Thriving Community Snapshot - Latinx Mental Health Symposium

January 29, 2025

Tell us about the Latinx Mental Health Symposium. Please include whether this event was the first of its kind or is it an annual thing? How did it come to fruition? Who all was involved?

The Latinx Mental Health Symposium was a groundbreaking event designed to address the unique mental health challenges faced by Latinx/e students at UC Berkeley. This initiative reflected a holistic approach to mental, psychological, spiritual, educational, and cultural wellness, underscoring the inseparability of mental health and academic success.

The Inaugural Latinx Mental Health Symposium was dreamt up by a diverse and interdisciplinary team of mental health providers representing Social Services, Psychiatry, and Counseling and Psychological Services at UC Berkeley. In Spring 2023, this team organically emerged as a team of 3 (Aurora Ortiz, Cristina Mendoza, and Raquel Castellanos-Miller) from the University Health Services (UHS) Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging, and Justice (DEIBJ) workgroup. In 2024, it expanded to a team of 6 - Aurora Ortiz, Cristina Mendoza, Denise Goitia, Monica Becerra, Raquel Castellanos-Miller, and myself, Veronica Orozco Our goal was to align with UC Berkeley’s Latinx Thriving Initiatives and advocate for UHS representation in the Latinx Thriving Advisory Board. In the Fall 2024 semester, Aurora Ortiz, PMHNP joined the LTI Advisory Board.

Historically, mental health interventions have taken place behind closed doors, in private office settings. However, the planning team recognized the importance of “healing in community”. This culturally congruent approach acknowledges that community support is integral to the Latinx/e experience.

Through the symposium we aimed to:

Raise awareness and reduce stigma around mental health.
Create a supportive and welcoming environment that centered Latinx/e students.
Collaborate with campus partners and local resources to strengthen the network of care.
Show care through hospitality, such as providing food for attendees, a gift of appreciation, reflecting cultural symbols, and uplifting cultural values like simpatía, which captures the tendency to prefer social interactions that are characterized by kindness and warmth.

By integrating culturally relevant practices, which included a Peruvian Despacho Ceremony, the symposium served as a vital platform for fostering connection, resilience, and a sense of belonging among Latinx/e students. This inaugural event sets the stage for what could become a recurring effort to continually support and empower the Latinx/e community at UC Berkeley.

Why do you think it’s important to have a Latinx-specific event about mental health? What kind of impact do you hope this event will have on Latinx students at Berkeley?

Having a Latinx/e-specific mental health event is important for many reasons, especially in the context of the unique challenges that Latinx/e students face. Visibility is essential - seeing their cultures celebrated, seeing people who look like them or share similar cultural images and experiences can be incredibly uplifting and encouraging. When students positively connect with models who have overcome similar struggles and/or students feel that they matter to staff and faculty, it instills a sense of hope, fosters a deeper sense of belonging, validates their experiences, and shows them that they are not alone.

Events like the Latinx Student Mental Health Symposium are essential for destigmatizing mental health within the Latinx/e community, where seeking mental health has often been misunderstood and discouraged due to stigma. By bringing mental health providers and discussions into a community setting, having speakers that are diverse in terms of ethnicity, gender, sexuality, practicing traditional wellness and healing practices, students can interact with providers in a less intimidating way and engage with professionals without committing to formal mental health treatment. Our hope is that these opportunities decrease the fear of seeking mental health support and normalizes conversations about mental wellness.

Another powerful aspect of these events is the opportunity to introduce students to valuable resources. Learning about available mental health services, university-wide resources, and how they can access them can be a game-changer for students who might otherwise feel overwhelmed or unsure of where to turn to for support. Additionally, it is an excellent opportunity for professional staff to grow their network of support and increase opportunities for early student intervention. Breaking down silos among campus partners promotes better communication, a more comprehensive understanding of student needs, and ultimately contributes to improved student outcomes.

More importantly, seeing themselves and their culture represented in mental health spaces is inherently supportive and healing. It affirms their identities and reminds them that their experiences are valid and worthy of care.

For Latinx/e students and other students from the global majority, balancing academic pressures and constantly shifting to try to fit in and cope with the university culture, can be exhausting. These stressors can take a toll on mental health, making it even more important to create spaces that allow students to relax their nervous systems, breathe deeply, nourish their bodies, and feel seen by peers and professional staff. Events like these serve as medicine for the soul, providing a space for rest, connection, and affirmation.

UC Berkeley is a large institution with many departments and resources. What resources do you want to highlight especially for Latinx students, staff, and/or faculty?

One of the beautiful things about UC Berkeley is that there are many resources available to help Latinx/e students thrive. Below are some of my favorite resources available - this list is by no means exhaustive. I could have used these resources as an undergrad and graduate student.

Mental Health and Counseling Services

Student Mental Health Let’s Talk Program: A drop-in/scheduled program providing easy access to brief, informal mental health consultations with counselors from Student Mental Health. This service is a great way for students to connect for quick mental health-related chat (not therapy).
- Weekly Let’s Talk consultations hours intended to support Latinx/e students are offered in-person, on a drop-in basis at the Latinx Student Resource Center.
Counseling Groups: Therapy groups vary by themes and include stress management, grief/loss, managing anxiety and low mood, and navigating college as a first-generation BIPOC student. In the Spring 2025 semester, Dra. Becerra and myself will co-facilitate the Encontrando Comunidad: Latine/Hispanic Support & Process Group.
CAPS prioritizes same-day appointments to ensure students have rapid access to mental health counseling, recognizing the urgency of addressing mental health needs promptly.
Social Services Specialty Clinic: This clinic provides confidential, topic-specific counseling services in areas such as:
- Alcohol and other substances
- Chronic medical conditions or new diagnoses
- Eating disorders and body image counseling
- Nutrition
- Pregnancy resources and referrals
- Relationship violence, stalking, and other violence
- Sexual health
- Sexual violence
- Transgender/gender-diverse counseling.

Health and Wellness

Health Promotion: Health coaches support students in defining and achieving wellness goals through personalized, sustainable action plans. Did you know that Health Promotion offers an Exercise is Medicine Program that encourages physical activity as a pillar of mental and physical health? And Executive Function sessions that cover stress management, study skills, procrastination, and time management to enhance academic and personal success? They do!

Career Support

Career Counseling: Helps students identify and pursue career paths that align with their values, interests, and goals while building essential professional skills.

Community Space

Latinx Student Resource Center (LSRC): I regularly refer students to the LSRC! The LSRC is a campus space dedicated to the academic, social, emotional, cultural, and professional development of Latinx/e-identifying students. In addition to the center being a space where students can study, meet with friends, share a meal, and pick up free wellness products and academic supplies, they offer comprehensive programing including:
- Academic advising
- From Day One program where students can connect with Cal MA- and Doctoral-level students about their journey and answer questions about graduate school.
- Consultations with a financial aid expert to discuss questions, concerns, and general financial wellness.
- Sign up for the CLSD Newsletter here

The wealth of resources demonstrates UC Berkeley’s University Health Services (UHS) commitment to supporting students in all facets of their lives, helping them thrive academically, emotionally, and personally. For Latinx/e students, these programs are key ingredients in the recipe for thriving.

What does "thriving" mean to those who organized the Latinx Mental Health Symposium?

The concept of “thriving”, as articulated by the organizers of the Latinx Mental Health Symposium, goes beyond enrolling Latinx/e students. Thriving speaks to a multidimensional and holistic state of flourishing that comprises mental health, academics, community, opportunity, and joy.

Mental health and academic success are inseparable. UC Berkeley’s Spring 2022 undergraduate experience metrics showed that 74% of Chicanx/Latinx students reported that feelings of depression, stress, and upset were obstacles to their schoolwork or academic success. Consequently, it is imperative that mental health is positioned as a core component of any Latinx Thriving initiatives for UC Berkeley students.

Latinx/e students often face systemic barriers to thriving, including food insecurity, housing insecurity, financial insecurity, the need to work long hours, difficulty finding community, and a sense of estrangement from family and culture—particularly for first-generation college students who feel a sense of “ni de aquí, ni de allá”, “neither from here or from there”. Addressing these challenges is essential to fostering a truly inclusive environment where Latinx students can flourish.

The Latinx Student Mental Health Symposium is one effort to contribute to the mental, psychological, educational, and cultural wellness of Latinx/e students at UC Berkeley. It aligns with the campus' Latinx Thriving Initiatives by acknowledging and addressing the interconnected challenges faced by Latinx/e students. Guided by bell hook’ wisdom that “Rarely, if ever, are any of us healed in isolation. Healing is an act of communion,” this symposium reflected our commitment to creating an empowering and holistic educational environment that nurtured resilience, community, growth, and success.

What advice or resources would you offer to those who weren’t able to attend the Latinx Mental Health Symposium?

The Student Mental Health mission is to support the emotional, psychological, educational, social, and cultural development of all UC Berkeley students through a wide range of multiculturally based counseling, psychiatric, career consultation, training, and educational services. To those students who were not able to attend the Latinx Mental Health Symposium, there are still plenty of opportunities to engage with the themes, resources, and support systems discussed and highlighted during the event. The resources below will help you stay connected to the mission of thriving mentally, academically, and emotionally.

Student Mental Health Let’s Talk Program: A great entry point for brief, informal consultations with a mental health therapist.
Social Services Specialty Clinic: Confidential, topic-specific counseling for issues like body image, chronic health conditions, sexual health, or trauma.
Health Promotion Services: Access to health coaches who can support wellness goals related to nutrition, relationships, and stress management.
Get Personalized Guidance: For students who want to learn more about the resources offered at UHS at UC Berkeley, I recommend signing up for a 30-minute navigator appointment. A UHS staff member familiar with mental health, wellness, and campus resources will guide you through options that may be a good fit for your needs.

Will there be another event like the Latinx Mental Health Symposium in upcoming semesters/years, and what lasting impact do you hope it will have on UC Berkeley’s community?

The symposium was born out of a shared commitment to the well-being of Latinx/e students, and we’re deeply appreciative of the partners and co-conspirators who saw our vision, recognized the need for such a program, and generously funded our proposal - University Section Club, The Raíces Recruitment and Retention Center and Ethnic Studies 5th Account, and Student Mental Health at UHS - and the leadership at the Latinx Student Resource Center who provided invaluable guidance to the planning team. These partnerships allowed us to take an important step and set the precedent for what’s possible in addressing mental health challenges through community-based, culturally humble, and strengths-based programming.

Yes, there will absolutely be other events like the Latinx Mental Health Symposium in the future! Our hope is that the Latinx Mental Health Symposium becomes an annual event ensuring on-going support, community building, sense of belonging, and resource sharing for students. The team is already discussing plans to host other events in upcoming semesters. We’re also excited about potential partnerships and opportunities for collaboration to broaden our reach, improve information sharing, reduce mental health stigma, and strengthen community connections and solidarity.

Do you know someone whose work and impact should be highlighted in our Thriving Community Snapshots series?

Nominate yourself or someone else by filling out this Thriving Community Snapshots: Nomination Form. We’d love to share more stories that showcase the vibrant and diverse contributions within our community!

Veronica Orozco, Ph.D.

Pronouns: she/her/ella

Position Title: Senior Staff, Licensed Psychologist

Department: UHS Counseling and Psychological Services

Institutions Dr. Orozco has attended:

Ph.D. The Ohio State University
M.A. The Ohio State University
B.A. University of California, Irvine

Hometown: Wilmington, CA

Year Dr. Orozco started working at UC Berkeley: 2012

L-R: Denise Goitia, Monica Becerra, Veronica Orozco, Cristina Mendoza, Aurora Ortiz, & Raquel Castellanos-Miller

Left to Right: Denise Goitia, Monica Becerra, Veronica Orozco, Cristina Mendoza, Aurora Ortiz, & Raquel Castellanos-Miller.

Denise Goitia, LCSW

Pronouns: she/her/ella

Position Title: Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Department: UHS Counseling and Psychological Services/ Satellite Services College of Engineering

Institutions Denise Goitia attended:

Georgetown University (BA)
Smith College/Smith School for Social Work (MSW)

Hometown: San Antonio, TX

Year Denise Goitia started working at UC Berkeley: 2020

Monica Becerra

Pronouns: she/they/ella

Position Title: Licensed Staff Psychologist

Department: UHS Counseling and Psychological Services

Institutions Monica Becerra attended:

UC Irvine (Bachelor’s)
Southern Illinois University Carbondale (Masters and PhD)

Hometown: Escalon, CA and Talpa de Allende, Jalisco

Year Monica Becerra started working at UC Berkeley: 2021

M. Cristina Mendoza, MD

Pronouns: she/her(s)

Position Title: Psychiatrist / Senior Staff Physician

Department: UHS Student Mental Health, Psychiatry Unit

Institutions M. Cristina Mendoza attended:

University of Chicago (BA, MS)
University of Tennessee Health Science Center (MD)

Hometown: Chicago, IL

Year M. Cristina Mendoza started working at UC Berkeley: 2014

Aurora Ortiz, PMHNP

Pronouns: she/her/ella

Position Title: NP II

Department: UHS Counseling and Psychological Services Psychiatry

Institution Aurora Ortiz attended:

Sarah Lawrence College, UCSF

Hometown: Berkeley, CA

Year Aurora Ortiz started working at UC Berkeley: 2016

Raquel Castellanos Miller, LCSW

Pronouns: she/her/ella

Position Title: Assistant Director, UHS Social Services

Department: UHS Social Services

Institutions Raquel Castellanos Miller attended:

University of Montana, MSW
University of Southern California, BA Philosophy

Hometown: Burbank, CA

Year Raquel Castellanos Miller started working at UC Berkeley: 2020