Self-Directed Tools
Finding Off-Campus Support
Student Care Coordination has put together a helpful guide to finding therapists outside of the University Counseling Center. Learn more.
Vanderbilt Telehealth by AcademicLiveCare (VTALC)
Vanderbilt Telehealth by AcademicLiveCare (VTALC) is a telehealth platform that will allow you to attend behavioral and physical health appointments on a smartphone, computer, or another mobile device, free of charge.
With VTALC, you can schedule virtual visits with medical professionals for common conditions such as sinus infections, fevers, and allergies. VTALC also offers ongoing appointments with licensed psychologists, counselors, psychiatrists, or other providers to help with life’s challenges. Additional VTALC services include nutrition counseling and lactation consultations.
VTALC is intended to supplement the existing services offered through the University’s Student Care Network, including the University Counseling Center, Student Health Center, Student Care Coordination, and the Center for Student Wellbeing. VTALC is not a replacement for these services, and you should continue to utilize the Student Health Center as your source of primary care for physical health. VTALC should not be used in the case of an emergency or for urgent care needs. The University Counseling Center offers Urgent Care Counseling as well as an after-hours hotline for assistance in an immediate crisis.
To take advantage of VTALC, visit academiclivecare.com and follow the below instructions:
- Click ‘Get Connected’ on the home page and then ‘visit AcademicLiveCare’.
- After signing up, enter Service Key ALC & use Coupon Code ALCVBILT22 when prompted for payment. You will not be charged once you enter the Coupon Code.
- If you need assistance signing up, please utilize the AcademicLiveCare User Guide
- Please note there is a $40 cancellation fee for cancellations within 24 hours of a scheduled appointment or for no-shows.
If you have any questions or run into any issues setting up your new account, you can reach Customer Service 24/7 by submitting a request using https://academiclivecare.com/request-assistance/ or calling 866-882-0343.
Headspace
Vanderbilt has arranged for students to have free access to Headspace – an award-winning, research-backed digital tool for mindful living with over 1,200+ hours of themed meditations, sleep content, mindful movement exercises, and focus music. With over 75+ research collaborations and 26 published studies as the mindfulness digital intervention of choice, Headspace has been shown to reduce stress, improve focus, increase resilience and happiness. Enroll in Vanderbilt’s program here.
When you meditate with Headspace, every minute counts toward a healthier, happier you. Now, you can keep track of how you’re feeling with My Progress. Find it in the Profile tab in the app, and see how meditation and mindfulness make a difference over time.
- Science-backed surveys: Measure your stresslevels with quick, monthly check-ins.
- Short & sweet journaling: Jot down notes and reflections, and come back to them when you need to.
- Progress at a glance: Get an overview of how your stresslevels change as you continue your practice.
“Intro to Headspace” Webinar
Headspace hosted a live webinar for Vanderbilt students to introduce Headspace and how you can utilize it.
View the webinar here. Access Passcode: #9t+Jxac
“Put Your Mind to Bed” Webinar
Headspace hosted a live webinar for Vanderbilt students about healthy sleep hygiene. You can view a recording of the webinar here.
MindCheck
MindCheck is an emotional health tool available to students enrolled in the Student Health Insurance Plan. Measure your mindset and get immediate feedback and resources to maintain a positive outlook. You’ll also find tips, articles and videos on a variety of topics that include: relationships, depression, fitness and nutrition, stress, substance use and more. The MindCheck online tool asks you four simple questions so you can be aware of how you’re feeling. You’ll be matched to a color and level to provide insight into your emotional health. And the MindCheck site tracks your history, so you can see how your results change over time. Simply go to mindchecktoday.com to get started. And download the MindCheck app for AndroidTM and iPhone® mobile devices.
My Student Support Program (My SSP) for International Students only
My Student Support Program (My SSP) is a free, 24/7 confidential support program available to all International Students. My SSP provides free access to confidential counseling services, as well as a variety of wellbeing resources, including articles, assessments, and virtual fitness sessions. Real-time support is available by phone and live chat (no appointment needed!), and students may also schedule video appointments. My SSP counselors are available who speak Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, French, and English. For other language preferences, students may request an appointment with a counselor who speaks their preferred language depending on availability. International students can connect with MySSP by downloading the “My SSP” app from their device’s app store, calling 1-866-743-7732 (US calls) or 001-416-380-6579 (international calls), or by visiting us.myissp.com. International calling charges will apply unless you either call via Wi-Fi, or opt to “call collect” by finding the collect call service for the country in which you are located, and request to make a collect call to 001-416-380-6579. My SSP will accept the collect call charges.
Vanderbilt Meditation Tracks
Part 1: Heather Boyd, LCSW; Vanderbilt University Counseling Center
Part 2: Heather Boyd, LCSW; Vanderbilt University Counseling Center
Building Your Best Life (Dialectical Behavioral Skills—DBT)
Part 1: Mindfulness
Part 2: Tolerating Distressing Moment
Part 3: Radical Acceptance
Apps
The below apps can be downloaded to your mobile device to help you prioritize, manage, and implement strategies to enhance your wellbeing. Search for and download the apps on Google Play (for Android) or through the Apple App Store. Some applications may also be accessed using your web browser.
| Name | Description | Android | Apple |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Friend Asks | Offers warning signs of suicidal ideation and tips for getting help for a friend (or yourself) who may be struggling with thoughts of suicide. | Yes | Yes |
| Breathe2Relax | Provides instruction and guidance on breathing for stress management, mood stabilization, anger control, and anxiety. | Yes | Yes |
| Apple Health | Highlights four categories: Activity, Sleep, Mindfulness, and Nutrition. Health suggests great apps from each category to get you going, and the Today view shows all your stats at a glance to help you stay on track. | No | Yes |
| Calm | Helps to bring clarity, joy, and peace to your life with guided meditations, sleep stories, breathing programs and relaxing music. | Yes | Yes |
| AnxietyCoach | Mayo Clinic Anxiety Coach is a comprehensive self-help tool for reducing a wide variety of fears and worries from extreme shyness to obsessions and compulsions. Anxiety Coach helps you make a list of feared activities and then guides you through mastering them one by one. Through this experience you can increase your confidence as you become less fearful and worried. | Yes | Yes |
| Happify | A self-guided app that aims to increase positive emotions through exercises and games supported by positive psychology and mindfulness. | Yes | Yes |
| Headspace | Unique daily guided meditations to help reduce anxiety and stress | Yes | Yes |
| Mealboard | Helps plan health meals, grocery lists, and recipes based on what you have in the fridge. | Yes | Yes |
| MindShift | Designed to help young adults cope with anxiety, including test anxiety, perfectionism, social anxiety, worry, panic, and conflict | Yes | Yes |
| Mood Tools | Provides tools based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to manage depression and low mood | Yes | Yes |
| Nudge | Helps you track all of your health habits and syncs with other devices and wearables. | Yes | Yes |
| Pacifica | Provides instruction on deep breathing, behavioral exercises, identifying cognitive distortions to help cope with anxiety, mood disorders, and stress | Yes | Yes |
| Panic Relief | Helps individuals manage and move through panic attacks using relaxation techniques. | Yes | Yes |
| PTSD Coach | From the National Center for PTSD, helps individuals learn about and manage symptoms that often occur after a trauma. | Yes | Yes |
| RxmindMe | Prescription reminder with many different categories of alerts. | No | Yes |
| Saying When | Helps you cut back or quit drinking by monitoring your blood alcohol level and when and how much you drink. | Yes | Yes |
| Sanvello | Health and wellness app used to support stress, anxiety, and depression. | Yes | Yes |
| WiseDrinking | Helps you cut back or quit drinking by monitoring when and how much you have had too much to drink and by providing guidance around safe drinking. | Yes | Yes |
| Zombies, Run! | Zombie-motivated running app. | Yes | Yes |
Grief Resources
Please Note: The following resources are not affiliated with Vanderbilt University.
- Center for Grief and Loss
- Compassionate Friends: Support for families after child death.
- ADEC: The Association for Death Education and Counseling (webinars and conferences)
- Full Circle Grief Center: Community of support for those who all have faced loss to some extent.
- Helping Children Deal with Grief: Offers new resources on terrorism, trauma, and children.
- Survivors of Suicide: Support help those who have experienced the death of a loved one to suicide.
- The Center for Loss & Life Transition: Support and resources for those grieving, as well as those supporting them.
- The Recovery Village: Learn about the different ways people grieve, how people work through grief and when therapy or additional treatment is necessary.
- Seattle Widowed Young Persons’ Support Site: Offers help for those who have experienced the death of a spouse or partner.
- The Dougy Center: National Center for Grieving Children and Families.
- Losing Your Parents: Blog posts on the site detail useful books to read, along with other useful grief resources.
- Journey of Hearts: A support website for anyone who has ever experienced a loss.
- Qeepr [kee-per]: Allows you to build free interactive memorials for a loved one, while connecting you with other grieving families.
- Guide to Grieving and Bereavement: Helping Someone Who Is Grieving, and Coping with Divorce or Breakup.
- Grief in Common: LGBTQ+ grief support and resources.
- Therapy Tribe: LGBTQ+ affirmative support and resources.
- Grief Watch: Bereavement resource and memorial products, while also providing insightful content for working through personal loss.
- The Grieving Heart: For hope and support after loss. Includes topics on grief and grieving, how to help grievers, surviving the holidays, recommended books and many resources.
- Help Guide: Psycho-education, support and resources for those who have lost a pet.
- Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement (APLB): Pet loss and anticipatory bereavement support groups, information and resources.
- Leap of Love: Pet loss support.
- University of Tennessee-Knoxville Veterinary Social Work: Pet loss support, information and resources. Pet Loss Support Hotline: 865-755-8839.