Mental health struggles can impact your ability to study, sleep, and participate in daily activities. They can also contribute to physical aches and pains.
Behavioral Health (BH) services are available to help students manage and focus on physical symptoms that are impacting them. BH providers are psychologists, social workers, and other mental health professionals who work with medical providers and patients on the physical, emotional, and behavioral aspects of health, and determine the best way to address these symptoms.
The difference between BH and counseling is that counseling focuses on the mental and emotional causes of the symptoms. When students experience depression and anxiety, BH can help develop skills for improvement.
BH is available to students who present for medical services and would benefit from brief behavioral interventions to address concerns related to physical health such as somatic concerns where anxiety or depression are factors, sleep, pain, and attention/concentration concerns etc.
Schedule a Behavioral Health appointment
Receive a referral from UHS provider for:
- Pain management
- Sleep improvement
- Focus/attention
Nicotine cessation does not require a referral. Call (608) 265-5600 (option 1) to schedule an appointment.
Common questions about behavioral health
What health concerns are addressed in behavioral health?
BHPs can help students manage symptoms associated with various chronic medical conditions or help you cope better with these conditions including:
- Headaches
- Sleep problems
- Pain
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Stress management
- Smoking cessation
What should patients expect?
BHPs will ask questions about physical symptoms, emotional concerns, and lifestyle choices. Expect to obtain brief, solution-focused recommendations for health improvement and then see the BHP in the medical clinic for the next appointment. A BHP will help students and their medical provider(s) develop and implement an integrated health care plan.
Visits with a BHP are shorter in duration and fewer in number. A BHP may advise traditional mental health services at Mental Health Services or elsewhere.
How is behavioral health different from mental health?
Behavioral health is a component in overall health care, however the BHP does not provide traditional psychotherapy. Pertinent information from a student’s behavioral health appointment will be noted in their medical record, not in a mental health record.