fill a questionnaire and then have a consultation with one of therapist to get an idea of what was going on with me as well as giving me the chance to tell my story. They then referred me to another therapist at CAPS, and I had Erin Scott as my assigned therapist. Erin was amazing, she allow me to take the time to talk about what had happened to me, and basically allowed me to vulnerable in front of her and talk my story to her in a very comfortable setting. She was super understanding, very kind and considerate, and takes her job very seriously. I felt lucky to have her as my therapist, honestly. I was also referred to see a psychiatrist as well, Todd Colucci. He was doing his job, but the first day I went to see him, it slightly made me slightly uncomfortable and awkward because he started to talk about things that were not tangent to what was going on. I was not sure if he was trying to lighten the mood up, but I felt kind of weird being that I expose my vulnerability to him and I broke down. I am not sure about the negative reviews experienced by other students, but personally for me, I had a good experience with CAPS.