The Berry College Counseling Center is aware of the indeterminable number of events and situations that occur across the country and the world that have a detrimental impact on our students, campus and beyond. Whether or not these events garner media attention, impact each of us directly or are part of a greater human struggle, we are committed to helping each other navigate through difficult times and wish to extend our support to those who may need it. We want to remind the Berry Community that we are here to support you and encourage you to take care of your mental health. We are available weekdays from 8am-5pm and can be reached at 706.236.2259 if you need to make an appointment.
About Us
The mission of the Counseling Center is to provide high quality services and programs that foster the academic and personal development, as well as the psychological well-being, of Berry’s diverse student body. From outreach and prevention to crisis intervention, the Counseling Center is dedicated to supporting and empowering students to maximize their college experience and realize their fullest potential.
Diversity statement
The Counseling Center staff is gifted with the privilege of working with a diverse and talented student body. We understand that, while some aspects of one’s identity are readily apparent, others may be invisible. We appreciate that students’ identities are diverse and intersecting; impacting how students view the world and experience relationships and may have an effect on mental health in an important way.
Consistent with the Berry College’s diversity policy, our goal, as a staff, is to provide a safe, inclusive, and affirming environment that allows all students to reach their goals of growth and change. As a staff we are committed to providing services that honor students’ unique needs, concerns, and personhoods.
Policy on Recommendations Regarding Emotional Support Animals
Diagnosis of a psychological disability resulting in a prescription for an emotional support animal is a complex process that requires several sessions in order to understand the presence, intensity, and duration of various symptoms, degree of impairment in several areas of life functioning, and an evaluation of how an emotional support animal (ESA) would help mitigate symptoms and improve functioning. Because the Counseling Center has a very high demand for our services, and must be available to meet the mental health needs of our whole student body, our primary focus at the Counseling Center is to provide ongoing treatment and acute/crisis services. We do not have the resources to provide psychological work-ups for the purposes of disability documentation and ESA prescriptions. For these reasons, the Counseling Center will not issue letters of support for ESA’s.
Students that are interested in obtaining documentation of a disability with a prescription for an ESA accommodation under the Fair Housing Act, should seek this documentation from a prior medical or mental health provider or by starting a disability assessment process through local community resources. Documentation can come from a licensed medical or mental health professional, including psychiatrists and psychologists.
Please note, the Counseling Center discourages use of online resources that promise ESA support letters for a fee. These sources are usually fraudulent and the Academic Success Center (ASC) has communicated that they will not accept letters obtained in this fashion.
Make an Appointment
Appointments can be made by calling 706.236.2259 or coming by our office in The Ladd Center. Sessions typically last approximately 45 minutes and are usually scheduled in advance.
Office hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each weekday.
The Counseling Center is located in The Ladd Center. Enter through the doors near the 30-minute Ladd Center parking area.
All services are free to students.
It is important for students to understand that phone and email communications are NOT secure and there is some risk of breach of privacy beyond our control. Counselors will do their part talking in private spaces. Student clients are asked to do the same as much as possible, and to discourage having third parties present unless counselor and client have a prior agreement to include the third party.
Contact Us
Ladd Center
PO Box 490248
Mount Berry, GA
30149-0248
Phone: 706.236.2259
Hours: M-F, 8-5