Mental Health FAQ’s and Resources

Why should I care about my mental well-being?
Mental wellness is directly tied to your overall health and functioning. It affects how you think, feel, and act. Taking care of your mental health can help you handle stressful situations better, connect with people you care about, increase your problem-solving skills, and make healthier choices.

How can counseling support my mental health?
Counseling can provide a safe and judgment-free space to process difficult emotions, situations, or memories. Self-exploration and self-growth can be a hard process to go through alone, a counselor can provide you with support, encouragement, and validation as you learn and practice new life skills.

What is the difference between counseling and advocacy services?
While counseling can help you make sense of difficult situations or memories, UNM advocates provide confidential support, guidance, and consultation for students managing situations of sexual assault/harassment, dating violence, gender discrimination, or stalking. Students seek out both advocacy and counseling services.

If I am already seeing a mental health provider (counselor, psychologist, clinical social worker) for psychotherapy, can I still reach out to MHC to request a counselor to address something else?
It is best practice to receive services from a single mental health provider for counseling/psychotherapy. However, you can seek different types of mental health support at a time (e.g., a psychologist for diagnosis and medication, a social worker for case management, and a counselor).

If I can’t find the right counselor at MHC or there are no current openings, where else can I find mental health providers on campus?
The following mental health resources are available to the UNM community:

Student Health and Counseling Services (SHAC) offers free counseling services to UNM Main Campus students. Counseling is available for individuals dealing with excessive stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, and other difficult personal problems affecting academic success. For more information, visit their website https://shac.unm.edu/services/mental-health/index.html, or to set up an appointment with a licensed professional, call 505-277-3136 .
In addition to case management support, UNM’s Social Work team offers free counseling services. Counseling is available for individuals dealing with an array of mental health concerns. To set up an appointment with a social work intern, you can send an email request to socialwork@unm.edu.
Manzanita Counseling Training Clinic (Manzanita) offers free counseling services to the Albuquerque community. Counseling is available for individuals, couple/families, and groups once a week for up to 16 weeks during the academic semester. For more information, visit their website https://coe.unm.edu/departments-programs/ifce/counselor-education/manzanita-counseling-center.html, or to set up an appointment with a counseling practicum student, call 505-277-7311.
Counseling, Assistance, and Referral Services (CARS): Free to UNM staff and faculty. CARS promotes a healthy work-life balance by providing on-site services to assist with professional and personal concerns. Relationship difficulties, anxiety, stress and job burnout, depression, eldercare, coworker conflicts, alcohol or other drug abuse, managing change, grief and loss issues, and preparing for retirement. For more information, visit their website https://cars.unm.edu/, or to set up an appointment with a licensed professional, call 505-272-6868.
Agora Crisis Center (AGORA) offers free, confidential, compassionate crisis assistance to anyone needing emotional support. Their services include phone lines, online chat, information and referral, and community education. For more information, visit their website https://mentalhealth.unm.edu/resources/agora-crisis-center.html, or call 505-277-3013.

How do I know if I’m experiencing a mental health crisis?

A mental health crisis occurs when you experience a disruption in your usual way of coping and functioning. When this happens, your feelings, actions, or behaviors can lead you to put yourself at risk, fear for your safety, and/or have the desire to hurt yourself or others.

What should I do if I or someone I know experiences a mental health crisis?

Unfortunately, MHC is not a Crisis Line, and we’re only available during working hours. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, please call 988 or reach out to any of the following crisis hotlines:

988: https://988nm.org

Agora: 505-277-3013; http://www.agoracares.org

NM Crisis Line:1-855-662-7474; https://nmcrisisline.com

UNM Psychiatric Center: 505-272-2920; Psychiatric Urgent Care: 505-272-9038; https://unmhealth.org/locations/psychiatric-center.html

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255; Español: 1-888-628-9454

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Videophone: 1-855-812-1001; https://988lifeline.org/help-yourself/for-deaf-hard-of-hearing

Crisis Text Line: Text "START" to 741-741; https://www.crisistextline.org

The Trevor Project (Suicide Hotline for LGBT Youth): 1-866-488-7386; Text: TREVOR to 202-304-1200; https://www.thetrevorproject.org

Trans Lifeline: 1-877-565-8860 Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233; https://www.thehotline.org