Office of Counseling and Workplace Resilience
Mental Health Emergency & Crisis Support
Use any of the following resources if you or a loved one is in a crisis or experiencing an emergency
U-M Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES) call 734-936-5900 or 734-996-4747
Dial 911
Call or Text 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Crisis Text Line -A free 24/7 external support service available to members of the Michigan Medicine community. Michigan Medicine faculty, staff and learners can text ‘UMICH’ to 741741. HIPAA compliance policies do apply to using this service, and all text conversations are private and secure.
Who We Are
We envision a world where seeking support and mental health services is a sign of strength for our healthcare community.
We are a dedicated team that believes in human goodness and joy in life
We create a confidential and compassionate space in which you can be truly heard and honored
We accompany you in cultivating the resilience and coping resources that are essential for navigating the stressors and ongoing demands of working in healthcare
We support you in the exploration and development of meaning and purpose in your identity and career as a healing professional
We envision a community of healers who value and practice caring for self and others
And now more than ever we must support the mental health and wellbeing of our healthcare community.
Services Offered
Our confidential short-term psychological care, referral services, and crisis intervention services are offered at no cost to Michigan Medicine faculty, staff, house officers, and their dependents age 18 or older. To this end, we offer the following:
Individual Short-Term Counseling
Referral Services to Community Providers
Crisis Intervention and Stress Debriefing
Educational Outreach and Programs
Health Professionals Recovery Program Return to Work Transition
Compass Peer Support Network
Department/Leader Resilience Consultation and Intervention Work
Mental Health Training for Leaders
Stress and Burnout Support for Healthcare Professionals
Wellness Promotion
Common Concerns
Our community of healers commonly seek care to address a variety of concerns in both their personal and professional life including, but not limited to:
Sadness and anxiety
Feelings of disconnection/loneliness
Anger and irritability
Life transitions
Substance use
Stress and burnout
Moral distress
Personal /Professional Relationship concerns
Work concerns
Professional identity
Trauma, loss, and grief
Clinically impactful events (violence, losses, clinical mistakes, etc.)
Appointment Scheduling
We welcome receiving your phone call or email to learn more about our short-term mental health services or to schedule your first appointment. Your first appointment will be a level of care assessment during which we will clarify whether you are best served by a counselor in our office or in the community to ensure you receive the highest quality of care for your specific concerns.
Contact us at: 734.763.5409 or counseling@med.umich.edu
Appointments begin at 8 am and extend through the early evening
Currently all appointments are held on Zoom
Your confidential clinical counseling record is housed exclusively within the Office of Counseling and Workplace Resilience and is not part of your personnel or medical record.
Presentations and Resources for Teams and Leaders
Mental and Emotional Health Presentations
Request a Presentation for your Unit/Department by emailing us at counseling@med.umich.edu
Leadership Debriefing Tool (open in Microsoft Edge)
Leadership Wellbeing Round Tool (open in Microsoft Edge)
Leader Consultation
Request a consultation with the OCWR director by emailing us at counseling@med.umich.edu or calling us at 734.763.5409
UM Health Resources
"You have within you the fuel to thrive and to flourish, and to leave this world in better shape than you found it."
- Barbara L. Fredrickson
Meet Our Team
Our Philosophy of Care:
OCWR counselors prioritize an integrative approach that centers on evidence-based sciences, cultural humility, humanistic and positive psychology, family systems theory, organizational psychology, philosophies of compassion and forgiveness, and creating meaning and purpose in life. We welcome the opportunity to serve you.
Our Team:
Whitney Begeman, PsyD, LP, Director
Jillian Dronfield, LMSW, Faculty and Staff Counselor
Ari Levy-Hussen, MS, LPC, PhD, Faculty and Staff Counselor
Paris Palmer, LMSW, Faculty and Staff Counselor
Raechel Rodgers, LMSW, Faculty and Staff Counselor
Lisa M. Vincent, LPC, Faculty and Staff Counselor
Erik Anderson, LMSW, CAADC, Faculty Counselor
Cassie D. Garety James, PhD, LP, Workplace Mental Health Interventions Program Manager
Denise L. Ervin, DNP, RN, NC-BC, Nurse Leader for Resilience and Wellbeing
Ann Scott, Administrative Assistant Sr.