A New Approach to Support, When You Need It Most
The Single Session Consultation (SSC) is a focused, solution-oriented session intended to help you address a specific problem and come away with concrete action steps. A Single Session Consultation can help you jump-start movement in a positive direction.
Whether you are an adult seeking individual support for a specific concern, a teen struggling with a stressful issue, or a parent needing guidance, this one-time meeting is intended to spark meaningful change.
What Is a Single Session Consultation?
The SSC is a focused, 60-minute meeting with a skilled Ross Center mental health clinician. It’s designed to help you take practical, meaningful steps toward addressing a specific challenge.
Together with your clinician, you’ll identify a clear goal and collaborate to create a concrete, step-by-step plan tailored to your needs.
By the end of the session, you’ll leave with a personalized action plan that draws on your strengths and support systems to help you move forward with confidence and clarity.
Your session will be scheduled within 48 hours with a licensed Ross Center mental health clinician who has undergone specialized training by Dr. Schleider, the founding director of the Center for Scalable Health at Northwestern University. Many of our psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, and social workers have been trained in SSC.
How Can a Single Session Consultation Help?
- Create a practical, step-by-step plan for moving forward.
- Feel empowered with the belief that you have agency and the ability to create positive change.
- Develop strategies to confront obstacles that get in the way of achieving your goal.
- Reduce feelings of anxiety, hopelessness, and distress.
A Single Session Consultation May be Right for You If:
- You’re struggling with a problem and don’t know how to handle it
- You are seeking support for a concern that you want to take care of right away
- You’re on a waiting list for treatment but you want a plan for right now
- You’re not looking for ongoing therapy
- You’re scheduled for therapy in the future, but want help for an important issue right now
- You’re already in therapy, but want to manage a problem in-the-moment and can’t wait for your next scheduled appointment.
- Your schedule is too busy to consider weekly sessions
How do I book a Single Session Consultation?
If you’re ready to take a meaningful step forward, we’re here to help. Request an Appointment via text, email, or phone:
Text: 844-612-7213
Email: [email protected]
Call: 202-363-1010
Appointments can typically be scheduled within 48 hours of your contact.
Sessions can be held in-person in our offices in Virginia, Washington, DC, and New York, and also be held via telehealth for clients anywhere in the US.
Examples of Concerns Addressed in SSC:
- Anxiety about an upcoming event
- Decisions about a job or a relationship
- Support for specific challenges with a child or teen
- Conflict with a friend/co-worker/partner/family member
- Stress related to school or work
- Desire to stop or start a specific behavior
- Urgent life decisions that are not life-threatening
- Seek a professional opinion about a decision
- Transitions and separations or divorce
- Grief and loss
- Navigating mental healthcare services for yourself or your child
What is the Evidence that a Single Session Works?
In multiple real-world trials, the SSC has prevented (and reduced!) mental health problems in teens and adults waiting for longer-term treatment and seeking drop-in clinical services—while strengthening their sense of hope and boosting their motivation for change.
Frequently Asked Questions:
415 randomized clinical trials collected data on SSI’s, and 20 of 24 reviews indicate benefit of the intervention. Learn more
- Most people who seek mental health care either receive no care or only one session. Having a full hour to address a problem is better than not getting help at all.
- Being placed on a waitlist can lead to worsening symptoms and frustration. SSC provides immediate support instead of waiting.
- SSC can also serve as a bridge to longer-term therapy or be a helpful supplement to care you’re already receiving.
This research-based model is based on solution-focused therapy, and was created by Jessica Schleider, PhD, psychologist and director of the Lab for Scalable Mental Health at Northwestern University, and her team. They developed a structured program that intentionally involves one single visit intended to significantly improve mental health outcomes in both youth and adults. Learn more here: Single-Session Interventions Significantly Reduce Mental Health Issues for Youth and Adults
No, consultations are intended to address a single concern, and the meeting does not include an evaluation or a diagnosis.
No, you do not need a diagnosis.
At times, a Single Session Consultation may be used within the context of the treatment plan for current Ross Center patients. In this case, a diagnosis code would allow for the session to be billed like a regular therapy session in which case the insurer would treat it the same as other therapy sessions submitted.
We try to schedule consultations within 2 business days of your request.
You can attend multiple single session consultations, however if it seems like SSC is being used as weekly therapy, your clinician may recommend more traditional therapy services.
