Dear SMFA Student,
Welcome back to our returning students and welcome to those who are just joining the SMFA community! As the connection between Counseling and Mental Health Service (CMHS) and SMFA, I am writing to let everyone know about our fall offerings, including some new programming. For the first time since the start of the pandemic, we will have two CMHS therapists on site at 230 Fenway in suite A101 for in-person sessions, with Dr. Xi Bi there on Mondays and myself on Tuesdays. All services are free, as they are included in your comprehensive student health fee, with the exception of psychiatric medication management, which is without cost for students with the student health insurance (UHCSR) and $100 per session for all other students. CMHS hours are Monday-Friday 9 a.m.– 5 p.m.
Our Services
Individual Counseling: Our clinicians work with students 1:1 anywhere from a one-session consultation to the equivalent of a semester’s time, depending on the student’s situation. To book a virtual (Zoom) first session with any clinician at CMHS, SMFA students can use our online scheduling platform or call our front desk at (617) 627-3360. Students who want to meet in-person with a clinician on the Medford campus may use either phone or online booking, however for the time being, in-person sessions at SMFA will be booked by calling the front desk. Read our staff bios on our website.
Group Counseling
Walk In Hours
This Fall, we will pilot walk in hours at 230 Fenway in suite A101 to make our services more accessible to SMFA students. We acknowledge that many returning students are still processing losses within the SMFA community including the passing of Professor Danielle Abrams, and we encourage affected students to meet with us during walk in hours or call the front desk to make an appointment to connect with a therapist for a full session. Walk in meetings will be around 15 minutes and used to discuss present concerns and make a plan with Xi or myself for next steps for your mental health care. Walk in hours will be Mondays from 1 p.m.–2 p.m. and Tuesdays from 12 p.m.–1 p.m. If there is a lot of demand, we are open to adding more hours.
Psychiatric Services
Students who wish to have a CMHS psychiatric clinician prescribe medications are required to be in therapy with a clinician in the community or at CMHS, to ensure a team approach. Our prescribers see students for telehealth sessions or in person at our Medford location. Please view their website for more details.
Off-Campus Referral and Support
For students who would like longer term or specialized therapy, or psychiatry services that accept their insurance, clinicians frequently support students in finding care in the community outside of Tufts. Many students book a new session with us and use our time to discuss their options and start a therapist search. You can also schedule an individual appointment with our care manager and staff clinician Jimmy Kane, or sign up for his weekly anonymous webinar about finding care in the community. Check out our off-campus referral and support website.
Ask A Counselor
These are 15-minute phone calls with our staff clinicians to ask questions about treatment options, therapy in general, or briefly discuss a very targeted issue. You can schedule an appointment online.
Counselor On Call
CMHS has a counselor on call available whenever we are closed- weekdays after 5 p.m., weekends, and holidays. Connect with the COC by calling our main number at (617) 627-3360 and selecting option #1.
Consultation
We are here to consult if you are concerned about a peer’s mental health to listen, provide ideas on next steps as well as identify resources.
We are so excited to connect with you and be on campus this year. Please feel free to reach out to us at (617) 627-3360 or stop by during walk in hours. Have a great start to the semester!
Sincerely,
Deborah Siegel, Ph.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Tufts University Counseling and Mental Health Service/SMFA at Tufts
Pronouns: she/her/hers
617.627.3360
