Contact
Supporting Your Mental Health
Counseling Services provides skilled and compassionate services to the Anna Maria student community. Whether it’s personal concerns, anxiety or general questions, our goal is to provide quality care to our students and meet their needs.
At the current time, Counseling Services appointments are available via zoom as well as in person at the counseling center.
Counseling Service is open Monday-Friday, 8:30-4:30 pm. You are welcome to stop into our Health and Counseling Center, if we are unavailable to meet with you at that time, our Office Manager will take your information and set up an appointment for you to meet with one of our counselors. You are also welcome to call ahead and schedule a time to meet with us. For emergencies after hours, students can reach out to residence life staff or contact Anna Maria Campus Safety at (508) 494-9010 or call 911.
Anna Maria College has partnered with BetterMynd, an online therapy platform for college students, to offer all of our students access to free video-therapy sessions with their diverse network of licensed mental health counselors. Please add here: To get started with BetterMynds, you can schedule a time to meet with a member of the Counseling Center to help you navigate the BetterMynd platform or you can also register and get started with a counselor that’s a good fit for you, sign-up here.
There is no cost to services received through Counseling Services or BetterMynd. If a student is referred to a resource off campus, it is generally handled through the student’s health insurance.
To schedule an appointment or to ask any questions you may have please call (508) 849-3315 or email counseling@annamaria.edu.
Office & Staff
The Anna Maria Counseling Service is available to all undergraduate and graduate students currently enrolled in classes. While college is an exciting time, it can also naturally present students with unexpected challenges. Additionally, these uncertain times can further have an impact on mental health. The Counseling Service is available to assist and support student’s emotional health and wellbeing as they navigate their college experience during this unique time. At the current time, Counseling Services appointments are available via zoom as well as in person at the counseling center.
The Counseling Service is staffed by licensed mental health clinicians. The counseling service provides short term individual counseling to assist with a range of challenges, including anxiety, depression, relationship challenges and stress. Our goal is to assist students in achieving emotional balance and health as well as academic success. We also assist in facilitating referrals to local providers for students who would benefit from longer term counseling or prefer to be seen off of campus. For students that reside out of our geographical area, clinicians will connect students with resources in their local area.
Counseling Service is open Monday-Friday, 8:30-4:30 pm. You are welcome to stop into our Health and Counseling Center, if we are unavailable to meet with you at that time, our Office Manager will take your information and set up an appointment for you to meet with one of our counselors. You are also welcome to call ahead and schedule a time to meet with us. For emergencies after hours, students can reach out to residence life staff or contact Anna Maria Campus Safety at (508) 494-9010 or call 911.
Anna Maria College has partnered with BetterMynd, an online therapy platform for college students, to offer all of our students access to free video-therapy sessions with their diverse network of licensed mental health counselors. Please add here: To get started with BetterMynds, you can schedule a time to meet with a member of the Counseling Center to help you navigate the BetterMynd platform or you can also register and get started with a counselor that’s a good fit for you, sign-up here.
There is no cost to services received through Counseling Services or BetterMynd. If a student is referred to a resource off campus, it is generally handled through the student’s health insurance.
To schedule an appointment or to ask any questions you may have please call (508) 849-3315 or email counseling@annamaria.edu.
Colin Ponzani, MSW, LCSW
Mental Health Counselor
Counseling Services
508-849-3303
Kelly Sullivan, MSW, LICSW
Director of Counseling Services
Social Work
(508) 849-3227
What to Expect
You and your counselor will spend the first session or two getting to know each other. Expect to answer some questions about yourself so your counselor can get a full picture of you and your experience.
For example, your counselor will want to ask you about any past mental health treatment and/or diagnoses, basic information about your family and social supports, your typical daily or weekly schedule, and any changes that you have noticed in your usual functioning that you find bothersome.
Your counselor will want you to describe why you are seeking counseling at this time. Was there a “last straw” that made you ask for an appointment? Were you faced with a major stressor recently? Are you just generally concerned about your mental health?
You and your counselor will then develop a plan with goals, so you can see the progress and change that you are working towards.
Counseling expects you to participate, and there will be a little “homework” for you to do, from time to time. This is given in order for you to develop coping skills, as well as to develop insight into where you need more support.
Some modalities might be a better fit for you than others, so it is important to be honest with your counselor. We need your feedback about what works and what doesn’t–counseling is meant to be helpful, and you are a partner in the treatment. Therefore, it can only work if we work together.
Counseling cannot alleviate problems immediately. It should be seen as a process, and changes come about in their own time.
You and your counselor can work on a plan for any urgent needs. It is your counselor’s job to help keep you safe.
Your counselor is not looking to judge you, “report” you, or otherwise get you into any trouble. They truly want to help you feel better. Please refer to the confidentiality document and ask any questions you might have.
