Mental Health & Wellness

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Mental Health & Wellness

Nurturing the Whole Scholar

At The University of Ontological Science, we recognize that intellectual flourishing is inextricably linked to overall wellbeing. The academic journey—particularly at the graduate level—can be both exhilarating and demanding, requiring sustained mental, emotional, and physical resources. Our comprehensive approach to mental health and wellness reflects our commitment to supporting you as a whole person, not merely as a scholar. We provide a range of services, resources, and practices designed to help you thrive during your time at TUOS and develop sustainable wellness practices for your future.

Counseling and Psychological Services

Individual Counseling
Personalized support for your unique concerns:

  • Short-term therapeutic services with licensed mental health professionals
  • Initial assessment and treatment planning tailored to your needs
  • Culturally responsive approaches honoring diverse backgrounds and experiences
  • Specialized support for academic-specific challenges
  • Crisis intervention services available 24/7
  • Confidential services provided at no additional cost to enrolled students

Group Therapy and Support Groups
Collective healing and growth opportunities:

  • Graduate Student Support Circle: Processing the unique challenges of graduate education
  • Mindfulness for Scholars: Contemplative practices for academic life
  • Dissertation Support Group: Emotional and practical support for the dissertation journey
  • Perfectionism Workshop: Addressing unhelpful standards and expectations
  • Grief and Loss Group: Processing various forms of loss and transition
  • International Student Adjustment: Navigating cultural transitions and academic life
  • LGBTQ+ Community Group: Support specific to gender and sexual diversity

Psychiatric Services
Medical support for mental health concerns:

  • Psychiatric evaluation and diagnosis
  • Medication management when appropriate
  • Coordination with counseling services for integrated care
  • Consultation with outside providers when beneficial
  • Education about treatment options and approaches
  • Holistic consideration of biological, psychological, and social factors

Wellness Programs and Resources

Contemplative Practice Center
Resources for mindfulness and awareness development:

  • Daily guided meditation sessions open to all community members
  • Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) eight-week courses
  • Contemplative movement practices including yoga and qigong
  • Silent meditation retreats during semester breaks
  • Contemplative reading groups exploring wisdom traditions
  • Meditation space available for individual practice throughout the day

Physical Wellbeing Resources
Supporting bodily health as foundational to mental wellness:

  • Comprehensive fitness center with diverse equipment and class offerings
  • Nutrition consultations with registered dietitians
  • Sleep improvement programs and resources
  • Ergonomic assessments for study and research spaces
  • Nature connection opportunities through campus green spaces
  • Recreational sports and movement communities

Work-Life Integration
Support for balanced and sustainable academic life:

  • Time management and productivity workshops
  • Setting boundaries in academic contexts
  • Navigating advisor and colleague relationships
  • Financial wellness programs and resources
  • Family support resources for student parents
  • Sabbath practices and intentional rest strategies

Crisis Support and Intervention

Immediate Crisis Resources
Help available when you need it most:

  • 24/7 crisis line staffed by mental health professionals: 555-TUOS-HELP
  • Walk-in crisis appointments available during business hours
  • After-hours crisis support through campus safety: 555-TUOS-SAFE
  • Crisis text line: Text “TUOS” to 741741
  • Online crisis chat available through the Mental Health Portal
  • Protocol for emergency mental health transportation when needed

Peer Support Network
Trained student supporters providing connection and guidance:

  • Peer mental health advocates available in each department
  • Active listening and supportive conversation
  • Resource navigation assistance
  • Accompaniment to initial service appointments when desired
  • Wellness events and community-building activities
  • Recognition of early warning signs and appropriate referrals

Concern for Others Protocol
Supporting community members in distress:

  • Clear guidelines for helping peers experiencing difficulties
  • Consultation service for concerns about others’ wellbeing
  • CARE Team coordination for complex student situations
  • Training on recognizing and responding to warning signs
  • Resources for supporting friends after difficult experiences
  • Community responsibility framework for collective wellbeing

Identity-Affirming Wellness Resources

Cultural and Identity-Based Support
Services honoring diverse backgrounds and experiences:

  • Culturally-specific counseling providers with diverse backgrounds
  • Identity-affirming support groups and community spaces
  • Recognition of the impact of systemic factors on wellbeing
  • Healing resources for experiences of discrimination or marginalization
  • Celebration of cultural practices that contribute to wellness
  • Community-building events fostering belonging and connection

International Student Wellness
Specialized support for global scholars:

  • Adjustment and cultural transition resources
  • Multilingual counseling services where possible
  • Recognition of unique stressors faced by international students
  • Navigation of healthcare systems and insurance
  • Community connections to reduce isolation
  • Honoring of diverse cultural approaches to wellbeing

Spiritual and Existential Wellbeing
Resources supporting meaning-making and purpose:

  • Interfaith chaplaincy services for diverse traditions
  • Existential exploration groups and philosophical inquiry
  • Sacred space for reflection and spiritual practice
  • Support for integrating spiritual values with academic work
  • Meaning-centered approaches to academic challenges
  • Community rituals marking significant transitions

Academic-Specific Wellness Initiatives

Scholar Wellbeing Program
Addressing the unique mental health needs of researchers:

  • Workshops on impostor phenomenon in academia
  • Resilience building for the research and publication process
  • Navigation of scholarly critique and feedback
  • Perspective maintenance in competitive academic contexts
  • Community building to counteract academic isolation
  • Celebration of progress and accomplishments beyond outcomes

Department Wellness Liaisons
Embedding wellness resources within academic units:

  • Faculty and staff trained in student support resources
  • Department-specific wellness programming
  • Early intervention for academic distress
  • Cultivation of supportive departmental culture
  • Recognition of discipline-specific stressors
  • Integration of wellbeing practices into academic routines

Dissertation and Thesis Support
Specialized resources for capstone projects:

  • Emotional support groups for the dissertation journey
  • Procrastination and writer’s block workshops
  • Celebration rituals marking progress milestones
  • Balance maintenance during intensive writing periods
  • Relationship navigation with committees and advisors
  • Transition support for post-completion phases

Prevention and Education

Mental Health Literacy
Building knowledge and skills for psychological wellbeing:

  • Mental health first aid certification opportunities
  • Education about common mental health conditions
  • Destigmatization campaigns and awareness events
  • Resources for recognizing warning signs in self and others
  • Information about effective treatment approaches
  • Understanding the relationship between physical and mental health

Resilience and Growth Programs
Developing capacities for thriving amid challenges:

  • Resilience skill-building workshops and courses
  • Post-traumatic growth frameworks and approaches
  • Strengths-based assessments and development
  • Psychological flexibility and adaptability training
  • Mindset development for academic challenges
  • Cultivation of social support networks

Wellbeing in the Curriculum
Integrating wellness throughout the educational experience:

  • Contemplative pedagogy in classroom settings
  • Sustainable assignment design and workload planning
  • Wellness modules integrated into orientation and milestone courses
  • Faculty development for supporting student wellbeing
  • Recognition of the connection between wellbeing and learning
  • Trauma-informed educational practices

Accessing Mental Health & Wellness Services

The Center for Student Wellbeing is located in the Jung Building, with services available Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Initial appointments can be scheduled by calling 555-TUOS-WELL or through the online portal at wellness.tuos.edu.

Crisis services are available 24/7 by calling 555-TUOS-HELP or by visiting the Urgent Care Center in the Jung Building during business hours.

All enrolled students are entitled to an initial consultation and short-term counseling services at no additional cost. If longer-term care is needed, our care coordinators will help connect you with appropriate community resources, many of which are covered by student health insurance.

Remember that seeking support is a sign of strength and wisdom, not weakness. At TUOS, we believe that attending to your wellbeing is not separate from your scholarly journey but an essential component of it—enabling you to bring your full capabilities to your academic work while developing as a whole person capable of sustained contribution and meaningful engagement with life’s fundamental questions.