Mental Health Services

FOR IMMEDIATE SUPPORT CALL:

• 911
• 988 National Mental Health Crisis line
• Alameda County Crisis Support Hotline: 1-800-309-2131
• or go to the nearest emergency room

MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES (T-250):

Drop-in Support – The Wellness Center at T-250 is open Monday – Friday from 10am-3pm.  Stop in for a cup of tea or to get connected to resources from our Navigators.  You can also make an appointment with our amazing Student Navigators by stopping by the Wellness Center in the Tower, T-250.

Short-term, individual therapy – Laney students can work with the Laney Mental Health team comprised of USF, UMass Global and CSUEB Trainees and the Laney Mental Health Specialist.  Laney students can use up to 8 sessions of individual therapy based on availability; sessions take place Tuesdays through Fridays, 9-5pm, online and in-person during the regular academic year.  Request an appointment HERE or complete the form below and we’ll follow-up as soon as we can. 

Mental Health Consultation – not sure if therapy is for you, or have a question about mental health?  Staff and students can schedule a 20 minute consultation with the Mental Health Specialist using this Booking Link.

PAST MENTAL HEALTH GROUPS and CLUBS  (stay tuned for new Fall 23 offerings!) – It’s more important than ever to connect with each other! Social isolation is a major cause of depression, anxiety and other mental health challenges. Come join other students and our mental health team to connect and support each other.  These groups are free, confidential, and open to all Peralta students.  

LGBTQIA Therapy Group  

Asian Pacific Islander Community Support Group

Chronic Pain and Illness Support Group

Mental Game Group

Evolved Minds Student Wellness Club

Gender Sexuality Alliance Student Club

Success, Inc Peer to Peer Support Club –

MEET THE MENTAL HEALTH TEAM

COORDINATORS

Susan Yee, LCSW, Laney Mental Health Specialist (she/her)

This semester, I am happy to offer students EMDR therapy, a mind/body technique for that can help heal trauma and other mental health concerns, in addition to other therapy modalities. I’m a second generation Oakland native/OUSD grad, Chinese American daughter, wife, mom and friend.  I am passionate about the integration of our physical and mental health, and believe in the power of our communities to help us heal.  I’ve been a teacher, manager and social worker/therapist in Oakland for almost 30 years. I am grateful to all the students and colleagues I have learned from along this amazing journey.  I now coordinate the Laney mental health services, provide consultations, individual therapy, groups and workshops, and work closely with our student outreach team.  In my free time I have fun with my family which includes a partner, 2 kids, 4 chickens and a dog.  I am learning to listen to plants and love to get outside.  You can listen to me talk with Laney President Besikoff about mental health on the President’s Podcast!

Danielle Burroughs, Student Support Specialist (she/her)

“Let your light be your shield.” I truly believe we are all special with much to offer, no matter our circumstances. With this belief, I extended my knowledge on how to help people navigate through the challenges of life and became a certified NLP Success/Life Coach in 2018. My journey with helping people find their light began in 2010, where I specialized in helping young students and peers through mentorship and tutoring. I moved on to become a hair stylist and quickly found my passion through mentor-coaching new hair artists and students, instilling the belief that skillset must meet mindset for success. That is true for everyone, no matter what unique skills you possess. I grew up in the heart of New York City and have been submerged with so many people of different backgrounds, challenges, and successes. Go Yankees! I moved to the Bay Area in early 2022 and am in love! I am here to support you the best way I can. You got this!

MENTAL HEALTH TRAINEES

Alicia Mandac, Associate Clinical Social Worker (she, her)
I have 15+ years of experience providing academic counseling, mentorship, and coaching at colleges and universities. In addition to providing therapy for students at Laney College, I also work as a career coach at UC Berkeley. I am passionate about helping nurture personal growth by providing a compassionate space for people to feel seen and heard. I earned a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Michigan and I am working towards a License in Clinical Social Work. When not at Laney or UC Berkeley, you can find me practicing and teaching yoga around the Oakland community.

Branden Valentine, MSW Graduate Intern, University of Massachusetts Global (he, him)

My name is Branden Valentine, I am from Oakland, California. As a barber I have been an informal therapist for the last 11 years, in 2021 I decided to take my passion for helping others a step further and start the journey of getting my MSW (master’s in social work). I am committed to helping all my clients reach their goals. When partnering with someone to improve their mental health I believe the client is the expert in knowing which direction is the best. My goal is to create a safe space for everyone to heal. My approach is based on mindfulness, anti-racist, and anti-oppression theories. I love musicals, video games and cooking. Outside of being a therapist my life goal is to become a food writer or publish a food travel book.  

Cassandra Milspaugh, MFT Graduate Intern, University of San Francisco (she/her/ella)

Linda Bui, MSW Graduate Intern, California State University, East Bay (she/her)

Hello, I am from Oakland, CA. I attended Peralta community colleges and obtained associate degrees in Humanities, Social Science, and Early Childhood Development. Presently I am working on my Masters in Social Work. I have been in the mental health field for over a decade and I continue to be a student in order to adjust and accommodate the needs of the communities I serve. Places that brings me peace is the sand and the beaches. My family gives me energy to continue to advocate for mental health awareness and social justice. Tôi hiểu tiếng Việt nhưng tôi không nói được nhiều.

STUDENT WELLNESS AMBASSADORS / MENTAL HEALTH NAVIGATORS

Kyla Kelley

Originally from San Jose, I came to Oakland in 2010 and fell in love with this ‘town’. Oakland is where my healing journey began. While earning my B.A. here in Gender, Sexuality, and Ethnic Studies, I started to have daily panic attacks and decided to seek out a new way of living. I now have over a decade of experience in mental wellness and addiction recovery. I am attending Laney with the hopes of becoming a therapist so I can support others with similar struggles. I like tarot cards, plants, art, and dreaming of a world where physical and emotional safety, wellness, and connection are available to everyone.

Randi Cross

Christy Sangpolsit – (she/they)

I’m a Mental Health Navigator, Wellness Ambassador, and student at Laney College. I am currently majoring in Theatre, Psychology, Sociology, and Humanities. Other degrees I hope to complete include Asian American Studies, Mathematics, Art, Music, and Ethics.  I am ambitious and driven to learn about a variety of subjects in order to gain more knowledge and perspective, in order to know, understand and better myself and being able to help others in the way they need, and being a part of necessary change needed in our communities. I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when I was 10 and it has been a journey with a lot of coping and struggle as well as exploring and acceptance. During my time in college, I found that success and happiness, in any form, is dependent on mental health and it doesn’t have to be as exaggerated, outlandish, or painstaking as the media, or even people around you, makes it seem. As someone who has navigated and still is navigating through the system, I will help support you and help you get the resources you need, to the best of my ability.

GRADUATE TRAINEES interested in a field placement at Laney can learn more and find out more about our amazing Peralta Mental Health Training Institute HERE.

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FANTASTIC COMMUNITY RESOURCES

Download Resource sheet (PDF): Mental Health Resources

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DIY Mental Health Resources:

• Improving your Mental Health (UC Berkeley – Greater Good Science Center)
• Guided Meditations (via UCLA Health) Multi-Lingual
• How to Notice Good Things in Your Life (UC Berkeley)
• ‘Pandemic Fatigue’ Setting in? Here’s How to Stay Safe and Strong (UCLA Health)
• Six Ways to Manage Coronavirus Depression (UC Berkeley)