What a CARE Appt Looks Like

Seating

When you come in for an appointment, you will decide where to sit. In Alexandra's office the seats are covered in fabric and have plastic arm rests. In Emma's office, there is one seat covered in fabric with plastic arm rests, two rolling plastic chairs that also have arm rests, and a couch.

Lighting

In Alexandra's office there is one overheard fluorescent light as well as one desk lamp and one standing lamp. There are large windows that the sun comes directly in early in the morning. The office is on the top floor so no one can see in the windows.

In Emma's office there is one overheard fluorescent light as well as warm string lights across the ceiling and one standing lamp. The fluorescent light has a motion sensor; once you and Emma have been seated for several minutes, the light will turn off and will turn back on when you get up to leave. There are several large windows that the sun comes directly in early in the morning. The office is on the top floor so no one can see in the windows.

Sounds

There are several sounds you may here while in the CARE offices.

Alexandra and Emma each have a white noise machine in their office that makes an ongoing "shush" sound.

Because the windows look out over the back of the Campus Center, there are sometimes noises of trucks picking up the garbage or beeping as they back up. There are sometimes the sounds of emergency vehicles from the roads around the Campus Center.

Outside the CARE office there is something that makes a quick "beep beep beep" sound every once in a while. We aren't sure what it is, and it does not go off at predictable times. You may hear this from outside the office once or twice during a meeting with CARE staff.

The HVAC (heating and cooling) systems in the CARE offices click on and off depending on the temperature. They make a similar noise to the white noise machine when they are on, and they can be fairly loud.

Because CARE is located in the Campus Center, you may hear people greeting each other or laughing loudly outside the office. (There are several noise machines outside the CARE office doors, so people in the Campus Center cannot hear what is happening inside the CARE offices; the sound only travels into the offices.)

Fidget Toys

In both Alexandra and Emma's offices there are baskets of fidget toys that you are welcome to pick up and use during your appointment, and you are welcome to take fidget toys with you when you leave.

Snacks

In both Alexandra and Emma's offices there are baskets of snacks and candy. The specific items may change depending on what we have purchased and what we have run out of, but generally there are granola bars of some kind, Cheez-Its, and both chocolate and non-chocolate based candy. You are welcome to eat any of this food during the meeting and/or take some with you when you leave. You are also welcome to drop by at any time our doors are open to grab a snack.

CARE staff are confidential. The only exception is if you let us know you are planning to hurt yourself (or someone else) in which case we will need to take steps to ensure your safety, which may include getting other University staff involved.

There are four offices at Tufts that are confidential: CARE, Health Service, Counseling and Mental Health Services, and Chaplaincy. For Health Service, Counseling and Mental Health Services, and Chaplaincy staff, their confidentiality comes from their licensure/accreditation. CARE staff's confidentiality is a policy that comes from the University which enables us to provide confidential emotional support to any students impacted by sexual misconduct.

Our policy confidentiality enables us to provide students with virtual services while they are out of state or abroad. Unlike providers that have confidentiality through their state licensure (like CMHS therapists), CARE staff can see you regardless of where you physically are in the world (home over break, studying abroad, etc.).