Introducing Mental Health Peer Damaris Garcia Valerio

Graduate student Damaris Garcia Valerio joined Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) this quarter as their new Graduate Mental Health Peer. She is working with the Mental Health Peer Program to assist graduate students on issues related to mental health and wellness.

MENTAL HEALTH PEERS

The Mental Health Peer Program (MHP) is a student peer program under the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at UCSB. Mental Health Peers serve as a liaison between CAPS and the UCSB campus community. The overall mission of MHP is to help the student body achieve academic, social and personal success by providing direct services to students (e.g., relaxation areas, School Anxiety Program sessions, peer-to-peer counseling).

SERVICES PROVIDED

MHP provides:

• Peer Support: Peers are trained to help students develop tools to better manage stressors related to school as well as relationships (e.g., family, friends, romantic partners, and roommates). Peers can also help you get connected to other appropriate resources around campus.
• School Anxiety Program: The School Anxiety Program includes up to three 1-hour long 1-on-1 sessions with a Mental Health Peer who will help you to learn important time management, coping, and relaxation skills to reduce your anxiety.
• Outreach to Campus Groups: Peers actively reach out to student communities on campus to understand and identify the unique priorities and issues that are most challenging for each group.
• Quarterly Events: Each quarter the Mental Health Peers host events that helps students to better understand and address common challenges.

DAMARIS' STORY I am a first-year doctoral student in the Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology (CCSP) program at UCSB. I received my B.A in Studio Art and Psychology from Cal State Los Angeles. I chose UCSB because of my research interest in Latinx immigrant communities aligns with the department. I hope that through my research I can contribute to the well-being of immigrant communities.

HER ROLE AS A PEER My role as a Graduate Mental Health Peer is to assist graduate, undocumented, and non-traditional students dealing with academic anxiety, resources, or general mental health wellness. I am very thrilled to be part of such a wonderful and caring team at CAPS who love their job and advocate for the mental health of all students here at UCSB. I look forward to serving and supporting students from all backgrounds through programming, workshops, and outreach as they navigate higher education.

Welcome, Damaris!

To learn more about the MHP Program check out their website, Facebook and Instagram. You can contact Damaris at Damaris.GarciaValerio@sa.ucsb.edu.