Health & Wellness Resources

As a UC college student, there may be times when personal stressors interfere with your academic performance and/or negatively impact your daily life. If you or someone you know is experiencing challenges such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, feeling down, difficulty concentrating, lack of motivation, etc., you are not alone; there are people here that can help.

University of Cincinnati Counseling and Psychological Services (UC CAPS) uses a stepped care model, which offers many levels of support based on a student’s needs. This list starts with self-help resources and moves through crisis resources as needed.

• To schedule: contact Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at 513-556-0648 for a virtual or in-person appointment with our CAPS UC Online Embedded Counselor, Caity Cavanaugh (cavanacn@ucmail.uc.edu), or another clinician from CAPS. You can also schedule an appointment online: CAPS Scheduling
• Have questions before committing to an appointment? Check out Let’s Talk: a 15-20-minute conversation to ask questions about counseling, vent about a current stressor, problem-solve, or get a safe adult’s perspective.
• 24/7 Mental Health Crisis Support is available: 513-556-0648
  • (This number is located on the back of your Bearcat Card)

1. Rapid Access Counseling (RAC): Students can schedule a RAC to discuss current needs and concerns with a counselor. You will work with a counselor to identify a plan for the next steps, including treatment recommendations and referrals. You can schedule an appointment online or call (513) 556-0648. 
2. Individual Services: For students needing additional support beyond a Rapid Access Counseling appointment, CAPS offers brief, bi-weekly individual therapy. Call CAPS at 513-556-0648 for more information.
3. Group Therapy: CAPS offers a range of therapy groups for UC students. Call (513) 556-0648 for more information.
4. ARISE: Confidential, on-campus mental health services for UC students who have been impacted by gender-based violence. Contact CAPS (513) 556-0648 for more information.
5. Substance Misuse Support Services: At CAPS, we are committed to working compassionately with students, without judgment, to promote self-understanding and help students establish balanced lifestyle choices as they explore and reflect on their relationship with substance use. With an emphasis on a harm-reduction approach, we meet each student where they’re at and support students in attaining self-identified substance use goals. Contact CAPS (513) 556-0648 for more information. 

TimelyCare provides virtual access to licensed providers for mental health support, medical consultations, health coaching, and self-care resources. Students can schedule appointments or access on-demand support from anywhere, making it easier to prioritize well-being while pursuing their degree.

• UC-Provided Self-Help Resources
• Other UC-Provided Resources for Faculty/Staff, Families, and Students 

The CARE Team at UC is there to support you when times get tough. This team responds when a student needs to be connected to resources to help them through some of life’s challenges. Whether that student is yourself, a fellow Bearcat, or a loved one, you can submit a Student Care Referral Form to help get them connected to the right resources.  

Stress is part of being a student, whether it shows up around exams, deadlines, or just juggling everything else going on in your life. You're not the only one feeling it, and there are steps you can take to get back to a place where you can focus and do your best work.

UC's Learning Commons has put together a set of resources on anxiety, attitude, and stress, along with a collection of practical, evidence-based techniques you can start using today, from breathing exercises to short meditation practices. These aren't a replacement for talking with a professional, but they're a good place to start if you're looking for something you can try right now. 

This is an overview of how stress and anxiety can affect your coursework, with guidance on identifying what's causing yours and where to turn next, including UC's Counseling and Psychological Services and Academic Coaching.

Five practical strategies you can try on your own: meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery, writing exercises, and diaphragmatic breathing. Each comes with a short explanation and a resource to walk you through it.

Taking care of yourself is part of taking care of your coursework, even though it's easy to let one slide when you're focused on the other. UC's Student Wellness Center has put together a comprehensive collection of virtual resources, apps, websites, podcasts, articles, and more, so you have what you need to maintain your health and wellness, wherever you're learning from.

Online programs do not qualify to receive the student health insurance, and therefore students will not be eligible for or charged the premium. You can read more information on the College of Medicine’s Student Health Insurance page.

On-Campus students enrolled in a qualifying program, registered for 6 or more credit hours or co-op, are charged the Student Health Insurance premium. If eligible students do not waive or activate coverage they will automatically be enrolled at the end of the enrollment/waiver period.  Students who want to waive Student Health Insurance must have coverage that meets the minimum requirements.