Mind the Brain
COVID-19 Support
Brain health for all, for life
Photography by Jared Perry
About Us
The Department of Psychiatry is a diverse community of staff and faculty dedicated to our mission: brain health for all, for life. It is comprised of five divisions:
- Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
- Adult Psychiatry
- Substance Abuse and Dependence
- Neuroscience
- Community Psychiatry
With over 300 regular, affiliate, and volunteer clinical faculty, our team works to improve mental healthcare at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, UCHealth/University of Colorado Hospital, Children’s Hospital Colorado, Denver Health Medical Center, the Veterans Administration Medical Center, the Department of Corrections, and the Colorado Mental Health Institutes at Pueblo and Fort Logan. The department is dedicated to valuing all people and is committed to diversity and inclusion in our clinical, research, treatment, and educational activities.
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Department of Psychiatry News
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Mind the Brain: The Microbiome and Mental Health in the Time of COVID-19
Jul 28, 2020You’ve probably heard people say that a healthy gut equals a healthy mind. But what does this actually mean and what can we learn from this in the time of COVID-19? According to a survey from the Census Bureau and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about a third of Americans have reported recent symptoms of anxiety and depression since late April 2020. We are obviously experiencing more symptoms of anxiety and depression this year than in past years.Full story -
Mind the Brain: What Brain Science Can Teach Us About Adolescent Stress and Resilience
Jul 22, 2020We can all agree that 2020 has been a real mess. The novel coronavirus pandemic has caused immense disruption to our daily routines, social connections, family relationships, working and academic goals, and plans for the future. Disruption in any one of these areas can be stressful. Disruption in multiple areas at once can feel overwhelming.Full story -
Mind the Brain: Sleep and Stress During COVID-19
Jul 16, 2020During a global pandemic, it comes as no surprise that getting good sleep can feel difficult. Decreased sleep quality and quantity including difficulty falling and staying asleep, sleeping too much, distressing dreams and sometimes nightmares are common during times of stress and the current period of prolonged urgency, uncertainty and heightened work/life demands. The following are concrete suggestions to help improve sleep during this challenging time.Full story -
Merlin Ariefdjohan newly elected 2020-2021 Secretary, Faculty Senate
Jul 13, 2020 byThe School of Medicine Faculty Senate will have two continuing faculty officers and two newly elected officers for the 2020-2021 academic year. Newly elected are Gregary Bocsi, DO, assistant professor of pathology, as president-elect, and Merlin Ariefdjohan, PhD, MPH, assistant professor of psychiatry, as secretary. Continuing faculty officers are Jaime Arruda, MD, associate professor of clinical practice of obstetrics and gynecology, who will be president, and Nicole Draper, MD, associate professor of clinical practice of pathology, who will be past-president. Thanks to all for their leadership.Full story -
Mind the Brain: Anxiety and Cancer During COVID-19
Jul 7, 2020Fear and anxiety keep us safe from harm – they prevent us from running into the street when a car comes racing toward us, and motivate us to prepare well for a presentation we’re nervous to give. But fear and anxiety can also spiral into uncontrollable worry, endless internet searching, and avoiding valued life activities that connect us with the people we love. How do we harness the positive features of fear and anxiety without becoming trapped by their risks?Full story