Skip to main content

Health & Wellness

Being a postdoc can be stressful, but maintaining your health and wellness is essential to help you do your best work.  Postdocs are eligible to access counseling services offered by the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FSAP).  In partnership with FSAP, OPSA also offers annual Postdoc Health & Wellness workshops. For postdocs with Health insurance through the UC Postdoctoral Scholar Benefits Plan (PSBP), Health Net offers a variety of programs that will assist you with maintaining both your, and your family’s, health.

Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FSAP)

The Faculty and Staff Assistance Program is a confidential service designed to help Postdoctoral and Visiting Scholars resolve concerns that may be affecting personal well-being and/or job performance. Services are completely confidential. All records are kept strictly within the program office and will not be released to anyone without your written consent. Information regarding your participation in the program is never placed in personnel or departmental files, and receiving FSAP assistance will in no way jeopardize job or career opportunities. Individual counseling is available to help individuals with range of issues, including conflict resolution, trauma recovery, wellness, grief and violence.  Educational workshops and support groups are also available on a variety of topics. 

Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FSAP)

Phone: (858) 534-5523
http://blink.ucsd.edu/go/fsap

Street address:

Torrey Pines Center South
10280 N. Torrey Pines Road
Suite 406
La Jolla, CA 92037

Postdoc Health & Wellness Workshops

2021-Cup-O-Wellness-Banner.png

Postdoctoral training is a time of transition for scholars, which can lead to feelings of uncertainty and stress.  In addition, this training period often coincides with personal milestones (e.g. marriage, parenthood) and usually requires relocation to a new city or even new country.  To address the challenges that confront postdoctoral scholars, this series is designed in collaboration with the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FSAP) and Office of Postdoctoral Scholar Affairs (OPSA) to help postdoctoral scholars have a healthy and productive time while in training.  For information on the Postdoc Health & Wellness Series, please contact opsa@ucsd.edu. 

Postdoc Cup 'O Wellness Chats 

UCSD Postdoctoral Scholars are invited to join counselors from the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FSAP) for informal chats about the stresses and concerns most common to Postdoctoral Scholars. 

Register for the Postdoc Cup 'O Wellness Chats, held the 3rd Wednesday of every month from 1:30 – 2:30 pm HERE. 

In addition to providing a safe community for Postdoctoral Scholars to connect and share about their experiences, FSAP counselors will provide a general discussion of self-care, boundary-setting, professional development with awareness of health and well-being, local San Diego resources, and other mental/behavioral health related information.   

*This is not a clinical support group. Scholars with serious mental health concerns, those who may need crisis care, or other therapeutic needs should schedule an individual consultation with an FSAP counselor at https://blink.ucsd.edu/HR/services/support/counseling/appointment.html.* 

HealthNet Wellness Plan

Health Net offers a variety of programs that will assist you with maintaining both your, and your family’s, health. When you are a member in a Health Net medical plan, you will have access to the various valuable classes and programs offered. More information.

  • For discounts on fitness apparel and club memberships, complementary health care and weight management, please click on Healthy Discounts (PDF).
  • Decision Power is a program through Health Net that offers a variety of methods to track possible health risks and identify potential problems. The goal of this program is to assist through online coaching with a guide to pregnancy, tobacco use, weight management, nutrition and stress reduction. Please click on Decision Power (PDF) for information on enrolling in this program.
  • If you wish to make the healthy decision to quit smoking, Smoking Cessation (PDF) offers a plan to help you kick the habit with the assistance of either online or telephone support.
  • Lose Weight (PDF) is another health-wise program offered through Decision Power that keeps you motivated to lose weight, offers healthy eating choices and counseling from a health coach.