2006-2008 Kiosk UCSB Student Handbook UCSB Home

Mental Health Services and Counseling

End of Navigation

Counseling Services

College life may be stressful and difficult at times. When you need help sorting out a personal issue, feel overly stressed, anxious or depressed, Counseling Services provides an objective person with whom to talk. If these issues are interfering with your academic or personal life or causing academic difficulty, our psychologists can help you clarify your values, establish goals and, most importantly, identify options. Counseling also can help you in your relationships with others, and in building self-confidence. Meetings are confidential and no information is released about your counseling without your written consent. In addition, Counseling Services offers groups on a number of topics. Counseling Services is located in Building 599 (the pink building across from Storke Tower) and open M-F from 8:30am-4:30pm. Call 893-4411 or visit www.counseling.ucsb.edu.

Stress Management

Stress is one of the major challenges faced by college students. Counseling Services has a comprehensive stress management program (SMPO) staffed by peer advisors. They are trained in stress management techniques and can help you learn to cope with the stresses of college life. Visit Counseling Services and try out the egg and massage chairs for a relaxing interlude in a busy day and an experiential introduction to stress management. Also, you can participate in a relaxation and massage workshop through your residence hall or club. Counseling Services looks forward to helping you as you navigate your way through UCSB. Counseling Services, located in Building 599 (the pink building across from Storke Tower), is open M-F from 8:30am-4:30pm. For information, appointments, or after hours counseling, call 893-4411. Services are paid for by your registration fees, so please stop by and visit or look us up at www.counseling.ucsb.edu

UCSB After Hours Counseling

If you'd like to speak with a counselor during the night, or on weekends or holidays, simply call Counseling Services at 893-4411. You can call to talk about yourself, or to discuss a friend about whom you are concerned.

Social Work Services

A variety of factors, including medical, academic, financial, emotional, family and social, can affect a student's performance and adjustment at UCSB. Students who are experiencing difficulties in any of these areas can meet with a social worker for assessment, links to community resources and services, ongoing support, advocacy, and monitoring. For students who may need to leave UCSB, a social worker can provide assistance in locating and obtaining continued services. The social worker's role is to meet with students, consult with other involved people (with the student's permission), and identify the student's obstacles, needs, strengths, and goals to develop a plan. Together the social worker and student develop a plan to access resources needed to overcome these obstacles. The ultimate goal is for students to maximize their college experience while at UCSB. Students are eligible for these social work services at no cost. To schedule an appointment, contact Student Health at 893-3087. In the event of an emergency, call 911.

Student Health Free Counseling

Free, confidential and non-judgmental information and/or counseling are available through Health Education. Answers, information, assessment and referrals are offered for students:

  • concerned about their own or a friend's eating and exercising habits

  • interested in discussing healthy eating and fitness with a registered dietician

  • needing info on sexual health and relationship issues

  • wanting individual and/or group tobacco cessation counseling and nicotine replacement products

  • questioning their own or another person's alcohol or drug use

  • wanting to manage stress

For a free appointment with a professional counselor, call 893-3371.

Community Counseling & Education Center(CCEC)

CCEC offers confidential, professional counseling services to individuals, couples, families, and children. Services are on an affordable sliding fee scale from $20-$75. Whether you're struggling with issues of stress, depression, anxiety, sexuality, addictions, family issues, relational issues, or parenting, this is a place where you can comfortably come on a weekly basis. CCEC is located in downtown Santa Barbara. Open M-F, 9am-8pm & Saturday 9am-2pm. Appointments and information are available at 962-3363 and www.ccecsb.org

2-1-1 Help-Line

211 is a 24-hour, 7-days-a-week confidential service for information and referral, crisis intervention, and suicide prevention. 211 is available in many communities nationally. The local Help-Line is sponsored by Family Service Agency of Santa Barbara. Call 211 from a landline phone (and many cell phones) or call (800) 400-1572. Additional information can be found on their Web site at www.211sbcounty.org.

Coordinator of Mental Health Services

The coordinator of student mental health services is a readily accessible single point of contact for faculty, staff, and students at UCSB who are concerned about a distressed student and do not know which office to contact. The coordinator will consult about a student, provide referrals to campus departments, develop action plans, and follow up with students, staff and faculty as appropriate. In an emergency, always call 911 (9-911 from campus phones). Call the coordinator of student mental health services if you know a distressed student and you:

  • do not know where to refer him/her

  • would like to consult about possible responses to a student's behavior

  • notice a student's behavior is making others feel uncomfortable

  • believe there may be safety concerns in the future

  • have called 911 because of a safety concern

  • would like future follow up to know if the student is connected to appropriate support services

The coordinator is available at 893-8920 for consultation and appointments during working hours, M-F. If you need immediate assistance during working hours, you may also call 893-4569 or 893-4550. In the event of an emergency, call 911 (or 9-911 from campus phones).

Hosford Counseling and Psychological Services Clinic

The Hosford Counseling and Psychological Services Clinic, under the direction of licensed psychologist Dr. Heidi Zetzer (CA PSY # 14216) provides mental health and career counseling services to residents of Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, as well as to UCSB faculty and staff. All services are offered on a sliding scale basis (insurances are not accepted). Clinicians work with children, adolescents, and adults in individual, family, and group therapy settings. Clients from all ethnic and economic backgrounds are welcomed. Clinicians (counselors and psychotherapists) are doctoral students enrolled in the Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology Department in the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education. All cases are supervised by licensed psychologists.

The Hosford Clinic offers the unique opportunity for clients to receive the kind of long-term therapy unavailable in the managed care system at very affordable fees. Our primary goal is to provide state-of-the-art treatment to those in need. For further information or to schedule an intake, please call 893-8064.