Hi everybody,

The university worked hard to reach out to students who were injured and witnesses to the shooting during the first weekend of October. There was also a hit-and-run that took place.  We know that such events can impact the community even if people were not at the scene.  In that spirit, we want to share a few resources for you to share with students and your departments:

• Instagram post: https://www.instagram.com/p/CjRJec0Pg94/?hl=en [instagram.com]
• Website link: http://mentalhealth.uw.edu
• Drop-in for Let’s Talk for a brief one-time consultation Tuesday or Thursday from 2 – 4 p.m (link in bio).
• Call the Counseling Center at 206-543-1240 or stop by if you are interested in counseling.
• MySSP – If you are having a hard time or need crisis support, MySSP is available 24/7 to chat. You can reach them at 1.866.775.0608.

Part of how we get through this is by being in community with each other.  Thank you for being part of the UW community supporting students and each other.

Message regarding Student Wellness from the CEE Chair, Lauren Lowes:

I hope that you had a healthy, restful and fun winter break and that the first week of winter quarter is off to a good start. As has been the case many other times during the COVID pandemic, right now the situation seems to be changing rapidly. Following are a few thoughts, reminders and items that I want to share:

• A primary goal for CEE, COE and UW this quarter is to ensure that you all have a pathway to successfully completing your classes, even if you are required to quarantine (possibly multiple times) and even if you get sick, though obviously it is my greatest hope that none of you gets sick. To achieve this goal of a pathway to success, I have asked instructors to provide options to enable students who cannot come to lecture, quiz sections, lab session to continue their classwork … and asked that instructors clearly communicate these options to you. In particular, I recommended that faculty record lectures and post the recordings. Please look through your class syllabi and canvas sites tonight to see what options your instructors are providing for remote participation in your classes, and if you cannot find the information, ask them for it. If you are concerned that you will not be able to successfully complete your course, given the options provided to you, send me an email.
• At this time, all classes that were originally identified as “in-person” when you registered will move to in-person next week. However, it may be necessary for some of these classes to move online for short periods of time during the quarter to accommodate various circumstances. If this causes significant disruption, please email me to let me know.
• Please improve or maintain high quality masking as discussed and presented here: UW info, CDC recommendations here, CIDRAP here. The table below from the CIDRAP article is particularly compelling for improving your masking from a single cloth or surgical paper mask to an N95 mask:
• As always, make time to take care of yourself; the Husky Health and Well-Being website provides a variety of resources: https://wellbeing.uw.edu/

Wishing you a healthy and happy 2022 that starts with a happy and healthy winter quarter.

MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES 

AT THE UW COUNSELING CENTER

Autumn 2021

We hope you are doing well and taking good care of yourselves and each other as we start fall quarter! We wanted to answer a few questions that might have come up about the UW Counseling Center and our fall quarter services.

We are excited to provide streamlined, user-friendly mental health care with the merging of Hall Health Mental Health Clinic and the Counseling Center! We also have an upgraded new online client portal! We continue to provide mental health services with cultural awareness and collaborate with campus partners to serve students! However, we are also extremely understaffed at a time when unfortunately, the need for mental health support has soared. At the UW Counseling Center, you will likely experience longer wait times to schedule initial appointments and longer wait times for follow up appointments.  We are hiring multiple new staff to help address this.

Most of our services are still being provided virtually–fortunately, research confirms what our staff and students have observed – telehealth is effective.

We recommend attending sessions from a safe, private location. Because masks aren’t needed for remote sessions, it allows for more non-verbal (facial expression) communication with your counselor.  To do our part to protect our community’s health, most of the UW Counseling Center services will remain remote during the fall 2021 quarter.

Great question! Here are some options for mental health services, campus resources, and self-care.

Of course!  If you want counseling that extends further than the short-term counseling we can provide, we are happy to help you get connected through our referral services.  For the DIY option, you can check out our database online.  Due to high demand, it can take weeks to get connected to a therapist in Seattle.

Additional Resources:

Hello CEE Community,

Please see the BIPOC/Queer Mental Health resource sheet below as well as the UW Husky Health & Wellbeing page.

If you ever need to talk or need support, know that we are here for you.

#MentalHealthMatters

-Brian

BIPOC Mental Health Resources
#MentalHealthMatters

Therapists Database

WA Local Resources:

https://www.multiculturalcounselors.org/

National Resources:

Therapy for Black Girls

Therapy for Black Men

LatinxTherapy

Asian Mental Health Collective

National Queer and Trans

Therapists of Color Network

Melanin and Mental Health

Adoptee Therapist Directory

Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective, a wellness nonprofit that trains people to respond to
mental health crises, has an online directory with a variety of Black practitioners including therapists,
yoga instructors, doulas and mediators.

Hurdle, previously known as Henry Health, likewise does not select providers based on the color of their
skin. The company is unique in that it not only vets its therapists, it also trains them using a cultural
competence curriculum developed by Norma L. Day-Vines, an associate dean in the School of Education
at Johns Hopkins University.

Tips on finding a culturally competent therapist
Keep in mind that online therapist directories do not always have the resources to verify licensing or vet the quality of the therapist, so it’s important to do your own due diligence. First, make sure that your therapist is licensed and in good standing with their licensing board. If you were researching a psychologist, for example, you would start by looking them up on the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards.
After you’ve located someone promising, ask for a free “get to know you” session where you can interview the therapist about treatments and cultural competence, said Melanie M. Domenech Rodríguez, a professor at Utah State University and an expert in multicultural psychology.

Dr. Rodríguez suggested asking the following questions:

● What is your approach to treating my issue?
● Do you use an evidence-based treatment? If so, what is it called?
● How often do you work with Black, Indigenous and other people of color?
● What challenges have you faced in providing services to people of color and how have you addressed them?

When you eventually start seeing someone, the National Alliance on Mental Illness recommends asking yourself the following questions:
● Did my provider communicate effectively with me?
● Is my provider willing to integrate my beliefs, practices, identity and cultural background into
my treatment plan?
● Was I treated with respect and dignity?
● Do I feel like my provider understands and relates well with me?

If you can answer yes to each of these questions, you’re off to a great start.

“Cultural competence matters,” Dr. Domenech Rodríguez said. “But it is defined by the clients, not the therapists.”

See below for safety resources from department chair Laura Lowes.

1. Safety Escort & Shuttle Services: If you need to walk around campus at night, for example going back to your car after your evening class, you can request that a security guard walk with you. This is called “Husky NightWalk”. This service can also help with dead batteries and building lockouts. The page also describes a shuttle service, called “NightRide”, which sounds really useful, so please check it out.
2. SafeZone App: This is an app that provides quick and easy access to safety assistance. Please see the attached flier and the following link: https://www.safezoneapp.com/
3. General safety tips when walking on campus in the evening:

1. 1. Carry a flashlight and use it.
   2. Stay aware of your surroundings (no talking on your cell phone).
   3. Preferably walk in groups.
   4. Carry a whistle. The UWPD will drop off a few whistles for us to try. If there is interest, we will purchase a bag of them and anyone interested will be able to pick one up from the reception.
2. Finally, never hesitate to call for help if a situation is arising or you witness suspicious behavior.

1. 1. The SafeZone App makes that especially easy with clear buttons to request different types of assistance.
   2. SafeCampus should be called to anonymously discuss safety and well-being concerns for yourself or others. The SafeCampus page describes when to call them.
   3. Call 911 from any campus telephone to make a report to a commissioned peace officer.
   4. Outside the University system, dial 911 and the dispatch operator will patch you through to the appropriate law enforcement agency that has jurisdiction.
   5. To report a non-emergency safety matter, call the UWPD through the non-emergency line at 206.685.8973. You may dial 5.8973 within the University telephone system. The UWPD Dispatch Center is available 24 hours per day, every day of the year.