Personal Counseling

KCAI has contracted psychotherapists and supervised counseling interns on-campus during the academic year. Counselors meet with students weekly for a variety of presenting concerns.

Students may be concerned about:

  • Transitioning to KCAI from high school
  • Transferring to KCAI from a different college, junior college or art school
  • Adjusting to life at art school as a non-traditional student
  • Homesickness
  • Eating concerns/body image
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Sexual orientation/gender Identity
  • Suicide prevention and warning signs
  • Time management concerns
  • Self-esteem
  • Surviving a difficult critique with your self-esteem intact
  • Just having a difficult time

For more information, contact:

Gina Golba
Dean of students
816-802-3397
ggolba@kcai.edu

Scheduling information

On-campus counseling services at KCAI are coordinated by Gina Golba, dean of students. If you would like to schedule an appointment with a counselor on campus, please contact Brittany Lane, office assistant, in Mineral Hall, at blane@kcai.edu or 816-802-3354. If you have questions about referrals for medications, you may also contact Dr. Bambi Burgard, licensed psychologist and vice president for academic affairs, at 816-802-3455 or bburgard@kcai.edu.

Personal counseling appointments are open to students during the academic year and are limited by availability. If a counselor is not available, Gina Golba will assist the student by identifying outside resources and/or providing referral information for local mental health care providers.

After hours, Gina Golba can be reached through KCAI security at 816-931-6666. In the event of an emergency, please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

Additional information

Students who do not have any insurance other than KCAI’s Student Assurance plan can access free mental health services through the Kansas City Free Health Clinic. The clinic offers free counseling to individuals who do not have insurance, and clients are eligible for free medication through the clinic if they are in ongoing counseling with one of their providers. To schedule a visit, contact Pat Larson at 816-777-2722. She will schedule an intake session and assign you to a counselor. There are two clinic locations, the closer of which is the Midtown Clinic:

Kansas City Free Health Clinic, Midtown location
3515 Broadway
Kansas City, MO 64111

Kansas City Free Health Clinic, Eastside location
5119 E. 24th Street
Kansas City, MO 64127

UMKC Community Counseling and Assessment Center (Fees are determined on a sliding scale basis)
UMKC – School of Education
52nd and Holmes
816-235-2725

For recommendations about additional off-campus counseling options, contact Gina Golba, who can provide a list of private practitioners who have worked with KCAI students.

Kansas City Free Health Clinic – For a medical/physical health appointment
3515 Broadway, Ste # 100
Kansas City, MO 64111
816-753-5144

If you are having thoughts of suicide, please call the crisis hotline (see below), call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. 

24-hour suicide/crisis line: 1-800-273-TALK

Local resources if you are having thoughts of suicide and need to go to the hospital

Research Mental Health Services

816-235-8162 (Intake Coordinator) or 816-444-8161 (Research Psychiatric Center)
2316 E. Meyer Blvd.
Kansas City, MO 64132

Shawnee Mission Medical Center

913-676-2530
9100 W. 74th St.
Kansas City, KS 66204

KU Med

913-588-5000
3901 Rainbow Blvd.
Kansas City, KS 66160

Two Rivers

1-800-225-8577 or 816-382-6300
5121 Raytown Rd.
Kansas City, MO 64133

Western Missouri Mental Health Center

816-512-7000
(walk-in appointment)
100 E. 24th St.
Kansas City, MO 64108

St. Luke's Hospital Emergency

816-932-2000 or 816-932-2171

The Kansas City Free Clinic

816-753-5144
(8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday)

Other Resources

If you are concerned about someone and would like to access online information, visit http://ccvillage.buffalo.edu/vpc.html (click on the link “For Concerned Others”).

The ULine – For mental health on college campuses

http://www.ulifeline.org/

The Jed Foundation – Preventing Suicide on college campuses

https://www.jedfoundation.org/

LGBT Community Center of Kansas City – For LGBT individuals and allies

http://www.lgcckc.org/

UMKC’s LGBT office – For LGBT activities and resources

http://www.umkc.edu/lgbt/

The LGBT Affirmative Therapists Guild of Greater Kansas City

http://lgbtguild.com/

Local AA/NA groups and resources

http://www.kc-aa.org/
www.aa.org/

Drug rehabilitation resources and locations

http://www.drugrehablocator.com/

Additional online help

http://ccvillage.buffalo.edu/vpc.html
http://mentalhealthscreening.org/


Gina Golba
Dean of students
Mineral Hall
816-802-3397
ggolba@kcai.edu

Faculty and staff who are interested in accessing the Employee Assistance Program to learn about the services offered, visit www.ndbh.com or call 913-982-8398 or 800-624-5544.  To obtain the online login code for KCAI faculty and staff contact the EAP directly.

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The Kansas City Art Institute's viewbook provides an overview of KCAI's academic programs,  students, faculty, alumni and campus.

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Student handbook

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