The Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) assists Student Affairs and the University in helping the student body achieve academically, socially, and personally through culturally responsive mental health services. CAPS is committed to providing a safe, inclusive, and affirming environment to ensure that all students remain psychologically healthy in pursuit of their goals.
Inclusion: We create a space where all voices matter.
Collaboration: We collaborate with each other and our campus partners for the purpose of providing high quality and comprehensive services.
Compassion: We are guided by the values of respect, warmth, and empathy.
Impact: We strive to create lasting change by being active, innovative, and invested in our mission.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the 2013 Black Student Union demands, one of which was for two Black psychologists who have become known as the “BSU Psychologists.” At that time students stated, “Currently, there is a critical need as we only have one Black psychologist on campus. We as Black students need psychologists who share similar experiences in terms of racial discrimination and in dealing with the racially hostile campus climate at this university.” The CAPS Director at that time, Dr. Jeanne Stanford, the only Black psychologist on campus and the only Black person in the department, was charged with meeting this demand, resulting in the hiring of Dr. Mario Barfield and Dr. Meridith Merchant in September 2013. Within about a year, CAPS welcomed Associate Director, Dr. Brian Olowude to the department. In 2017, when Dr. Stanford accepted a position at UC San Francisco CAPS, Dr. Olowude proudly stepped into the role of Director and under his leadership, four additional Black identified clinicians were hired: Marsha Wiley, LCSW (an elder ancestor as of 2023), Ashley Gilmore, LMFT, Dr. Dominique Broussard, and Dr. Janel Davis.
A Letter from the Director
Brian Olowude
CAPS Director
Welcome Black Gauchos.
I am proud to be serving in the role of the director of a dynamic, caring, and diverse counseling center, where we are extremely fortunate to have 5 full-time Black identified clinical staff members. I have been a licensed psychologist for 22 years and as a cross-cultural psychologist, I have long been dedicated to issues of racial and social justice as well as mental health equity. My commitment to social justice and community was instilled in me by my grandmother and mother, who were both forces of nature when it came to serving those in need. Some of my earliest memories include serving the Black community alongside them. As a first-generation college graduate and Black psychologist, I understand the power that education has to transform one’s life. I firmly believe that we are at our best when we are helping others and when we work collaboratively to establish an authentic environment. I look forward to meeting and connecting with you.
Services
CAPS offers different options that you and the mental health clinician may like to explore.
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Short-Term Individual Counseling
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Single Session Therapy
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Long-Term Individual Therapy
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LiveHealth - Teletherapy
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Group Therapy
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Mental Health Peers
Meet the CAPS Staff
Contact
Building 599
Across the bike path from Storke Tower
External Website
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)CAPS Signature Program
Group Counseling Program
The Group Counseling program at Counseling & Psychological Services includes offerings that can help students learn skills, manage distress, and/or build community.
The three categories of groups are:
Psychoeducation & Skills Groups
Community Groups
Interpersonal Process Groups
Events/Programs
You can’t miss it
News Highlight
C.A.P.S.’First BSU Black Female Psychologist Reflects On What Brought Her to UCSB
In 2012, the Black Student Union addressed the university’s lack of resources for Black students. The Black Student Union (BSU) cited Counseling and Psychological Services (C.A.P.S.) in particular as void of staffers who could understand their experiences.
As a result, two Black psychologists – Meridith Merchant and Mario Barfield – were hired in September 2013 by former C.A.P.S. Director Jeanne Stanford.
For Merchant, the demands played an integral role in her decision to work at UC Santa Barbara.
