At the College of Built Environments (CBE), your mental wellbeing is our top priority. We offer resources to help you navigate academic and life challenges. Evalynn Fae Taganna Romano, MPH, MSW, LICSW is CBE’s embedded mental health counselor from the UW Counseling Center (UWCC).
Evalynn is situated in Gould Hall (448E) and offers the following free, confidential* services to the CBE community:
- “Let’s Talk”: Brief, informal meetings that may involve topics like anxiety, stress, relationships, grief, worry, sadness, family problems, and overwhelm. Let’s Talk is not therapy but can be a step towards therapy or other mental health resources, if desired.
- Access to short-term therapy
- Mental health resources on and off campus
- De-stress events, workshops, and socials throughout the year
- Consultation for faculty and staff on supporting student mental health
*Conversations are confidential except for specific limitations around safety.
Evalynn is available for in-person and virtual appointments Monday through Thursday.
If you are unable to find a day and time that works with your schedule via her booking link below, please email Evalynn directly for scheduling at evalynn@uw.edu.
Tips for finding a long-term therapist in the community:
- If you have private insurance or Medicaid/Apple Health (e.g., Coordinated Care, Community Health Plan of WA, Molina Healthcare of WA, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan, Wellpoint WA), call the number on the back of your insurance card or search their website for a list of therapists who take your insurance.
- Psychology Today may help in finding therapists based on location, insurance, specialization, identities, sliding scale, etc. When reaching out to therapists, request a free phone consultation to see if it is a good fit! Note: Psychology Today is most helpful for people who can afford out-of-pocket costs and/or have insurance.
- If you do not have insurance and cannot afford out-of-pocket costs, community mental health clinics (e.g., ACRS, Consejo, ICHS, Neighborcare, Sea Mar, SOUND, THS, Valley Cities, etc.) may be an option for free therapy. If you’d like to learn more about Medicaid/Apple Health eligibility, LiveWell: Health Promotion & Prevention can help!
LiveWell: Health Promotion & Prevention provides UW students with free resource navigation for basic needs (e.g., food, housing, insurance, medical care, etc.) and confidential advocacy related to sexual assault, relationship violence, or stalking.
For further support in finding a long-term therapist or navigating resources, please book an appointment with Evalynn or reach out to her via email (evalynn@uw.edu).
Watch this short video to meet Evalynn and learn more about support available at CBE.
About Evalynn
Evalynn was born and raised in Seattle and has deep roots at UW: UW alum (BA in Psychology; MPH & MSW), proud daughter of UW custodians, and UW employee in healthcare and research. Evalynn comes from a family of immigrants and is a first-generation college graduate. She has experience in different languages and cultures including Tagalog, Waray-Waray, and Khmer/Cambodian. Evalynn enjoys arts and crafts, coffee and tea, fresh air, community organizing, yoga, and climbing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is “Let’s Talk”?
A: Free, confidential*, brief, informal meetings with a mental health counselor in CBE (Evalynn) or at various campus locations throughout the week, if you prefer to meet with a counselor outside of CBE. Let’s Talk is not therapy and not for urgent concerns.
Let’s Talk may involve but is not limited to:
- Talking about stress and anxiety related to academics, relationships, etc.
- Learning about healthy ways to cope with stress and other concerns
- Getting emotional support and identifying ways to increase social connection
- Learning about mental health resources and therapy on and off campus
*Conversations are confidential except for specific limitations around safety.
Q: What should I do for urgent concerns?
A: If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, you can call 911. If in crisis or in need of immediate support (e.g., extreme psychological distress, feeling like you may harm yourself or others), there are options on and off campus.
Free UW options:
- Husky Assist at (206) 543-9331: a UW mobile response team that provides on-site behavioral health support for students, faculty, and staff in crisis on the UW Seattle campus M – F at 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
- UW Counseling Center at (206) 543-1240; 401 Schmitz Hall: a counselor on duty is available M, W, Th, F at 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. and T at 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Husky Helpline at (206) 616-7777: 24/7 mental health and crisis intervention support in multiple languages available to students in and out of WA state (if calling from outside US or Canada, dial 001-416-380-6578)
- SafeCampus at (206) 685-7233 or safecampus@uw.edu for safety and wellbeing concerns for yourself or others; calls/emails answered M – F at 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Free 24/7 options outside of UW:
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 (call/text or chat option available on website): support with mental health related distress for yourself or others
- Trans Lifeline at (877) 565-8860: trans peer support – run by and for trans people
Q: Will my professor or adviser find out if I meet with Evalynn or a UWCC counselor?
A: No, unless you explicitly state that you want them to! Your conversations will stay confidential except for limitations around safety.
Q: How much does it cost to enroll in short-term therapy at UWCC?
A: There is no out-of-pocket cost! UWCC will bill your insurance, and all copays or non-covered services are paid for by the Services and Activities Fee. If you don’t have insurance or prefer not to bill your insurance, services are still covered.
Q: What is it like to speak with a mental health counselor?
A: Some students have never met with a mental health counselor due to cultural understandings of mental health, limited access, shame or embarrassment, believing their issue is not serious enough, or fear of the unknown. Here is generally what to expect:
- You can talk about what is going on for you (CBE related or not), how you are feeling, and what might make things better.
- What you share will stay confidential except for limitations around safety.
- You may feel uncomfortable discussing difficult situations and emotions.
- There is nothing “wrong with you” for speaking with a counselor. Perhaps you need someone to listen, support you through a challenging moment/situation, or help you find resources to enhance your wellbeing.
Q: Can I work with a counselor who shares some of my identities?
A: Please call the UWCC at (206) 543-1240 to inquire about meeting with a specific UWCC counselor. Psychology Today is another resource that allows you to search for mental health counselors with specific identities. However, this resource is most helpful for people who can afford out-of-pocket costs and/or have insurance. For free mental health resources, please see the Tips for finding a long-term therapist in the community section above. For further support, book an appointment with Evalynn or reach out to her via email (evalynn@uw.edu).
Q: What is the best way to address an academic issue related to professors, staff, or peers?
A: If you would like to discuss your feelings related to the issue, talking to a mental health counselor may be the best route. If you would like to explore options to address or report grievances, you might consider the CBE Student Grievance Process.
Q: Can I reach out to Evalynn or the UWCC even if I already have a therapist?
A: Your therapist should be the person you turn to for support. However, if you are having issues with your therapeutic experience, you may discuss concerns with Evalynn or a UWCC counselor.
How can Evalynn support CBE faculty and staff?
Evalynn is available for CBE faculty and staff to:
- Consult about students of concern
- Refer students by providing a warm handoff via email with student permission
- Learn about available mental health resources on and off campus
- Request her presence at various events including orientations and classes
Additional resources for faculty and staff are available on the UWCC’s website including the Supporting Students: Employee Guide.