Mental Health and Work/Life Balance

Mental health resources for students in MCDB

Graduate students are increasingly suffering from mental health issues stemming from PhD and life-related stress (The Huge Toll of PhDs on Mental Health: Data Reveal Stark Effects by Fred Schwaller, Nature 2024). Yale provides student mental health services that faculty and students should be aware of. Below are contacts and websites with pertinent information regarding mental health services and mental health emergencies. Advisors often serve as the frontline for mental health issues and should refer students to appropriate services:

Urgent mental health crises

Yale Acute Care: 203-432-0123

Mental Health Counseling: 203-432-0290

Website: https://yalehealth.yale.edu/department/mental-health-counseling

Yale Health Mental Health & Counseling provides free, confidential mental health treatment to members of the Yale student community. They offer a wide range of services including individual therapy. During your first visit you will have the chance to speak to one of their clinicians about your main concerns, your history and your goals for treatment. After discussing your preferences and your treatment options, the two of you will plan to begin treatment at Mental Health & Counseling.

GSAS Embedded Mental Health Services (NEW!!)

https://gsas.yale.edu/resources/gsas-embedded-mental-health-services

Two clinicians, Dr. Eva Wilson and Juilian Arias, can be contacted for drop-in mental health support and can serve this role until long-term care can be established

Offerings from their office:

  • Confidential drop-in therapy appointments for brief treatment and consultation. Students may also use drop-in sessions as interim support while getting connected to long-term care.
    • Please note, drop-in appointments are not a substitute for crisis services. Students experiencing an emergency or in need of immediate support should use Mental Health & Counseling’s 24/7 on-call service at 203-432-0290 or call 911.
  • Group therapy to address common mental health concerns and shared identities among GSAS students.
  • Interactive workshops and events on mental health and graduate school topics.
  • Presentations on issues related to navigating mental health and wellness during graduate school, available upon request for student organizations, departments, and programs.

From the Yale site “Helping Students in Distress”- https://gsas.yale.edu/helping-student-distress

Urgent Matters

  • Life threatening emergencies call 911
  • Yale Police : 203-432-4400
  • Yale Acute Care: 203-432-0123 (24/7, 365 days per year)
  • Yale Mental Health and Counseling: 203-432-0290 (8:30am-5:00pm, M-F)
  • Yale’s Sexual Harassment and Assault Response and Education Center: (SHARE) 203-432-2000 (24/7, 365 days per year)

 

Mental health resources for postdocs, faculty and staff in MCDB

Similar to our students, postdocs, faculty and staff can also suffer from mental health issues. Embedded Mental Health Services from the GSAS are only available to students on the student health services plan, but there are similar types of services available for postdocs and faculty. Postdocs are covered by the same plan as faculty and staff. If postdocs or faculty need help in navigating the mental health services, Sarah Jacobs (info below) can help with this. For urgent concerns after hours, anyone can ask to speak to the on-call clinician, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year by calling 203-432-0290.

https://yalehealth.yale.edu/department/mental-health-counseling

Direct contact at Yale Health

Sarah Jacobs, Associate Chief Clinical Operations Officer, Mental Health Services
sarah.jacobs@yale.edu

If any postdoc, staff or faculty needs support in getting connected to mental health care, Sarah can assign a care manager to help each person. Postdocs and faculty have access to the Employee Assistance Program that has two on-site clinicians through Optum (a health services company). 

Additional Yale Health Benefits

Your Well-Being benefits, one of Yale’s signature benefits, is offered through Optum, the university’s employee assistance program. Its benefits include:  

  • Up to six free confidential counseling sessions for eligible staff, faculty, post-doctoral associates, and their household members—24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in-person or virtual. 
  • Talkspace offers talk therapy with a licensed therapist any time and from anywhere, via text, voice, or virtual video message. Five Talkspace visits count as one of the six confidential sessions offered for free (see above). Before registering for your first visit, call 866-416-6586 to obtain an authorization code. 
  • Self Care (formerly Sanvello) is an app that allows you to reduce stress through tools such as daily mood tracking, relaxation and meditation techniques, personalized activities, and weekly check-ins. 
  • Dr. Amy Sceery, Optum’s dedicated on-site consultant and a licensed clinical psychologist, offers both in-person and virtual appointments for all eligible employees, with solution-focused consultations concerning anxiety, depression, work-life issues, or other issues. 

To learn more, call 866-416-6586 or visit Optum’s website (browse resources as a guest using access code YaleSB, no registration required).