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University Health Services Hours
Monday-Wednesday 8:30 a.m. - 7 p.m.
(appointment only 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.)
Thursday-Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Closed on Weekends and Holidays
Location: Quinn Building, 2nd Floor
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Contact Us
24/7 University Health Services Line
617.287.5660
24/7 Mental Health Crisis Hotline
855.634.4135
In case of an emergency, call 911.
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Take Care of Your Heart Day
Thursday, February 13, 12 p.m. – 2 p.m., Campus Center Terrace
Take Care of Your Heart Day is an engaging event focused on helping students explore how they can care for their hearts—physically, emotionally, mentally, and beyond. This collaborative event brings together campus departments to offer fun, interactive activities and resources to promote well-being, build resilience, and encourage self-care. Whether it’s learning about heart health, practicing mindfulness, or simply taking a moment to unwind, there’s something for everyone. Don’t miss this opportunity to prioritize your wellness and show yourself some love! Click here for more event details!
Mental Health and Wellness Table Talk
Monday, February 24, 3 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., Campus Center, 3rd Floor, Room 3545
Join us for a Black History Month event focused on mental health and healing. Through interactive activities and discussions, we’ll reflect on resilience, break harmful cycles, and honor the mental well-being of the Black community.
Mental Wellness for International Students
Tuesday, February 25, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Campus Center, 1st Floor, Room 1215
Join us for a thoughtful and engaging workshop exploring the unique challenges and stressors faced by international students. Through open discussions and interactive activities, we’ll share practical, adaptive strategies to help navigate academic, social, and cultural transitions while prioritizing mental well-being. Whether you are looking for new coping skills or a supportive space to connect with others, this session is for you!
PeaceLove Expressive Arts Workshops
All are welcome! Pre-registration is encouraged. If you would like to see these workshops at a later date, contact the Counseling Center. Click here for the next PeaceLove workshop!
“Dual Emotions” Workshop
Friday, March 7, 11 a.m. - 12 p.m., Campus Center, 1st Floor, Room 1313
Make stuff and feel better with PeaceLove’s “Dual Emotions” workshop. In this workshop you’ll create a piece of art that depicts a time you felt two different emotions at the same time, and how it made you feel.
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KORU Mindfulness
Drop-Ins
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Remote Sessions
Tuesdays, 3 p.m.-4 p.m.
Thursdays, 3 p.m.-4 p.m.
In-Person Sessions
Mondays, 3 p.m.-4 p.m.
Wednesdays, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
| Behavioral Addictions and Substance Use (BASU) Peer Support Meetings | |
Campus Center, 4th Floor
Room 4201
2nd and 4th Tuesday each month
12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
| BASU provides a safe, supportive space for individuals to share experiences, concerns, and resources around addictive behaviors and substance use, in-person and remote. | |
In each issue, The Checkup will introduce you to a new member of the UHS team in its "Meet the Staff" section. Get to know your providers and learn some interesting facts. | |
Elvin Cardona, LICSW
Clinical Social Worker,
Counseling Center
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Professional Interests:
I love racial identity development; Narrative Therapy; gendered healing and justice.
Looking Forward to Most This Semester:
Traveling during spring is the move! Maybe a national park trip is up next.
Go-To Self-Care Habit:
I like to sit in the sun on my porch, watch anime, or both!
Fun Fact Most People Don't Know:
I dance Yoruba/Afro-Cuban folkloric.
Favorite Spot on Campus:
Sitting on the rocks on the ocean in front of the J.F.K Library.
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Counseling Center Spring 2025 Groups | If you have an idea for a group that you think might be of interest to UMass Boston students, let us know! | |
Affinity Space for Asian and Asian American Students
Meets Mondays at noon, Asian American Resource Office (AARO, McCormack 3rd Floor, Room 703), February 4-May 12, 2025
In this affinity space, Asian and Asian American students can explore stress management, self-care, and various aspects of their identity (e.g., race, ethnicity, gender identity, language, sexuality), as well as challenging experiences (e.g., racial trauma).
Neurodivergent Support and Skill-Building Group
Meets Wednesdays at 12:30pm, Campus Center, Suite 2100, February 26-April 2,2025
This group aims to be a safe, neurodiversity-affirming space designed for neurodivergent undergraduate students focused on navigating systemic barriers and ableism, building emotion regulation skills, sharing strategies for thriving, and building community. Topics will include handling academic stress, neurodivergent-friendly mindfulness, habit building skills, advocating for accessibility, and fostering self-acceptance.
All neurodivergent undergraduates are welcome to this drop-in space; no formal diagnosis required.
Shades of Resilience
Meets biweekly on Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m., Counseling Center, Quinn Administrative Building, 2nd Floor, begins February 12, 2025
A safe and non-judgmental space for Black and Brown women to build community and promote self-care through discussion and activities. Topics include stress management, fostering relationships, and identity development.
Register by emailing Counseling.Center@umb.edu.
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Each issue of The Checkup will explore a specific issue/question related to equitable access to healthcare. If you have a question you would like to see addressed, email wellness@umb.edu. | |
Q: How can I find mental health support?
A: The Counseling Center is here for you! You can book a consultation through your My Beacon Health Portal, stop by during walk-in hours, or contact us via email or phone.
Q: What if I am looking for long-term therapy?
A: The Counseling Center only provides short-term therapy on campus. However, the Counseling Center offers referral services to help students connect with long-term therapy options off campus. Simply let us know, and we’ll guide you through the process! You can also create a profile on Welltrack Connect to explore clinicians and more!
Q: I am looking for people like me. Where can I find them?
A: Each semester, the Counseling Center offers groups and affinity spaces designed to meet the needs of students. Be sure to check out our spring semester groups to find your community!
Q: Is there a way for me to talk about my feelings without meeting someone face-to-face?
A: Absolutely! Togetherall is an app where students can connect and share their thoughts anonymously. You can post, respond, and engage with the community, making it a great way to express yourself and get support without the need for face-to-face conversations.
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In each Clinician’s Corner, our staff will share their thoughts and expertise on a topic relevant to Beacons. Have a topic that you would like to see addressed? Email wellness@umb.edu. | |
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Written by Bethany Gunnet, MSN, FNP, Nurse Practitioner
Happy 2025, Beacons!
At the start of each new year, many of us view this as a time to reset certain habits, reinvent oneself, and make a fresh start. Try to remember, goals are tools, not a measure of value or self-worth. Choosing to set a New Year's resolution can seem stressful and overwhelming.
If unsure where to start, consider beginning with small additions to your daily routine that can add up to big changes over time. When deciding on what additions to make, taking into account therapeutic lifestyle interventions is a great place to start, as they can help prevent and treat chronic health conditions.
Therapeutic lifestyle changes could include the following additions to your day-to-day life:
- More whole-food, fiber-filled, plant-based foods (think less processed, more veggies, fruit, whole grains)
- More physical activity (any movement that feels good!)
- More stress reducing behaviors (essential for whole-person health)
- More sleep! (rest allows the body to reset and recover)
- More social connections (spending time with friends and loved ones helps bring meaning and purpose to life)
Instead of setting vague resolutions that may sound achievable on the surface, such as eating more vegetables or exercising more. These resolutions can be easily forgotten after a few weeks without a more defined plan in place. To help establish a stronger framework for these goals, it can be helpful to set a SMART goal. SMART goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.
The components of SMART goals are:
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Specific - Can answer the question, what needs to be accomplished or what goal are you trying to meet?
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Measurable - Can make it easy to track progress. Try keeping a log to hold yourself accountable and know if you are succeeding.
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Achievable - Essentially a reality check. Is this goal something you can reasonably accomplish? Do you have the time and resources to reach your goal?
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Relevant - Can answer the question, why are you setting the goal in the first place?
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Time-bound - Built-in time-related parameters. It should include a start date and deadline.
One example of a SMART goal with the focus of adding more vegetables to your diet could be: "I will add one serving of vegetables to my dinner five days per week for the next month, starting on Sunday."
Remember, even if you do not meet your goal, every action you take to reach it brings you closer to success. Try to give yourself the space to fail and acknowledge what you have learned from your experiences.
Here's to a great start to the spring semester and new year!
"New Year, New Feels, New Chances, Same Dreams, Fresh Starts" — Atticus Poetry
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Did you hear the rumor about the germ? | Nevermind. I don't want to spread it! | | |
If you’re feeling lonely, stressed or just have things on your mind, on Togetherall, you can get anonymous support from a community of real people who understand. | Click on the icon below to join today! | | |
The Checkup will highlight a community resource in each issue. If you have an organization that you would like to see featured, email wellness@umb.edu. | |
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For nearly 50 years, BAGLY (The Boston Alliance of LGBTQ+ Youth) has been a youth-led, adult-supported social support organization, committed to social justice and creating, sustaining, and advocating for programs, policies, and services for the LGBTQ+ youth community in Massachusetts.
BAGLY's Stabilization and Success Program (SandS) supports LGBTQ+ youth and young adults as they take agency in their lives by providing direct support (cash assistance, clothing, food, household items), independent living services (life skills workshops, tutoring, low-threshold case management), and free mental and behavioral health services.
To learn more about BAGLY's programs and services, please visit BAGLY.org
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