CAPS offers short-term based therapy and psychological services to undergraduate students at the University.
Case Management
Case Management services are available for students in need of assistance managing their mental or physical health. The Case Manager provides education and/or referral services for those students whose clinical needs are beyond the scope of the UWC, and therefore need help finding appropriate treatment providers in the local area or near a hometown, or for students whose needs do not require clinical intervention.
Crisis Services
Group Therapy
Group psychotherapy involves one or more therapists who lead a group of roughly 4 to 10 clients. Typically groups at CAPS meet for a one to two hour session each week and are designed to address a wide variety of difficulties, from anxiety to relationship challenges and academic stress. Joining a group of strangers may sound intimidating or off-putting at first, but group therapy provides benefits that individual therapy may not. Most often, group members at Sewanee have highly appreciated their experiences, sometimes expressing surprise at the rewards and unique offerings of the group experience.
Individual Therapy
Psychotherapy is the process in which a client and a trained therapist collaborate to work through a wide variety of difficulties, ranging from depression and anxiety to relationship problems and academic stress. Furthermore, psychotherapy helps a client identify and utilize personal strengths, promoting ongoing growth and enhancement of well-being. The relationship between the therapist and client is foundational to a positive outcome. Therapists provide a supportive and nonjudgmental environment within which to develop a trusting and productive relationship. Clients work within this relationship to better understand their difficulties and strengths, developing and then implementing strategies for lasting positive change.
Psychiatric Services
Sewanee students are eligible to be referred to a psychiatrist after an initial intake appoint with a counselor.
Sewanee Community Providers
Forms
2022-2023 Forms to be Uploaded Soon
I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT CAPS/UNIVERSITY WELLNESS CENTER:
Please check CAPS FAQs section for the answer. If you still have questions about the CAPS department or about our policies, please feel free to email the department or call the Office Manager at 931.598.1325.
Students who utilize CAPS are required to sign an agreement stating that they accept and consent to these terms of treatment. A copy of these terms can be requested by emailing the CAPS departmental address.
Meet the CAPS Team
Elise Anderson, MSW, LCSW
Assistant Director, Counseling and Psychological Services
Elise Anderson, LCSW is now serving as Interim Director of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS). Elise is a Sewanee graduate and holds a master's degree in Social Work, Social Policy, and Social Administration from The University of Chicago. She completed a 2- year post-master's fellowship at North Carolina State University's Counseling Center prior to joining the CAPS team in 2020 and most recently served as the Assistant Director of CAPS.
Something about her; "In her free time, you can find Elise taking long walks on the Domain with her dogs, playing board games with friends, or cuddling with her beloved three-legged cat, Abbo."
Emily Ezell, MSSW, LMSW
Staff Clinician
Emily first joined the Wellness staff in 2019 as a contract therapist and became a full-time staff clinician in 2020. She uses a client-centered, strengths-based approach, and integrates a variety of therapy techniques based on each client's needs. Emily often draws from Motivational Interviewing and Cognitive Theory, and her professional interests include anxiety, depression, self-esteem, ADHD, grief, and trauma. She has worked in school and community mental health settings in Franklin and Coffee counties prior to her work at the Wellness Center. Emily graduated from Sewanee with a BA in Religious Studies and from the University of Tennessee with a Masters of Science in Social Work. In between undergraduate and graduate school, Emily served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Panama.
Something about her; "I brought back my dog from Panama, and I enjoy spending time on Sewanee trails with my dog, as well as learning new hobbies, like gardening and canning."
Celesta Palmer, MA, NCC, Temp LPC-MHSP
Staff Clinician
Celesta joined the Wellness staff as a full-time clinician in 2021. In her therapeutic work, she utilizes values-based therapy; family systems theory, and cognitive behavioral techniques for improving mood and behavior. Celesta is passionate about empowering clients to take ownership of their mental health as an integral part of wholeness and wellbeing. As a clinician of color, Celesta counsels from a multicultural perspective using culturally appropriate intervention strategies. She began her career in college counseling as the first clinical case manager at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Celesta received a Master's of Clinical Mental Health Counseling with certificates in Trauma Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy from Richmond Graduate University in Chattanooga and is working towards licensure as a Mental Health Service Provider in the state of Tennessee.
Something about her; "I grew up right outside of Washington, D.C and learned the beauty and richness in diversity at an early age. In my free time, I enjoy reading fiction books written by international authors through which I can explore the complexities of life in different cultures."
Anna Palmer
Office Coordinator
Anna is a 2017 graduate of Sewanee with an immense love of this community. She is currently working on her Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling to eventually get her LPC.
Something about her; When she is not snuggled up with her two dogs, Moose and Mavis, reading a book, Anna can be found hiking the trails in Sewanee or attempting to keep her many plants alive.
Counseling and Psychological Services Master's Level Training Program
The University Wellness Center's Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is pleased to provide an opportunity to assist with the education of future professionals...
