Introducing Mental Health Peer Veronica Franco

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) recently welcomed ​their new Graduate Mental Health Peer Veronica Franco. She will be 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:

• Drop-in 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 a large event that helps students to better understand and address common challenges.
• Massage & Egg Chairs: Peers help coordinate the mental health peer space, where students have access to massages chairs and an egg chair.

​​​VERONICA'S STORY I grew up in Los Angeles and received my B.A. in Sociology and Education from UC Irvine. After obtaining my B.A., I received my Master of Science degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I am currently a second-year doctoral student at UCSB in the department of Clinical, Counseling, and School Psychology (CCSP) with a Counseling Psychology emphasis. I chose to pursue my PhD at UCSB because it meant coming back to my home state and being part of a diverse community and a program that aligns with my research interests.

HER ​ROLE AS A PEER My role as a Graduate Mental Health Peer is to assist graduate students on issues related to mental health and wellness. As a graduate student, I understand the multiple roles students navigate and the responsibility that comes with being a graduate student. I am honored to serve as the graduate mental health peer and serve as an advocate and liaison for graduate students between CAPS and the UCSB campus community. I look forward to supporting students and creating programming and outreach around mental health and wellness.

Welcome, ​​​Veronica!