May 30, 2023
Dr. Amy Sceery; Photo by Robert DeSanto
Life can feel overwhelming sometimes, whether from professional or personal stresses, or everything all at once. When that happens, knowing where to turn for help can become its own challenge. For these moments, Yale offers convenient and free mental health support for all benefit-eligible employees and members of their households.
Personal Wellness, one of Yale’s signature benefits, is offered through Optum, the university’s employee assistance program. Its benefits include:
- Up to six free confidential counseling sessions for eligible staff, faculty, post-doctoral associates, and their household members—24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in-person or virtual.
- Talkspace offers talk therapy with a licensed therapist any time and from anywhere, via text, voice, or virtual video message. Five Talkspace visits count as one of the six confidential sessions offered for free (see above). Before registering for your first visit, call 866-416-6586 to obtain an authorization code.
- Self Care (formerly Sanvello) is an app that allows you to reduce stress through tools such as daily mood tracking, relaxation and meditation techniques, personalized activities, and weekly check-ins.
- Dr. Amy Sceery, Optum’s dedicated on-site consultant and a licensed clinical psychologist, offers both in-person and virtual appointments for all eligible employees, with solution-focused consultations concerning anxiety, depression, work-life issues, or other issues.
To learn more, call 866-416-6586 or visit Optum’s website (browse resources as a guest using access code YaleSB, no registration required).
