Summer Mental Health Resources and Crisis Information

Immaculata University Counseling Services is closed from June 1^st-August 1^st, so there are no on-campus counseling services available to students during that time. Hopefully, the below information will give you more of a sense of how to navigate if you have a mental health crisis or need counseling during the summer months.

Crisis Resources

If you are ON campus and in crisis, contact Campus Safety at x5555. They will put you in touch with the Valley Creek Crisis Center (free crisis counselors that will come to you to help, 24/7). You can also call the Valley Creek Crisis Center yourself:
Valley Creek Crisis Center
469 Creamery Way
Exton, PA 19341
Crisis Center Phone: (610) 280-3270
Crisis Center Fax: (610) 594-1664
Consumer-Run Warm Line (a crisis line for students to use): 1-866-846-2722
If you are OFF campus, you can also call the Valley Creek Crisis Center yourself, or call 911, go to your nearest emergency room, or contact one of the crisis resources below.
If you are outside this county, or outside of PA, search ‘(insert your county) mobile crisis unit’ to find the information for your area mobile crisis unit (every county has free 24/7 mobile crisis response). You can also call 911, go to your nearest emergency room, or call one of the resources below.

Additional Resources for Students in Crisis

National Suicide Prevention Hotline: Dial 988
Crisis Text Line: Text ‘Home’ to 741-741
Veterans Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1, or text 838255
The Trevor Project (LGBT support): 1-866-488-7386 or text ‘start’ to 678-678
Chester County: Valley Creek Crisis Center, 877-918-2100
Delaware County: DCCCT Mobile Crisis Services, 855-889-7827

What To Do If You Experience A Panic Attack

While panic is uncomfortable and scary, it is not dangerous and usually subsides in about 15-30 minutes. This is just your body responding to stress. Here are some tips on how to cope with panic:

Get cold! (Cold water on a paper towel, ice, ice pack, etc.) This lowers your blood pressure.
Stretch, especially your trunk area (open your arms wide, reach for the ceiling or to your toes, yoga moves are great for this).
Take slow, long breaths (focus more on a slow exhalation, which relaxes you/activates your parasympathetic nervous system).
Distract with light talk with a friend, watch light/engaging/funny videos, get out of your head somehow in a comfortable/easy way.
Know that panic attacks feel uncomfortable, but are not dangerous, and they will usually go away within 15 minutes. So, label it as panic. This can help subside any fears about the panic itself (because, often, our panic can feel worse from worry about what might happen physically from the panic attack.)

Find A Counselor

It is very easy to find counseling in your area. You can search for local counseling groups in your area online, go to the website Psychology Today to search for clinicians in your area (this website is helpful, because you can see pictures and read write-ups about each clinician), or you can call the customer service number on the back of your insurance card. Counseling Services also has a referral list on our IU website page. If you need help with this, email Jessica Gilpert, Director of Counseling Services jgilpert@immaculata.edu.

Some Local Mental Health Resources

Low-cost counseling:

Family Services of Chester County
310 North Matlack Street, West Chester, PA
Phone: 610-696-4900
Human Services, Inc. (Thorndale site, has therapists and psychiatrists)
Phone: 610-200-6222
The Peacemaker Center (Downingtown and Kennett Square locations)
The Peacemaker Center offers rates as low as $30 for students.
Totum Counseling Services
601 South Henderson Road, Suite 203, King of Prussia, PA 19406
www.totumcounseling.com484-238-0038
Offers a reduced ‘student rate’ with valid student ID

Sexual Violence/Domestic Violence Issues:

The Crime Victims’ Center of Chester County (free counseling and advocacy)
- Phone: 610-692-1926
- 24-Hour Hotlines: Sexual Assault: 610-692-7273
  Other Crimes: 610-692-7420
- Website: http://www.cvcofcc.org/

Domestic Violence Center Of Chester County
- Administration Office: 610-431-3546
- 24 Hour Hotline: 610-431-1430
- Website: http://www.dvccc.com/home.html
IU Title IX Coordinator (for on-campus support)
Janelle Cronmiller
VM 219
X3982
jcronmiller@immaculata.edu

Drug and Alcohol Issues:

Mirmont (Inpatient and Outpatient)
Phone: 484-565-1130
Recovery Centers of America-Devon Location
Phone: (484) 551-3366
Jane Brown at Lighthouse Family Counseling
https://www.lighthousefamilycounseling.co/