Meet Steven Trujillo  — the College of Science’s new embedded therapist and a dedicated mental health care advocate.

A licensed clinical social worker and University of Utah alumnus, Trujillo is committed to caring for student’s mental and emotional well-being as they explore their identity and pursue their education at the U.  

Trujillo is just one member of a larger team of mental health professionals at the University Counseling Center, which provides a variety of therapeutic resources to students, most with zero cost associated. These services range from individual and group counseling sessions to immediate crisis services and everything in between. “At the Counseling Center," says Trujillo, "we're always thinking about new things and how to expand and have a better reach and accommodate the needs of students. And so the embedded model is another piece of that.”

Seeing patterns, creating plans

As an embedded therapist, Trujillo aims to integrate his services into the College of Science community — providing students with an accessible mental health resource and a familiar friend well-versed in their needs. “Being here on a regular basis allows me to see patterns in what College of Science students are managing and dealing with,” he explains. “I see a lot of recurring themes of imposter syndrome, perfectionism, and a number of different struggles, so it's helpful to have somebody here who has seen the patterns and can create plans to help manage those experiences.”

For many of the students Trujillo meets the pressures of academic performance can blur the lines between personal worth and educational achievement. “There are a lot of indicators of whether you're 'failing' or not, with grades, GPA, and all of these things." he explains. "And so often, we use those as a measure to determine whether we're succeeding or failing in life. But you can fail a class and still be succeeding in life, right? So a lot of my work is about helping people sort of separate their academic identity from their human identity.” 

Though Trujillo works within the academic environment, his therapy sessions aren’t just limited to school subjects. “You don't have to just come here if you're having academic stressors,” he explains. “It can be anything. It can be outside stressors. It can be life transitions. It can be depressive symptoms. It can be symptoms of trauma, grief, or any number of things.” 

Getting connected with therapy services is simple — by going to the University Counseling Center’s website, students can make an appointment for their initial consultation, where they'll meet with a therapist for 20-30 minutes who will gather an initial understanding of what they're seeking. From there, they’ll receive a recommendation for services and be connected with a therapist who best fits their needs. 

Everyone's going through something

To students who may feel hesitant or nervous about utilizing therapy services, Trujillo wants to emphasize that mental health care is for everyone, regardless of the challenges they face. “There's a reason why we have a whole counseling center on campus, and I say that to try to destigmatize it. Everyone's going through something. This is a really intense environment to be in, the university setting and the academic setting, and it's okay to get support,” he says. Trujillo also highlights the importance of viewing mental health as a routine aspect of self-care. “Maintaining our mental health is not a sign of weakness. It doesn't even have to be an indicator that something's wrong with us. It's just taking care of ourselves in the same way we go to the doctor every year when nothing's wrong to get a check-up. Checking in with our mental health is just as important,” he states.

Students who work with Trujillo can expect to meet an outstanding, caring individual who focuses on fostering trust and connection. “My approach is always the therapeutic relationship first. I want to know who you are, and I want you to feel like you can know who I am, so we can create a relationship where this feels comfortable, inclusive, and safe," he says. "I want people to have a space that feels like it's some reprieve from the day-to-day, where they look forward to it. That's really important to me.”

Outside of his work, Trujillo practices what he preaches by engaging in his own forms of self-care and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. “I am a partner and a father. So I love going home to my family and doing things with them. I love music and going to shows.  It's something I've done my whole life and continue to engage in, and it's part of how I take care of myself," he shares. "I also collect retro video games, and I ride a motorcycle which I really enjoy. And engaging with friends, maintaining relationships, that's something that I actively try to do.” 

Through his role as embedded therapist, Steven Trujillo is meeting students where they are, and encouraging all of us to make mental health care a part of our regular routine.