Grad

Mental Health

Return to Resource Guide Home Page

Crisis Lines

Crisis intervention services provide immediate access and support to students in need due to acute mental health crises. Some situations require immediate attention. If a student's behavior is highly disruptive, creates a risk for others' safety, appears very disorganized or out of control, or if the student expresses an intent of self-harm or suicide, seek immediate assistance by:

  • Calling CAPS (513-556-0648) and asking for the therapist on-call for emergencies OR
  • Call Public Safety at 911

A live, trained volunteer Crisis Counselor receives the text and responds, all from our secure online platform. The volunteer Crisis Counselor will help you move from a hot moment to a cool calm.

  • Text 4HOPE to 741-741 or visit Crisis Text Line to chat online.
  • Free 24/7 support for any type of crisis, from anywhere in the U.S.
  • Note: The first two responses are automated, but a trained professional will assist you.

Free and confidential 24/7 support for anyone in a suicidal crisis anywhere in the U.S. Call or text or chat online 988 if in need of help and you will be routed to the closest crisis center in the area. 

THE NATIONAL GRADUATE CRISIS LINE: 1-877.GRAD.HLP (1-877-472-3457)

  • The National Grad Crisis Line helps graduate students reach free, confidential telephone counseling, crisis intervention, suicide prevention, and information and referral services provided by specially trained call-takers. Caring, professional staff and well-trained volunteers answer around the clock.
  • All counselors have completed training to understand the unique issues faced by graduate students. In addition to listening to and empathizing with a caller’s concerns, counselors assess the caller’s lethality risk, counsel, and offer various local support services and mental health resources for follow-up.
  • Website: Grad Resources

NATIONAL SEXUAL ASSAULT HOTLINE: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)

  • This is free, confidential, and available 24/7. A chat option is also available on the RAINN website.
  • Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) is the nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization. RAINN created and operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline in partnership with more than 1,000 local sexual assault service providers across the country.
  • If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, help is available.

NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)

  • 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, the National Domestic Violence Hotline provides essential tools and support to help survivors of domestic violence so they can live their lives free of abuse.
  • Contacts to The Hotline can expect highly trained, expert advocates to offer free, confidential, and compassionate support, crisis intervention information, education, and referral services in over 200 languages.
  • Available for call, online chat, or text. To text, send “START” to 88788

NATIONAL EATING DISORDERS ASSOCIATION HELPLINE: 1-800-931-2237

RAINN: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)

  • RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) is the nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization. RAINN created and operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline (800.656.HOPE, online.rainn.org or rainn.org/es) in partnership with more than 1,000 local sexual assault service providers across the country and operates the DoD Safe Helpline for the Department of Defense. RAINN also carries out programs to prevent sexual violence, help survivors, and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.
  • Call 800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit the RAINN website to utilize the RAINN chat helpline.
  • Visit the RAINN website to learn more.

TREVOR PROJECT: 1-866-488-7386

  • Crisis counselors are trained to answer calls, chats, or texts from LGBTQ young people who reach out on their free, confidential and secure 24/7 service when they are struggling with issues such as coming out, LGBTQ identity, depression, and suicide.
  • Contact information:
    • Call 1-866-488-7386 to speak with a counselor.
    • Text “START“ to 678-678 to get support via text message.
    • Visit The Trevor Project webpage. 

UC Supports and Opportunities

CAPS offers individual and group counseling, resources, and more.

  • CAPS Group Therapy: 
    • ARISE - Survivors of Sexual and/or Relationship Violence (weekly; in person)  
    • Art of Stress Management (art therapy; weekly; in person) 
    • Building Social Confidence (weekly; in person) 
    • Community Wellness Groups (weekly; in person) 
    • Diverse Minds 
    • Healthy Headspace 
    • Mindful Self-Compassion (weekly; in person) 
    • SoulCollage (8-week therapy group using SoulCollage; in person) 
    • Understanding Self and Others, Graduate (weekly; virtual)
    • Wokeshop Wednesdays (bi-weekly; in person)      
  • Reach Out – free UC app for smart phones providing a wealth of information for the UC community.
  • Let’s Talk - free and confidential. Students can meet with a clinician for a brief 15-20 minute conversation.
  • TAO (Therapy Assistance Online) - an interactive, web-based self-help program that provides online and mobile tools to help overcome the day-to-day challenges around stressors like anxiety, depression, or other concerns.
  • Calm – UC students and benefits eligible employees can access a free year’s subscription to the Calm app which provides support for better sleep, meditations, and more! 

Contact Information:

Graduate students may access mental health services offered via the central Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) office, their academic college's embedded counselor, or the Graduate College’s embedded counselor, choosing the option that works best for them.  

Bearcats Support Network (BSN) empowers University of Cincinnati students to create an inclusive community and support each other’s identity, mental well-being, and day-to-day lives through peer-facilitated groups and monthly community events.

Contact Information:

The Mental Health professionals at University Health Services are committed to providing high quality mental health care for the vibrant and diverse students of the University of Cincinnati. Utilizing a holistic approach to treatment, they work collaboratively with primary care and psychiatry providers, as well as University of Cincinnati campus partners, to meet the ever-changing mental health needs of college students in all phases of their educational careers. 

Contact Information:

The UC Behavioral Health Center is the psychological services clinic run by the University of Cincinnati Psychology Department. They serve UC and the local community by providing low-cost options for therapy. The Behavioral Health Center is a training clinic for graduate students in the Psychology Department. All services are conducted by graduate trainees and supervised by licensed clinical psychologists. They also offer learning disorder assessment services for children and adolescents.  

Contact Information: 

The UC Student Wellness Center empowers students to make informed decisions by providing evidence-based education, inclusive resources, and non-judgmental support. They offer an extensive collection of resources and information about various health and wellness topics.

Contact Information:

Healthy UC is a collaborative focused on the well-being of students, faculty and staff. Their efforts focus on mental well-being, nutrition and physical activity for all students, faculty and staff. 

UC COM Mental Health Ambassadors provide mental health assistance for graduate students in the College of Medicine. 

The UC Cares Crisis Team is a committee overseen by the Associate Dean of Students determining how to improve student well-being during a struggle of any kind (academic, social, behavioral, psychological). Faculty, staff or students concerned about a student's behavior may report it via an online confidential form sent to the committee.

This website is designed to provide resources for victims or survivors of sexual harassment, including sexual assault, dating or domestic violence, gender-based harassment, or stalking. Staff are available 24 hours a day for confidential advice and assistance.

Contact Information:

  • Website: UC Advocates
  • Phone: 513-431-3807 (Monday-Friday, 9 AM-5 PM, UC Advocates sexual assault line)
  • Additional 24/7 crisis line for on-campus sexual assault survivors at UC; facilitated by Women Helping Women: 513-381-5610

Osher UC Center for Integrative Health and Wellness provides Integrative Health and Wellness programs at UC Academic Health Center and throughout the community. Check out their Events Calendar to view upcoming programming.

Community Mental Health Resources

Acts as the front door to the Hamilton County public mental health system. MHAP, a division of Central Clinic, provides assessment, support, and connections for children and adults residing in Hamilton County who are in need of mental health services.

You can contact MHAP via a 24-hour helpline – (513) 588-8888

Talbert House consists of a team of mental health professionals who are trained to respond to crisis situations. These team members have experience dealing with youth and adults in various settings. Their mission is to help communities, schools, businesses or other groups effectively process emotions and restore functioning during times of crisis. Types of crises may include: sudden death, serious accidents, incidents of violence, natural disasters or community crises. This service is provided in Hamilton and Brown counties. 

For immediate assistance, call (513) 281-CARE (2273).

NAMI offers free various educational programs, presentations, and support.

  • NAMI Helpline – 1-800-950 NAMI (6264)
  • Information and referral helpline – (513) 351-3500

National Mental Health Resources

Crisis counselors are trained to answer calls, chats, or texts from LGBTQ young people who reach out on their free, confidential and secure 24/7 service when they are struggling with issues such as coming out, LGBTQ identity, depression, and suicide.

Contact information:

  • Call 1-866-488-7386 to speak with a counselor.
  • Text “START“ to 678-678 to get support via text message.
  • Visit The Trevor Project webpage.

The Therapy Den connects you with mental health professionals seeking to make the experience of finding a therapist easy. Visit their website to find a culturally responsive, social-justice-oriented therapist.

Visit Psychology Today to connect with a licensed mental health professional in your community.

BIPOC Mental Health Resources

The Mental Health Coalition is dedicated to addressing the mental health needs of the BIPOC community. Recognizing the critical need for inclusive and culturally affirming support, they aim to provide custom resources for mental health exploration and healing within these communities.

Please utilize the MHC Resource Library to locate specific mental health resources for the BIPOC community, including BIPOC Mental Health Guides. 

Mental Health Awareness Training

UC ASSISTS (Awareness, Screening, Support, and Intervention Skills Training for Students) is a new Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA) funded initiative that will include Adult Mental Health First Aid (for students) and Mental Health First Aid for Higher Education (for faculty and staff).

Search on GetInvolvedUC: UC Assists for the next offering.

Our university community is filled with empathetic and compassionate Bearcats who care about supporting each other. Many of these individuals are designated Mental Health Champions who have gone through training to learn more about supporting student, faculty, and staff mental health, including QPR training and Supporting Bearcats in Distress.

To learn more and view a list of current Mental Health Champions, visit HealthyUC: Mental Health Champions.

FREE all-day summit includes professional and personal development, interactive workshops, and opportunities to network with other graduate students and local professionals. At lunch, students can attend a resource fair and participate in relaxing self-care activities. This event is offered during the Spring semester.

For more information, visit the Graduate College Mental Health Summit page or GetInvolvedUC.

QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer — the 3 simple steps anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. Just as people trained in CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver help save thousands of lives each year, people trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade, and refer someone to help.

UC offers many opportunities to become QPR certified. Find the next opportunity by visiting GetInvolvedUC.

Self-Help Resources

Mental Health Resources for Graduate Students takes a look at the six most frequent mental health conditions, explores signs and symptoms, and helps readers find compassionate, accessible resources. These resources also include advice from an expert about how grad students can recognize, understand, and manage mental health issues without derailing their studies.

Mental health is a serious issue that impacts students at any level. PhD students face unique stressors and pressure that can impact mental health. Use the resources in this PhD Mental Health Guide to find the support you need.

University of Cincinnati's Reach Out is a Suicide Prevention app that provides quick access to guidance for supporting a friend in need, suicide prevention, or coping with mental health challenges. It also supplies information about resources and services offered on the campus and in the community, including crisis hotline numbers.  

UC students and benefits eligible employees can access a free year’s subscription to the Calm app which provides support for better sleep, meditations, and more!

TAO is an interactive, web-based self-help program that provides online and mobile tools to help overcome the day-to-day challenges around stressors like anxiety, depression, or other concerns.

This Anxiety Self-Help Guide aims to help you to find out if you have symptoms of anxiety, understand more about anxiety, and find ways to manage or overcome anxiety. 

If you’re struggling with grief in grad school, you are not alone. This guide for coping with grief in graduate school can help you discover practical tools, self-care tips, and support for finding peace and strength in the face of loss. It can also offer resources for if you are trying to support a graduate student coping with grief. 

This article on Imposter Syndrome from the UC Graduate College explores the various types of Imposter Syndrome, the slippery slope of biases, and what to do about it.

This self-care guide from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) provides suggestions for personalizing your self-care strategy.

Self-care is important for one’s health and wellness. Because self-care is so different for each person, there is no one way to approach it. Here is a list of 10 tips for self-care from a graduate student!

These virtual self-help brochures from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Counseling Center cover a range of topics from Academic Difficulties to Diversity and Cultural Differences to Grief and Loss.