UCLA
Counseling and Psychological Services
The Counseling Center

Short Term: Counseling and Psychotherapy

CAPS utilizes a short-term therapy model which focus on helping you clarify your concerns and work towards the resolution of difficulties.

What Therapy Looks Like

  • Counseling is provided by licensed psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, and licensed marriage and family therapists. Sessions are also provided by advanced unlicensed psychology and social work trainees who work under close supervision of our licensed staff.
  • Individual counseling sessions are 45-50 minutes in duration and scheduled with a specific staff clinician.
  • You and your clinician will discuss treatment goals, which may include referrals to CAPS psychiatric services or group treatment for comprehensive care.
    • Couples counseling is available only if both parties are currently registered UCLA students and both have UCSHIP.

Session Limits

CAPS session limits are as follows:

  • Four sessions for all registered and eligible UCLA students, regardless of University of California Student Health Insurance Plan (UCSHIP) coverage, and four additional sessions (eight sessions total) for those with UCSHIP, or as clinically indicated.
  • CAPS will continue to monitor and adjust session limits to meet demand, reduce wait times and provide quality short-term care.

For a higher level of care, CAPS may coordinate referrals to Behavioral Health Services (BHS) at the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute, UCSHIP Anthem community providers or providers in your private health insurance network.

Request for Documentation of CAPS Treatment

CAPS cannot provide documentation regarding diagnoses or treatment at the time of your Triage Assessment. Documentation may be provided at the discretion of the treating clinician during the course of therapy and with a signed CAPS Authorization for Release of Medical and Mental Health Information. After any visit with a staff clinician, students may request a Verification of Attendance, which only indicates the date of the student's visit but not the nature of the visit. Requests for Verification of Attendance letters can be made to the Front Desk staff.

Private Spaces Available for CAPS Telephone or Zoom Appointments Only

CAPS has options within the CAPS building which you can reserve for your CAPS triage assessment, individual therapy, psychiatry, and group appointments. Please call 310-825-0768 to speak with one of our Front Desk staff members about how to reserve a space.

Request for ADHD or Psycho-Educational Testing

Students seeking an evaluation for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) may present to CAPS for an assessment. See ADHD Services for further details.

More information about student resources related to psychoeducational assessment.

CAPS does not provide formal assessments for the purpose of accommodations on the MCAT, GMAT, or LSAT, or for purposes of obtaining accommodations for professional credentialing. Students with SHIP insurance will be referred to providers in the community for comprehensive testing. Students without SHIP can receive assistance finding a psychoeducational testing provider using their private insurance. Visit CAPS for a Triage Assessment for assistance.

The UCLA Psychology Clinic on campus also provides testing services for learning disabilities, behavioral and school problems, personality assessment, neuropsychological assessment and attention/concentration problems. They can usually provide testing for GRE, GMAT, LSAT and the Bar, but the MCAT and medical or dental board exams have more stringent requirements of testing administrators which clinicians at the Clinic may not have. The Clinic is open to the general public and UCLA faculty, staff and students receive a 10% discount on assessment services. Contact the UCLA Psychology Clinic for additional information: (310) 825-0768.

Request for UCEAP (Education Abroad Program) Medical Clearance

UCLA students who are currently receiving treatment services at CAPS, or who have received services at CAPS in the past, will need clearance from CAPS as part of the EAP clearance process. Students should initiate the EAP clearance process electronically, through the Ashe Health Center Portal. Students should log into the Ashe portal, then select Messages, select send New Message, and select the choice that contains EAP Clearance to begin the online application.

The CAPS portion of the EAP clearance will be handled automatically as part of the EAP clearance process once initiated through the Ashe portal. No paper forms are required, and a visit to CAPS for clearance is not needed, in most case.

Please note that CAPS cannot provide EAP clearance for students that have received mental health treatment from providers outside of CAPS, and students will need to have those providers fill out a paper EAP clearance form. Students will then need to take the completed forms to the Ashe Center. CAPS is not able to offer students appointments for the sole purposes of EAP clearance.

Consumer Guide to Mental Health Services