Mental Health Commission
The ASUCI Mental Health Commission is focused on destigmatizing conversations surrounding mental health on campus in order to help normalize and strengthen students’ relationships with their mental health. We do this through events throughout the year focused on discussing different topics within the field of mental health and raising awareness for different resources on and off campus that can support the mental health of our student body. We aim to provide multiple ways for students struggling with mental health to cope and recognize that they are not alone.
One of the major events that we put on every year is the Reclaim Mental Health Conference! This annual conference first began in 2015 with the intention of bringing together the student body along with anyone in the area who was interested in learning more mental health topics. In the past few years, these topics have ranged from how to reach out for help or support friends struggling with their mental health to meditation practices aimed at relaxation. Last year was our first year of planning and executing an entirely virtual conference, but we plan on bringing it back in-person!
Contact:
If you would like to get in contact with us, please email mentalhealth@asuci.uci.edu!
If you would like to speak with us directly, come to one of our office hours or set up an appointment with us!
Office hours:
This is a time for us to get to know you and what you would like to see happen with the mental health climate on campus. Feel free to take the space as you need, whether its to discuss about potential changes for UCI or just talk about your day.
Cindy Sahagun: Mondays from 12-1PM
Dorothy Nguyen: Thursdays from 1-2PM
Our office hours will be hosted hybrid with the in-person location being the ASUCI office and virtual on this Zoom Link. If you prefer to join from the app, the Meeting ID is 980 3027 2002.
Can’t make it to our regular office hours? No problem! Just email us your general availability and what topics you would like to discuss, and we will set up a meeting with you.
Stay tuned for our upcoming events! You can visit our Reclaim Mental Health Website to look at our past programs or click on the Past Event Videos tab to watch our recorded events.
Healthy Healing Habits: How to Discuss Mental Health
This presentation by author Jessi Beyer focuses on ways to help support any friends that may be struggling with their mental health without overstepping boundaries or taking over the role of a professional.
Depression Prevention and COVID-19 Coping
This presentation by Dr. Kate Kuhlman focuses in on ways of coping with the COVID-19 pandemic in order to help prevent depressive feelings.
Storytime: I Failed Publicly As An Asian-American and I'm Still Here
How to Harness Your Emotions for Purpose and Resilience
Assertiveness in the Face of Racism for Filipino Americans by Dr. Abby Hamilton - Part 1
Research shows that specific Filipino values keep us from being assertive. With emotions stirring in the light of recent news, how do we find our voice? Dr. Abby will discuss our Filipino values and assertiveness strategies for Filipino Americans. Dr. Abby is an industrial/organizational psychologist who speaks on assertive communication for Filipinos. More recently, she has been speaking on assertiveness in the face of racism as well as assertiveness in the workplace. Dr. Abby’s research on 473 Filipino Americans in 35 states in the US revealed that Filipino values conflict with assertiveness. This research sparked Dr. Abby’s mission to help Filipino Americans learn their values and assertiveness.
Assertiveness in the Face of Racism for Filipino Americans by Dr. Abby Hamilton - Part 2
Research shows that specific Filipino values keep us from being assertive. With emotions stirring in the light of recent news, how do we find our voice? Dr. Abby will discuss our Filipino values and assertiveness strategies for Filipino Americans. Dr. Abby is an industrial/organizational psychologist who speaks on assertive communication for Filipinos. More recently, she has been speaking on assertiveness in the face of racism as well as assertiveness in the workplace. Dr. Abby’s research on 473 Filipino Americans in 35 states in the US revealed that Filipino values conflict with assertiveness. This research sparked Dr. Abby’s mission to help Filipino Americans learn their values and assertiveness.
UCI COACH - A Model of Peer to Peer Counseling
Join us in a discussion about UCI’s COACH program, a peer to peer counseling program that aims to help students that are stressed about academic, social, and/or personal goals by pairing them with a trained peer life coach. This is an excellent resource for UCI students in particular, but also is a model for other universities looking to utilize peer to peer counseling as a way to address increasing demand for mental health services on campus.
Prepared to Pivot by Yasmin Naaman
A discussion about navigating the world of mental health and entrepreneurship as a young, black woman clinician, particularly during “these unprecedented times.”
Social Environments for “Queer” Empowerment by Andre Casas
Through a general overview of the unique drivers of health disparities that exist for LGBTQIA2S+ people, this workshop will examine the mental health needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, aromantic, asexual, and two-spirit (LGBTQIA2S+) college students. Workshop participants will develop a critical understanding of how psychology has approached the study of and response to sociocultural and political issues that impact queer individuals and communities, including those that have contributed both positively and negatively to their health and wellness, coping, and resilience.