Physician Wellness and Mental Health Support

Additional Programs.

COVID-19 UPDATE: Wellness check-ins are conducted remotely over Zoom. In person appointments are available upon request only.  

About Us

UCSF Fresno Physician Wellness and Mental Health Support Services is designed to provide medical students, residents, fellows, and allied health trainees with free, confidential, and accessible counseling services. Our goal is to foster a safe and supportive learning environment.  We hope to empower learners to develop their professional identity, find meaning within their medical school experience; and to embrace the value of diversity and personal growth throughout the journey.  To this end, we encourage learners to know themselves well, develop strong coping skills for self-care and emotional resiliency, and fearlessly pursue their values.

 

Betty Liao

Betty, Liao, Ph.D.

UME Psychologist
(559) 499-6689
betty.liao2@ucsf.edu

View bio

Hours and Location

Location: 155 North Fresno Street, Fresno, CA 93701. Please note that counseling sessions will take place in a private room within the UCSF Fresno building and will be arranged by Dr. Liao.

General Hours: Monday – Friday 7:00am-6:00pm

 

Eligibility

Counseling services are offered at no cost to registered students, residents, fellows and School of Pharmacy Students.  Significant others of learner are also free when participating in couple’s therapy with a registered learner. 

 

Services

Types of Service

Services offered include: individual, couples, and group counseling. Individual/Couples Counseling are scheduled as needed or on an ongoing basis depending on the needs of the learner and the nature of the issue. If possible, learners are encouraged to call in advance to set up an appointment, but we will do our best to offer same day or next day appointment

Group counseling is offered on a limited basis. Please contact Dr. Liao to inquire about what is currently available.

As an alternative to Physician Wellness and Mental Health Support Services, learners can contact Insight EAP, a 3rd party mental health provider.  To schedule an appointment or for crisis counseling over the phone 24/7, please call (559) 226-7437.

For psychiatric emergencies/hospitalizations, learners are encouraged to visit any of the following 24/7 community providers, go to your nearest ER, or call 911:

 

Confidentiality

It is the policy of UC Regents not to voluntarily release personally identifiable information concerning the use of our counseling services without prior written permission of the person receiving counseling, except in those rare circumstances where it is required by law to do so (e.g., intention to harm self and/or others, reasonable suspicion of abuse or neglect of child or dependent adult, or court order). Protecting your privacy is our utmost priority.

 

List of Common Issues Discussed in Counseling

  • Relationship difficulties
  • Social withdrawal
  • Perfectionism
  • Procrastination
  • Uncontrollable worries
  • Sleep difficulties
  • Lack of motivation
  • Hopelessness
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Addictive behaviors
  • Substance use concerns
  • Difficulty asking for help
  • Feeling emotionally numb
  • Sense of loss of control
  • Excessive guilt
  • Loss of direction and purpose

 

Making an Appointment

To make an appointment, please email Dr. Liao directly at Fresno-LearnerMentalHealth@ucsf.edu and she will get back to you within one business day.  If you prefer not to email, you can leave a message with Dr. Liao at (559) 499-6551 and she will be in touch with you within one business day. Dr. Liao will do her best to honor same-day appointments if needed.

Please note that prior to/at the beginning of your first appointment, a brief intake needs to be completed, which will include gathering of your psychosocial history, and review of privacy notice and informed consent to service. Once the intake has been completed, all subsequent appointments can be scheduled w/o needing to go through the intake process again. 

Forms

Service Contract and Intake Packet: https://ucsf.co1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_419qPcdE4LaSllb

 

This past winter, the National Academy of Medicine put out a nationwide call for artists of all skills and abilities to submit artwork that expresses how clinicians, their loved ones, patients, and organizations experience and are affected by clinician burnout and well-being. Artists were asked to answer the question: What does clinician well-being look, feel, and sound like to you? Over 350 people responded. 

We are thrilled to share 100 of these pieces with you through our permanent digital gallery, which aims to promote greater awareness and understanding of barriers to clinician well-being and to highlight potential solutions to protect and promote the well-being of clinicians of all kinds, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, and others. Click here to view the online gallery

Clinician Well-Being and Knowledge Hub

Sharing Knowledge to Combat Clinician Burnout

Click here to find articles, research studies, and other resources