Students can encounter stress from exams, family issues and everyday pressures. While everyone experiences stress differently, prolonged stress can be harmful to a person’s health in many ways. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), stress affects the entire body, ranging from the cardiovascular system to the respiratory system.
To combat stress, the APA suggests getting an adequate amount of sleep each night, engaging in physical activity and maintaining a healthy support network. However, these solutions may feel unreachable for some. The UCI Counseling Center exists to support all UCI students to discuss and assist with ongoing challenges and stressors.
UCI’s Counseling Center offers a variety of therapy services. A student’s therapeutic needs are initially assessed during their first appointment, after which the student is directed to either long-term or short-term therapy.
Students directed to long-term therapy are assisted in selecting an off-campus clinic that can assist them best, depending on the level and method of counseling needed. Students enrolled in the SHIP health insurance plan do not need to pay any out of pocket costs when applying for off-campus therapy and the counseling center can assist them with applications if needed.
“We also have crisis services, so the way students can benefit from that is if they’re in a situation where they feel like they urgently need to talk to somebody,” Senior Staff Psychologist Shuka Jahromifar told New University. “We are actually available 24/7 from home. Outside of our business hours, students can call our phone number and they’ll be connected to a live mental health professional.”
In addition to these services, the Counseling Center offers weekly mental health workshops with rotating topics. Free and open to all UCI students, workshops cover a variety of mental health topics. One of the most recent workshops, held February 4, focused on loss and grief.
“We do have [wellness workshops] every quarter, and we tell you the dates and the topics. The one today was loss and grief. Sometimes the topics change, sometimes the topics remain the same based on popularity. It is offered regularly throughout the year,” Jahromifar told New University.
These workshops are typically led by a senior staff psychologist and last around an hour. They are held in small, intimate settings with a limited number of attendees, which can be beneficial for students experiencing periods of stress. These workshops are also available via Zoom, increasing accessibility for students regardless of location.
During each workshop, a senior staff psychologist introduces the topic through a presentation and allows time for students who wish to share their thoughts or personal experiences. To maintain a supportive environment, participation during these workshops is optional.
The workshops are typically held at the UCI Counseling Center office. Students interested in participating are encouraged to come to the in person sessions. The sessions are held in smaller rooms within the counseling center, allowing for additional privacy and comfort in order to ensure an environment where participants are comfortable.
All students are welcome to participate in upcoming workshops hosted by the UCI Counseling Center. For more information, please visit the UCI Counseling Center’s official website.
Konstantin Diatlov is a Features Staff Writer for the winter 2026 quarter. He can be reached at kdiatlov@uci.edu.
Edited by Aditya Biswas and Joshua Gonzales
