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You will speak one-on-one with a CAPS counselor (via Zoom) who will listen closely to your concerns, provide support, perspective, and suggestions for resources. The meeting is confidential and will last approximately 20 minutes.

• stress
• sadness
• worry/anxiety
• adjustment/culture shock
• cultural or racial barriers
• challenges related to the pandemic and other current events
• building friendships, community; increased sense of belonging
• homesickness
• performance (e.g., academic, athletic, artistic)
• difficulty concentrating or paying attention
• family problems
• financial struggles
• sleep difficulties
• romantic relationship
• sexual orientation/gender identity

Let's Talk is exclusively virtual. You can register for a confidential meeting by clicking one of the below links. Evanston Campus students please use the Evanston link and Chicago Campus students please use the Chicago link. Meetings may be scheduled up to 24 hours in advance.

To access your Tele Talk meeting log in to Zoom a couple minutes prior to the start of the meeting using the link you received in the confirmation email. You will be placed in the virtual waiting room and the facilitator will let you into the meeting promptly at the start of the session

Call CAPS at 847-491-2151 for assistance.

Please make sure that you are in a private space with a reliable internet connection. You may use headphones to ensure greater privacy. To reduce distraction please put your phone on silent and deactivate sound notifications on your computer and/or smart phone.

Counselors at CAPS provide ongoing counseling, which usually consists of weekly or bi-weekly 50 minute appointments. Tele Talk is not formal counseling; it is a drop-in service where students can Áñ—†ÊÓƵ a brief, informal consultation with CAPS counselor on specific topic.  Tele Talk may result in referral to help you start ongoing counseling services.  

Tele Talk is open to all Áñ—†ÊÓƵ graduate and undergraduate students. Tele Talk is the best fit for the following people:

• Students who are not sure about counseling and wonder what it’s like to talk with a counselor.
• Students who are not interested in ongoing counseling but would like the perspective of a counselor.
• Students who Áñ—†ÊÓƵ a specific problem and would like someone with whom to talk it through.
• Students who Áñ—†ÊÓƵ a concern about a friend/family member and want some ideas about what to do.

Absolutely. The counselor consultant will help you talk through your issues and help you determine the best way to get help. If you feel comfortable with the counselor consultant, it is sometimes possible to meet with him or her at CAPS in an on-going way.

If you believe you need to be seen sooner and you no longer can wait for services, it’s best to contact CAPS directly and explain your situation. CAPS counselor will help you get into appropriate services as soon as possible that may include getting connected to an outside provider in your area.

Since regular counseling appointments are not available at Tele Talk, following up with the referral is a good idea. If you Áñ—†ÊÓƵ questions about your referral please contact CAPS.

The best thing to do in your situation is to talk directly with your counselor or call CAPS to request counselor change. Counselors are eager to get your feedback, positive or negative. Often, an open conversation about your concern helps smooth out any wrinkles and helps get things back on track.

Although Tele Talk counselor consultants are professionals, Tele Talk is not a substitute for psychotherapy or formal counseling and doesn’t constitute mental health treatment. Tele Talk counselor consultants provide informal consultations to help students with specific problems and to introduce them to what it’s like to speak with a counselor.

Your Tele Talk counselor consultant can help you determine whether formal counseling at CAPS would be useful to you and, if appropriate, assist you in getting connected at CAPS or local referrals.

Conversations with Tele Talk counselor consultants are confidential. However, one exception is that counselors may need to share information in a situation in which safety for yourself or others is a concern. Tele Talk counselor consultants keep brief written notes of their contacts with students only in the event that there is an emergency, or when a student is referred to CAPS. In these situations, other CAPS counseling staff may see these notes. Information is also collected about attendance, so that we can keep track of the students we are serving and those we need to continue serving.

 Tele Talk visits are never reported on a student's official university record.

We don't want anything to be a barrier to students accessing help. If you Áñ—†ÊÓƵ further questions about confidentiality, we encourage you to discuss them with a Tele Talk counselor consultant.