The position of Counselor, Dona Ana Branch Community College, emphasizes setting up sessions with community college students, individually, or in groups for counseling. Individual sessions requested by students to address personal, academic and career concerns are provided. There is no formal limit to sessions at this time; however, there is a review at each five week time, or session, period to assess the attainment of the students goals. If the student has a counselor in the community, there will be no duplication of services and signed releases will be obtained from the student for professional dialog and service delivery discussion. If the other service provider is also located at the community college, the student will be informed that information can/will be shared when appropriate.

Counselors do not provide diagnosis, hypnosis, analysis, long term therapy or other services outside the scope of our education/certification/scope of practice.

The confidential counseling process consists of: an intake process, working phase, evaluation, a formal closure process and/or referral. At the time intake paperwork is complete, a mutually identified goal is defined. The working phase is dynamic and tailored to the student's needs to address the identified goal as well as whatever else may occur for the student. At or before the fifth session an evaluation of the work in process occurs, a referral for diagnosis and/or long term therapy may be made or, at the sixth session, there is either a completion of the exit process or a continuation of the work with a revised set of goals. The exit process contains a closure of work, or in the case of a student who elects to discontinue services without a formal exit, a summation of sessions.

The counseling process is a brief intervention approach to counseling. It is designed to assist the student in terms of meeting the students' counseling needs on a short term basis. It is not treatment, nor is it an extended approach for chronic mental illness. For students who require extensive treatment, there will be referral. For students unable to retain services due to lack of community resources or due to economic status, the counselors provide maintenance assistance, again a brief intervention approach. This differs from treatment in terms of intensity, duration and goal completion.