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Topics on Mental Health

Shuangmei (Christine) Zhou, Ph.D.

510-643-7850

christinez@berkeley.edu

141C Grimes

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About Me

周双瑂 (Shuangmei Zhou) or Christine
Staff psychologist from Student Mental Health @ Tang Center, College of Engineering Satellite counselor
Came to the U.S. from China many years ago

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CAPS Engineering Satellite Office Services

Christine Zhou: 141C Grimes

Mondays 10am-12pm

Tuesdays 2pm-4pm

call 510-643-7850 to leave a message or show up in-person

Denise Goitia: 141 Grimes

Wednesdays 1pm-3pm

call 510-664-5479 to leave a message or

show up in person

https://engineering.berkeley.edu/students/advising-counseling/counseling/

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Common Concerns from Graduate Student

Adjusting to Cal as a new graduate students
Making progress on research projects
Feeling like an imposter
Pressure to pass preliminary exam and qualifying exam
Navigating relationship with academic advisor(s) and peer in professional settings
Building personal connections in and out of school (feeling connected and supported)
Pressure to look for career after graduation (academia versus industry)
Work and life balance (classes, teaching, research, relationships, hobbies/interests, etc)
Financial pressure: “life is being on hold”
Doubts about continuing with graduate school (taking terminal master’s)

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Specific Mental Health Resources for Grad Students

UHS services:

https://uhs.berkeley.edu/about-uhs/especially/graduate-students

Graduate Wellness Center:

https://ga.berkeley.edu/ga-resources/graduate-wellness-center/

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Being a (U)GSI

You are possibly the first person the student makes contact with
You observe behaviors that faculty/staff do not
You are a “bridge” to connect the student to academic staff and/or counselors
You are not a therapist, therefore not expected to do counseling
Know what your capabilities and limits are

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Helping Skills 101

Empathy:

Experiencing the individual’s world as if you were the individual. Moving into the individual’s frame of reference. Understanding what the individual is saying and communicating it back to them.

Respect:

An attitude of valuing the individual as a human being and believing in his/her resources & abilities.

Non-Judgmental

Reality:

It is what it is!

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Active Listening Skills

Questioning

Close ended: specific data
Open ended: encourage student to talk more

Paraphrasing

Involves stating, in your own words, what a speaker’s verbal message means to you

Reflecting

A method of feeding back the speaker’s nonverbal and verbal messages
Tends to focus more on the emotional content of the message

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Do’s for Helping

Find a time to talk privately
Communicate your concern about the student: be specific
Ask how they’re feeling and listen to what they have to say
Be supportive: remain calm, show that you care and reassure the student that they can get help
Encourage counseling and provide information about appropriate resources (see resource guide at the end of training)

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Know your limits
Offer to walk with the student to the counseling center on the 3rd floor of Tang
Call counseling center if you are unsure of how concerned to be or how to help a student

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Don’ts for Helping

Don’t be judgmental or argue with the student about their feelings or choices
Don’t try to diagnose or to analyze the person
Don’t minimize the student’s feelings

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CAPS Engineering Satellite Office Services

It is NOT appropriate to refer students who are at high risk to satellite offices

(Primary care vs. Urgent care)

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Counseling Main Office

Diverse group of professional counselors
Students can schedule same-day or next-day appointment by phone or in person
Student health insurance is not required to see a CAPS counselor, SHIP is required to see a psychiatrist at CAPS
After Hours Counseling Support Line: (855) 817-5667

3^rd floor of the Tang Center, 2222 Bancroft Way

Walk-in Hours: Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.−5p.m.

Telephone: 510-642-9494

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How to Suggest Counseling

Ask student if they have ever been to counseling
Explain how counseling might be helpful
Provide information about the counseling center
Stress the confidentiality of counseling
Normalize counseling
Tell student about the diverse staff
Expect some reluctance
If you are concerned, walk the student to the main office
Make a follow up appt to check in with student

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Team Approach: You are NOT alone!

You are NOT expected to be experts
Consult others
Consult your supervisor
Consult with satellite counselors
Call counseling center for consultation (510-642-9494)
After hours counseling number (855) 817-5667
911/UCPD

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Additional Resources

UC Berkeley Counseling Center website:

https://uhs.berkeley.edu/mental-health

The Gold Folder is a great resource for you to have in terms of how to identify students who are stressed and what to do in terms of facilitating referral process:

www.uhs.berkeley.edu/goldfolder/

Be Well to Do Well is a campus effort to encourage students to manage stress that includes a bunch of resources:

www.uhs.berkeley.edu/bewell/

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Poster on how to recognize signs for depression:

www.uhs.berkeley.edu/lookforthesigns/index.shtml

Online Depression Awareness and Suicide Prevention Training

www.uhs.berkeley.edu/facstaff/CPStraining/index.htm

Online self-screening tools (for depression, anxiety, eating concerns, PTSD, substance abuse)

www.mentalhealthscreening.org/screening/uofcberkeley

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Resources for Struggling Students

You should be familiar with the indicators of distress and the steps to take if you are worried about a student.

Faculty/Staff Reference to Assist Students in Distress

(a.k.a. “Gold Folder”)

Electronic version: http://uhs.berkeley.edu/goldfolder
Mobile application version: http://bit.ly/goldfolderapp

Look for the Signs Campaign: http://uhs.berkeley.edu/lookforthesigns

Please make sure you are taking care of yourselves also! http://uhs.berkeley.edu/students/counseling/PDF/CPS_Gradstudents.pdf