If you’re worried about your mental health or emotional well-being, you don’t have to face it alone. When problems begin to interfere with your emotional or physical health, your relationships, your work — or life in general — you may need to talk with someone who can help. Call or email Student Services, Dr. Linda Zaruba, or Dr. Xiao Xia Song. We can work with you to address your concerns and arrange for help that will meet your needs and preserve your confidentiality.
Student Services
Student Services is available to help you with personal and academic advising, counseling, and referrals. Our office is located at 280 Simon Hall and we invite you to contact us at 510.643.2744 or drop by for an appointment. You may also contact us directly:
- Dean of Students, Annik Hirshen, 510.643.3057
- Senior Director of Student Services, Kyle Valenti, 510.642.3263
- Director of Student Services, Accessible Education, Chelsea Yuan, 510.664.4386
- Assistant Director of Student Services, Hannah Chang, 510.643.4180
- Student Services Administrator, Levi Cohen, 510.643.2744
Berkeley Law has dedicated Psychologists available to meet with you confidentially:
- Dr. Linda Zaruba You may call her at 510.326.1267, or you can send a Secure Message through the etang.berkeley.edu portal.
- Dr. Xiao Xia Song You can send a Secure Message through the etang.berkeley.edu portal.
Counseling and Psychological Services at Tang
Counseling and Psychological Services has an office in 374A Boalt Hall where staff psychologists, Linda Zaruba and Xiao Xia Song are available to talk to you about your concerns. Additional satellite offices are available elsewhere on the campus if you prefer to meet with someone away from the law school. Dr. Linda Zaruba is available on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Dr. Xiao Xia Song is available on Tuesdays. You can call Dr. Zaruba to set an appointment at 510.326.1267. You can also Secure Message Dr. Zaruba and Dr. Song through the etang.berkeley.edu portal.
The main Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS) office is on the third floor of the Tang Center at 2222 Bancroft Way. CPS provides crisis intervention, brief individual and couples counseling, groups, and workshops on a variety of personal and academic issues. The office also provides psychiatric services for medication evaluation and monitoring, and social services support for health-related issues like medical problems, chronic illness, substance abuse, pregnancy, domestic violence, and sexual assault.
Call 510.642.9494 to make an appointment or visit the office for drop-in counseling from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
What to Expect at Tang
To see a counselor for the first time, students should call 510.642.9494. Students will be scheduled to speak by telephone with a triage counselor, who will assist with appropriate next steps. This might include a full in-person appointment (generally available within 1 – 2 weeks), emergency counseling (available each day 10 am – 5:00 pm for urgent concerns), group counseling or a referral to other resources. See counseling appointments for more information.
Fees
Access to CPS counseling services is free to all registered UC Berkeley students. Students do not need to have purchased the Student Health Insurance Plan to see a counselor. Initial phone and in-person consultations, urgent visits, and short-term counseling visits are all free. Minimal fees apply to other services. See Tang’s counseling fee chart for more information.
After Hours Assistance
If you need help after hours, call Tang’s After Hours Assistance at 510.643.7197 and ask to speak with a counselor.
Psychology Clinic at UC Berkeley’s Dept. of Psychology
The Psychology Clinic at UC Berkeley’s Department of Psychology is at 2205 Tolman Hall. The clinic is open September through May, Monday – Friday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm and Tuesday and Thursday evenings until 7:00 pm (by appointment). The office is wheelchair accessible and has reserved parking available. You may call them at 510.642.2055
The Psychology Clinic provides a variety of services on a sliding-fee scale, including therapy for adults, children, families, and couples, psychological assessment, community consultation and preventive interventions. The Psychology Clinic also provides referrals to appropriate agencies.
Contacting the Psychology Clinic for Services
To arrange an intake consultation, call 510.642.2055, Monday through Friday, 9:00-12:00 and 1:00-4:00. Appointments are scheduled from 9:00-5:00, Monday through Thursday, from 9:00-4:00 on Fridays, and Tuesday and Thursday evenings until 7:00 pm.
Referrals
To receive referrals to other agencies, telephone the Psychology Clinic at 510.642.2055, Monday through Friday, 9:00-12:00 and 1:00-4:00.
Self assessment
The Tang Center provides online screenings for depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, eating concerns and problems with alcohol. These online screenings are free and confidential, and they can help you decide whether it’s time to talk to a professional.
If you would like to discuss your concerns with someone in person, please contact Student Services, Dr. Zaruba, or Dr. Song. If you need help immediately, you can also visit CPS on the third floor of the Tang Center where Emergency Counseling is available Monday-Friday, 10:00 am-5:00 pm. If Tang is not open, call 510.643.7197 and ask to speak with a counselor. More information on urgent concerns can be found here.
Overcoming Common Barriers to getting help
Many people stop themselves from getting help for one, some, or all of the following reasons. If this sounds like you, reconsider your reasons for not seeking help. Learn more about your options and consider a Let’s Talk appointment with a counselor to talk through your concerns. Most people who do seek help for mental health issues are enormously relieved to find that help is available and they need not face their problems alone.
- Cultural or family stigma associated with mental health and seeking help;
- Belief that you can do this on your own or can “will” yourself to get better;
- Fear of letting others down and/or not wanting to worry them with your problems;
- Shame and embarrassment about not doing well and wanting to keep this “secret” to yourself;
- Concerns that getting help with a problem is a sign of weakness;
- Not feeling like you can afford the time to take care of yourself;
- Not knowing the process for seeking professional help or how to pay for it.
Suggested Reading
Attention-Deficit Disorder
- Hallowell, Edward M. & John J. Ratey, Driven to Distraction: Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder from Childhood Through Adulthood (1994).
Anxiety
- Davis, Martha, Elizabeth Robbins Eshelman, & Matthew McKay, The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook (1988).
Bipolar Disorder
- Miklowitz, Dennis, The Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide: What You and Your Family Need to Know (2002).
Depression
- Burns, David D., Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy (1999).
- Greenberger, Dennis G., & C.A. Padesky, Mind Over Mood (1995).
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- Edna B. Foa, & Reid Wilson, Stop Obsessing! How to Overcome Your Obsessions and Compulsions (1991).
Panic Disorder
- Zuercher-White, Elke, An End to Panic (1998).
Procrastination
- Fiore, Neil, The Now Habit (2007).
- Burka, Jane and Lenora M. Yuen, Procrastination: Why You Do It, What to Do About It Now (2008).
Social Anxiety
- Markway, Barbara G., Cheryl N. Carmin, C. Alec Pollard, Teresa Flynn, Dying of Embarrassment: Help for Social Anxiety and Phobia (1992).
Additional Resources
If you need accommodations for a diagnosed psychological or learning disability, contact Chelsea Yuan in Student Services and visit UC Berkeley’s Disabled Students’ Program (DSP) website for more information.
In addition to individual counseling, CPS offers ongoing group support for a variety of issues.
CPS also has a list of community support groups that meet on or near campus.
If you are experiencing grief or loss, whether through death of a friend or loved one, loss of a job, a relationship, or home, remember that grief has it’s own timeline and it’s different for everyone. Be kind to yourself and don’t hesitate to reach out to Student Services, Dr. Zaruba, Dr. Song, or Tang CPS if you need additional support.