Mental Health at Tufts

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and serves as a welcome reminder to prioritize selfcare, healing, and well-being, especially amid daily and chronic life stressors. While it isn’t May, we find it important to talk about mental health regularly. Here, Siwaar asks the questions you may have about Tufts’ mental health resources and finds the answers you may be looking for. By Siwaar Abouhala ’23

The fall can often be marked by joy, stress, nostalgia, gratitude, and loneliness—perhaps all at once—for many college students. Whether one is starting college and embarking on a new journey with life-changing friends and faculty, or job searching for a new adventure starting in a couple of months, this time of year can come with many complex emotions and circumstances to navigate.

Here at Tufts, various mental health resources exist, both on and off-campus, through clinical services and Tufts Community Union (TCU)-recognized student organizations. I sought after answering some core questions about mental health services at Tufts in preparation for the year ahead: What are the main resources that exist, and can students access them from anywhere and at any time? Can these services be sustained during the summer? How can students get involved in supporting, improving, and strengthening mental health resources at Tufts? My brief research towards answering some of these questions has culminated in an informal, yet potentially helpful, guide to accessing mental health resources and getting involved in this work at Tufts.

A figure stands in front of a window looking out at a number of people outdoors

(1) What is a central source of mental health services through Tufts, both during and beyond the academic year? Tufts Counseling and Mental Health Service (CMHS) is a main source of mental health support through the 120 Curtis Street (Medford campus), 230 The Fenway (SMFA campus), and over-the-phone modalities. In the 2020–2021 academic year, CMHS worked with students virtually in order to both adhere to COVID-19 guidelines and to support students wherever they were. Whether seeking emergency and/or long-term support, students are able to make an appointment with a counselor. CMHS also offers unique resources such as virtual workshops and discussion groups, including Black Well-Being: Resilience in the Margins, Survive and Thrive: Tools for Uncertain Times, Here Together: For Students in COVID Isolation or Quarantine, Coping with Loss in a Remote World, Connection Matters: Tea-time Conversations with International Students, and Journaling for Self-Care. CMHS is composed of a group of passionate staff members from a wide variety of experiences and perspectives. The CMHS website includes a “Meet Our Staff” page that introduces these staff members, their clinical interests, areas of expertise, their approaches to treatment, and languages spoken. These details may be useful to students who are looking to connect with a counselor who specializes in a specific experience or who speaks a specific language.

(2) How can someone seeking counseling and/or mental health services at Tufts maintain their healthcare when transitioning home or away for the summer? In order to connect to a counselor or provider offcampus, Tufts CMHS often recommends using services such as HealthiestYou or referral platforms like Thriving Campus to find support. Another method is to call the number on the back of your health insurance card or use online databases to choose from providers who accept your insurance. The “Off-Campus Referral and Support” page of the CMHS website provides guidance on finding an offcampus therapist or psychiatrist, including phone script options and reminders of what to look out for when finding the right fit.

(3) Where do I even get started? This question is complex. It is never too late to get started and to take that step towards feeling comfortable, safe, and confident in seeking out these resources. A potential first step may be scheduling a 15-minute phone call with a CMHS counselor or an appointment with a local provider. If this service is helpful, it may be useful to continue seeking this counseling and/or consulting a certified provider on what their recommendation may be. Everyone’s experience is unique, and the resources at Tufts are there to support undergraduate and graduate students both on and off-campus.

(4) What are the different mental health student organizations at Tufts? How can I get involved? Student-led organizations are excellent resources for people to use to seek out mental health support and become involved in these efforts at Tufts. Active Minds and Ears for Peers are two student-run clubs that have supported students in the Tufts community for many years. Active Minds at Tufts aims to increase mental health awareness through providing educational and helpful resources and serving as advocates for mental health across and beyond campus. Ears for Peers is an anonymous, confidential helpline for all Tufts students that can be accessed from 7:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. EST through phone calls or anonymous web-based messaging. The Ears are trained, in collaboration with staff from CMHS, on how to listen to students who anonymously reach out. They can also provide resources for further support. Another opportunity to get involved in furthering the work of CMHS is Mental Health Reps. Students can apply to become Mental Health Reps and, if given the role, are ultimately trained by CMHS staff and other public health professionals on mental health promotion and advocacy. Students with different perspectives and all levels of experiences are encouraged to apply to this stipend-based position.

While more and more resources are always being innovated, created, and expanded at Tufts, I hope that this piece serves as a comprehensive look into what mental health resources exist through Tufts and how to further access them. One’s mental health is important to center and strengthen, especially amid deeply challenging times, and there are a wide variety of opportunities at Tufts to do so. Access CMHS virtual counseling and groups, Mental Health Reps, Active Minds, and Ears for Peers. Whether we are in Mental Health Awareness Month or not, there are many ways to access, support, and advance mental health resources at Tufts.