Located at the corner of Professors Row and Curtis Street, the Sawyer House is visited by 20% of Tufts students annually. This pretty, inconspicuous building is the home of the University’s Counseling and Mental Health Services (CMHS). Students come here for a variety of reasons and the staff has created an equally wide variety of ways to help them.
The CMHS is prepared to answer questions and consult people who are experiencing mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, stress, relationship trouble, eating disorders, etc. “Students come to us for so many different reasons that it’s hard to put them into categories,” Dr. Julie Jampel said. As the staff psychologist and director of training, she has seen students who come simply to think more and talk about some part of their lives. Thus, she discourages others from making any assumptions about those who have sought this type of help at Tufts.
All counseling at Tufts is free for undergraduates who have paid the comprehensive health insurance. Sometimes one or two sessions are enough to help someone get back on track; other times people keep returning for as long as a semester. “Come back as many times as you need to and we won’t charge you, unless we have to start prescribe or change your current prescription,” Dr. Jampel promised.
The CMHS is also a very good resource for connecting students with other counseling offices and doctors in the greater Boston area. “If it makes the most sense for a student with persistent mental health problems, we could refer them to a psychologist in the area,” Dr. Jampel said.
Given the wide range of concerns that students come with, the office has prepared a lot of services to help everyone. There is the usual one-on-one counseling with a staff psychologist, but for those who feel more comfortable in larger numbers, there are a few workshops and support groups as well. For instance, the Mindfulness and Meditation for Stress Reduction group could be very helpful to those who are always worried about exams and papers. In addition, the CMHS does consultations and training for different groups on campus.
One of the most important projects, whose participants the office trains, is Ears for Peers, the confidential peer support hotline on campus. Open from 7:00pm to 7:00am every night of the academic year at 617-627-3888, Ears for Peers promises “to lend an ear when needed and to make you aware of the resources that are available to you as a Tufts student,” according to their brochure. “Our office trains the ‘ears’ who are usually students with interest in mental health, so that they are more familiar with the possible issues that might come up,” Dr. Jampel explained.
The CMHS’s support is visible in many other projects on campus. For instance, they participate in workshops during Undergraduate Orientation and through the Academic Resource Center. They also consult with the various culture houses and Residential Life.
In short, “We are here to provide students with the resources to address and overcome their mental health issues,” Dr. Jampel said. “We might have more female than male patients, but everyone should learn to [handle] their feelings.”
Although they say that stress is a common characteristic of college life, feeling stressed out all the time is neither good nor unavoidable. You could consider yourself a strong person who can deal with their emotions, but sometimes even you might need help. As Dr. Jampel advises, it’s better to come earlier than later. There are a lot of available resources and friendly staff who are here to help you with your mental health concerns. Just ask.
For more information, visit the CMHS website at http://ase.tufts.edu/counseling/. The Stress-Reduction Audio Series under Stress Management are particularly relaxing
(Photography by Justin McCallum)