Mental Health Counseling Services

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Mental Health Counseling services are offered to all learners within Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science (MCCMS). Learners may choose to seek services through licensed Mayo Clinic mental health clinicians or through the external 24/7 learner assistance program, WellConnect. Both options offer mental health and wellness resources to help you thrive during your time at Mayo Clinic.

Video: Learn more about mental health counseling services at Mayo Clinic

MCCMS Mental Health Counseling

At MCCMS, our licensed mental health clinicians provide free, confidential therapy to learners across the Mayo enterprise. We understand that becoming a medical professional—be it via medical school, allied health services, research, or clinical training—can be both exhilarating and incredibly demanding.

Our mental health clinicians can support you in navigating the unique pressures and range of emotions within training and help you thrive. Learners commonly access therapy services for relationship and interpersonal stressors, stress and burnout, adjusting to a new environment, anxious feelings, and mood concerns.

A referral is never needed and there is no threshold for seeking support. What’s important to you as a learner seeking counseling services is also important to us as mental health providers.

Mental Health Clinicians

Amanda Olson, M.S.W, L.I.C.S.W., L.C.S.W

Mental Health Clinician

Suzanne Peterson, M.S., L.P.C., L.P.C.C., L.I.A.C.

Mental Health Clinician

Faith Ponti, M.S., L.M.H.C.

Mental Health Clinician

Schedule an appointment

Current MCCMS learners can directly log-in here to our online scheduling system with Mayo username and password. If you experience access difficulty, please submit an ETC support ticket or call 507-266-9087.

Find additional well-being and mental health resources on our intranet site. You can also reach out to us with questions at: MCCMSCounseling@mayo.edu.

Short-term and solution-focused services

Mayo Clinic's mental health clinicians strive to understand the unique challenges and stressors that can occur at different stages during your medical or science education journey. With that in mind, we offer the following services:

Personalized support, tools, and strategies to help learners take care of their emotional health and well-being
Consultation on therapeutic modalities that may best meet the personalized needs of the learner for those seeking community-based therapy options
In-person or secure telehealth sessions
Weekday appointments — morning, afternoon, and early evening

Confidential services

One of the most important tenets of counseling services is knowing that what is discussed is kept confidential.

Learner counseling records are maintained in a FERPA-compliant secure database outside of the EPIC record system.
Counseling records are never included in your medical, education, or employee record.
Mayo Clinic's mental health clinicians will not disclose your involvement or any information about you to others without your written consent unless one of the following exceptions applies:
- In cases of clear risk of harm to self or others the provider may coordinate care with local emergency contacts to support safety
- Providers are mandated by law to report concerns of child abuse/neglect and vulnerable adult abuse/neglect to local county protective services
- Legal court order

Services offered at no cost to learners

All short-term counseling services through the Office of Wellness and Academic Support are covered as a learner benefit during your time at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science.

MCCMS Counseling Services Updates

“Mental Health is Health and it Belongs In Medicine” – read the article from MCCMS Counseling Services about how counseling services can help with clarity, growth, and resilience through your journey in medicine and research. Each MCCMS Clinician brings a different perspective, but we share a common goal: to support learners in becoming not just successful medical professionals, but whole, healthy human beings. (Intranet log-in required.)

External learner assistance program: WellConnect

All learners have access to confidential work-life programming through WellConnect, the external learner assistance program. WellConnect offers both short-term counseling services and well-being resource connections.

Short-term counseling

Short-term counseling

Short-term, confidential 5-session model of counseling per presenting issue
Session modality options: in-person, telephonic, secure televideo, real-time live chat, or asynchronistic text messaging with a licensed mental health provider
Short-term counseling services through WellConnect are available to anyone in your household, including spouses/partners, children/adolescents, or other members
24-hour telephonic support from licensed mental health professionals — no appointment needed for the initial consult or for urgent calls

For more information or to get assistance, call the 24/7 support line at 866-640-4777 or visit wellconnectforyou.com.

Well-being resources

Well-being resources

Free 30-minute consultation with a financial expert for support with budgeting, debt management, or credit issues
Referrals for free 30-minute legal consultation with attorney in your area
Discount on legal fees should you chose to hire the consulting attorney
Health and wellness consultations
Referrals to local providers and national services including housing, eldercare, childcare, transportation, and more

Mental health crisis?

Call the National Crisis Lifeline by dialing or texting 988. In an emergency, call 911 or go to the emergency department.

Unsure of what service you need?

Reach out to us! MCCMSCounseling @mayo.edu

Contact external learner assistance

WellConnectForYou.com Phone: 866-640-4777

Academics ▸ Academic Support and Well-Being ▸ Mental Health Counseling Services