Join us for Fall Open House - Oct. 15 and Nov. 18
This event will feature programming for our undergraduate, graduate, and Threshold programs. A vibrant campus community and access to endless opportunities—Lesley has it all. It's where student cohorts become lifelong catalysts, solving for today's complexities with full hearts and open minds.

Counseling Center

The Lesley University Counseling Center (LUCC) welcomes all students and wishes you all a meaningful, engaging, and successful academic year. We're here to support you on this amazing and life-changing personal and educational journey. Call or email to schedule a free and confidential collaborative planning session with a LUCC therapist to discuss options – specific to you!

Who we serve

The Lesley University Counseling Center is committed to providing ​short-term counseling ​support to Lesley students who are ​actively enrolled (​registered during the semester that they are seeking support in) in ​one of Lesley's degree-granting ​or Threshold programs and are physically located in Massachusetts for in-person or telehealth appointments. ​Our partnership with Riverside Community Care, which is located on our Doble Campus in 23 Mellen, now allows us to provide students with long-term referral support based on campus. Due to licensing restrictions, if you reside outside Massachusetts, our staff can provide a telehealth consultation to explore possible referral options in your home state.

How to contact us

To explore our services or to make an appointment, please call 617-349-8545 or email us at counselingcenter@lesley.edu.

Emergencies

Crisis Response Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA): 833-222-2030 (this 24/7 phone line is staffed by clinicians who will help you).

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: DIAL 988 
FOR IMMEDIATE HELP 24/7, CALL 988 or 1-800-273-8255 (988 brings you to this number), or for life-threatening emergencies, dial 911.
TEXT "HOME" to 741-741 to connect to a counselor.

During Lesley University Counseling Center Hours: In a crisis, contact us at 617-349-8545. We do not provide emergency services outside of our regular hours of operation, such as nights and weekends.

Outside Lesley University Counseling Center Hours: For emergencies, call 911 and then call Lesley Public Safety at 617-349-8888. If you live on campus, you can call a Community Advisor. You can also go to a local hospital emergency room, such as Beth Israel Deaconess (Boston), Cambridge Health Alliance, or Mount Auburn Hospital (Cambridge).

Know your health insurance coverage for emergency services. Have your insurance card with you when you go to the hospital. Learn more about Student Health Insurance.

Are you a faculty or staff member who wants to help support distressed or distressing students? Review our Red Folder.

  • Reasons You Might Reach Out to the Counseling Center
    • "I'm feeling overwhelmed."
    • "It feels like there aren’t enough hours in the day."
    • "I can’t get any sleep because my thoughts are racing."
    • "I'm looking for someone to talk to about how I'm feeling."
    • "School is freaking me out."
    • "I'm not feeling safe."
    • "My social battery is always low."             
    • "I'm withdrawing from friends and family."        
    • "I don’t feel like myself."                      
    • "I'm dealing with toxic relationships."         
    • "I'm having difficulty making decisions."
    • "I'm feeling unhappy."
    • "I'm feeling down."
    • "I feel disrespected/misunderstood."
  • Our Services

    Our model of care focuses on short-term and intermittent services with a collaborative approach that allows students to access multiple levels of support. Students will have the opportunity to engage with a LUCC therapist for individual therapy while being able to participate in monthly workshops, wellness programs, and group counseling.  LUCC therapists can assist students in identifying community-based referrals for longer-term services and support. Our LUCC therapists are responsive to many issues including but not limited to: ethnicity, spirituality, culture, romantic relationships, gender, gender expression, gender identity, body image, ability, and learning differences.

    Services include:

    • Short Term and Intermittent Services and Supports
    • Individual Therapy
    • Wellness Programs
    • Virtual Mindfulness Sessions
    • Workshops focused on Specific Topics
    • Same-Day and Urgent Appointments
    • Referral Support for Longer Term Community-Based Services


    LUCC strives to be responsive to the needs of the Lesley University community and will introduce programming throughout the academic year. If you have any ideas let us know. We want to hear from you!

    Check out our Instagram for updated programming and events.

    @lesleycounselingcenter

    @Cordeliathecounselingpug

  • New @ LUCC

    Introducing Let’s Talk to the Lesley University Community!

    A free, confidential space available for any student to have a brief chat with a LUCC therapist at various locations across campus. Don’t forget that it's free & confidential; 15-minute session, No Appointment needed; No Paperwork to complete; and there is No Commitment.

    LUCC is excited to present Yoga & Mindfulness Retreat Days during the Fall semester. These retreat days will offer a combination of yoga practices, mindful meditations, and discussion time. All members of the Lesley University community are invited to participate in this FREE event facilitated by LUCC Mindfulness Studies Graduate Intern & Lesley University student Rebecca Archer.

  • Cultural Humility and EDIJ Statement

    The staff at the Lesley University Counseling Center (LUCC) strives to incorporate cultural humility with every interaction we have with students and the wider Lesley University community. The staff at LUCC makes every effort to create an inclusive and validating environment for students at Lesley University to receive affirming services and supports. Collectively as a staff, we are committed to increasing our understanding and knowledge of best practices to support marginalized and underrepresented communities. Our LUCC team acknowledges people of color and folks who identify as LGBTQIA+, as well as the impact on mental health due to the subsequent effects of the following experiences including, but not limited to: racial trauma, transphobia or homophobia, discrimination and harassment, institutionalized racism, oppression, unequal incarceration, disproportionate violence perpetuated by law enforcement, and historical inequity. As Lesley University community members, we are open to receiving feedback about how to offer, with cultural humility, the most affirming and inclusive services possible.

  • Confidentiality in a Therapeutic Setting

    At the LUCC, we are committed to maintaining your confidentiality under strict guidelines and our professional code of ethics.  No one outside of the Counseling Center is given any information about you - even the fact that you have been here - without your written or verbal consent.

    There are some exceptions which include:

    • If you are a danger to the health and safety of yourself or others.
    • If you disclose the abuse (physical, sexual, or emotional) or neglect of a child under the age of 18, an elder, or a person with a disability.
    • If a court orders the release of a record via subpoena.
    • If you are seen by Lesley Student Health Service staff and information about your care is needed as part of your integrated medical treatment.
    • If you file a complaint or lawsuit against LUCC.


    There may be times that your LUCC therapist feels it would be beneficial to collaborate with on-campus faculty or staff outside the LUCC—such as an academic advisor, faculty, parent, or outside providers—to coordinate and ensure you are receiving affirming support and services. Your therapist at the LUCC will discuss this with you and ask for your consent, through a signed release, to collaborate with academic advisors, faculty, or outside providers.

  • Riverside Partnership and Referrals

    LUCC will be partnering with Riverside Community Care to address the emerging mental health needs of our student body. Students who want longer-term therapy, medication management, and/or specialized services can be referred to the Riverside Outpatient Center at Cambridge. The Riverside Outpatient Center is an independently operated, licensed mental health provider & center that is staffed by Riverside clinicians. The Riverside Outpatient Center prioritizes Lesley students and offers a wide range of behavioral health care services including therapy appointments, medication assessment and management, and varying lengths of care according to need. In short, students will no longer need to be referred to off-campus community-based clinicians. Services at the Riverside Outpatient Center are not covered by your Lesley University tuition and fees but are billed through your insurance or by direct payment.  The Riverside Outpatient Center at Cambridge can be reached by calling 857-331-6331 or emailing cambridgeoutpatient@riversidecc.org.

    If for any reason the Riverside Outpatient Center at Cambridge is unable to provide the type of service you need or request, your LUCC therapist will offer referral support to identify a possible mental health professional in your area.

  • Counseling Center Internship Program

    We will be pausing our internship program for the 2023-24 academic year until further notice. Please check this webpage periodically for updates.

Counseling Center Staff

Contact Us