Mental Health and Wellness Resources for You

 

 

 Specific Concerns and Referral Options

Disclaimer:

Tufts University does not endorse, recommend, or certify the credentials or quality of any outside service provider. Tufts is not responsible for the professional services rendered by those healthcare or counseling professionals.

BIPOC Students

We value the challenges and experiences of our BIPOC students and intentionally work to provide the care and support that is needed. Historically, the health care system has harmed BIPOC individuals and communities, leading to warranted distrust and skepticism. Tufts CMHS practices cultural humility and is committed to creating inclusive, liberated spaces to affirm and support our BIPOC students. Attending a PWI is an experience that, among other things, can be stressful and invalidating. BIPOC students frequently must navigate complex dynamics at school, within their families, in their personal lives, and in the world, all while trying to excel academically. Tufts CMHS staff hope to provide support, understanding, and compassion to help BIPOC students navigate the ever increasing challenges of academic and university life. We are fully aware that for our BIPOC students to maximize their significant strengths, intelligence, talents, and potential, it will take a concerted effort and commitment from CMHS as well as from others in the Tufts community.

CMHS offers a presentation on how to protest safely as well as a toolkit handout that you can take with you.

Black and African American Communities

Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Communities

Latinx and Hispanic Communities

Native and Indigenous Communities

Racial Trauma

Substance Abuse Resources for the BIPOC Community

  • Detox Local - An extensive list of mental health and substance use resources specifically for AAPI communities.
  • Live Another Day - Extensive information on mental health and substance use for people of color. The organization’s mission is equal access to life-saving resources.

International Students

Counseling is a familiar and often utilized resource in the United States, but it is not necessarily well-known or well-utilized in all countries and cultures. The following information may be helpful if you are new to the idea of counseling or if you are wondering if it could be helpful for you.

What Is Counseling?

  • Counseling is private and confidential.
  • Counseling at CMHS is free of charge to undergraduate students and to graduate students who have paid the Health and Wellness fee.

In many countries and cultures, counseling can occur in any relationship whereby two or more people work together towards understanding and resolving a problem or difficulty. For example, you may have called your close friends when something upset you or you wanted to tell them about stressful experiences. Another example is that you may have turned to your parents or siblings for advice or support.

In the United States, international students often do not have immediate access to their primary support system. In addition, international students may experience increasing stress due to homesickness or to adjusting to the college environment, language, and culture in the U.S. These factors make international students more susceptible to academic, health, emotional, or psychological difficulties, or these factors may make a preexisting condition worse.

In counseling, a professional can function as your support in a way that is different from your family and friends. A counselor helps students discuss their concerns in a safe and friendly environment. A counselor works with students to find the best way to help.

Is my problem appropriate for Counseling? 

There is no such thing as right/appropriate or wrong/inappropriate issues that can be presented in counseling. Tufts students address many things in counseling. Some common examples are:

  • Stress management ("I feel stressed out" or "I feel my muscles are tensed")
  • Relationship concerns ("I just broke up with my boyfriend/girlfriend/partner and I feel sad  and lonely")
  • Homesickness and loneliness ("I miss my family and I feel lonely and isolated")
  • Academic pressures ("I have difficulty concentrating on my studies" or "I am extremely worried that I will disappoint my parents")
  • Career ("I am not sure what I want to major in" or "I am concerned about getting a job after graduation")
  • Language and cultural differences ("I am concerned about speaking in a class" or "I feel like people are misunderstanding me because of cultural differences")
  • Anxious feelings (“I feel anxious about taking a test" or "I feel anxious about speaking to others")
  • Depressed mood (“I have lost motivation and interest in activities" or "I sleep a lot and don't want to hang out with friends")
  • Physical illness ("I experience headache/stomachache/fatigue/chest pain/dizziness, but the doctor said that there is nothing wrong with me")
  • Sleeping difficulty (“I sleep a lot" or "I can’t fall asleep" or "I don't feel rested after sleeping")
  • Eating concerns ("I eat a lot when I feel stressed out" or "I am very concerned about my weight")

Can I receive Counseling in my native language?

At CMHS, we provide therapy in the following languages:

  • Mandarin
  • Spanish
  • French
  • Polish

When possible, we also make referrals off campus, where additional languages are spoken.

Groups and Workshops

We offer groups and workshops specifically for international students. For more information, check out our Counseling Groups and Workshops page.

Undocumented Students

This is a particularly stressful time for students impacted by immigration status. CMHS offers confidential support that is free of charge to full-time undergraduate and graduate students as well as to part-time students who have paid the Health & Wellness fee.

For academic, community, and legal resources, visit the FIRST Center’s webpage for undocumented students.

Trans Students

Tufts Counseling and Mental Health Service affirms and supports students of all gender identities and gender expressions. Our staff is trained in providing informed mental health care to Tufts students, regardless of gender identity or expression.

Our forms offer you the opportunity to self-identify gender, and our electronic medical record gives the option to share your pronouns and name in use. We also provide support for individuals seeking letters for gender affirming medical procedures. Like our partners at Health Services, we strive to provide a safe, intentional space where trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming students can have all of their physical and mental health and wellness needs met.

CMHS offers a presentation on how to protest safely as well as a toolkit handout that you can take with you.

Resources at Tufts

Local Community Resources

National Resources

Parents and Families

Faculty and Staff

Faculty and Staff have access to free, confidential counseling for themselves, their dependents, and their household members. For more information 

  • Visit the BCBS website for health plan coverage information or call 888-261-0133

  • Visit the KGA website for EAP services and resources or call 800-648-9557

  • Contact Tufts Support Services for benefits questions at TSS@Tufts.edu or 617-627-7000

Helping Distressed Students

Are you concerned about a student? Visit our Concerned About a Student? web page for information about signs of distress, how to approach someone, campus resources, and options for intervention.

Kognito

Kognito is an online educational program designed to teach faculty, staff, and student leaders about mental health. The platform has been used by over 100 colleges and universities, training almost 60,000 faculty and staff and 2 million students. It is available to all members of the Tufts community. 

Worth Remembering!

Ears for Peers is an anonymous, confidential hotline for Tufts students. They are available 7:00pm-7:00am every night during the academic year. Although they do not offer mental health treatment, they are there to listen and to help with all kinds of issues and concerns.
The Steve Fund is an off-campus organization dedicated to the mental health and emotional well-being of students of color. Their website contains information about self-care programs, resources, and events.
The Steve Fund logo