University Health Services (UHS) provides many opportunities to connect with other students in a safe, confidential and supportive space through UHS group counseling and Badger Recovery.

UHS Group Counseling 

UHS group counseling offers a chance to share your experiences with others who understand and relate; learn new perspectives; and experiment with new ideas, behaviors, and ways of being or interacting. There are many groups available this semester—including ones focused on anxiety, identity, ADHD, and substance use—so you can find one that’s right for you.

Here are just a few groups that will be held this semester: 

• Using Wisely Group – For students looking to manage their relationship with alcohol or substance use | Fridays from 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM (virtual)
• International Students Support Group – For international students | Wednesdays from 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM (in-person)
• Black Women’s Support Group – For students who self-identify as women of African descent | Mondays from 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM (virtual)
• South Asian Support Group (NEW!) – For students who self-identify as South Asian or being from a South Asian country (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and the Maldives) | Tuesdays 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM (in-person)

Read more about group counseling through UHS, and view the full spring Group Counseling schedule.

All students are required to complete a pre-group orientation. A pre-group orientation is a one on one 30-minute Zoom call with the group’s facilitator. During this call, the facilitator will talk about how the group will be run, topics that may be covered, and answer any questions you may have. To schedule a pre-group orientation, please call 608-265-5600 (option 2), or visit MyUHS. 

Badger Recovery 

Badger Recovery is UW-Madison’s collegiate recovery community, offering a range of recovery services and connection opportunities, including weekly recovery meetings for students in recovery from substance use, eating disorders, and addictive behaviors. 

This spring, Badger Recovery will host weekly recovery meetings for students in recovery and those who support them, with new options to choose from for the spring semester:

• All Recovery Meetings – For students in recovery | Mondays, 7–8pm and Wednesdays 5:45–6:45pm | 333 E. Campus Mall, Room 8808
• Friends and Family Meetings – For friends, family members, and others who support students in recovery | Thursdays, 5:30–6:15pm | College Library, Room 2191E
• Rainbow Recovery – For LGBTQ+ students in recovery | Mondays, 5–6pm | Gender and Sexuality Community Center (GSCC)

Badger Recovery meetings are non-clinical and are led by trained student facilitators who support all pathways to recovery. Meetings involve students supporting one another, sharing their recovery experiences, and often center around topics like coping with triggers, building support systems, managing stress, and finding connection. For a full meeting schedule and more information, visit the Badger Recovery webpage.

Want to stay in the loop on Badger Recovery events and news? Sign up for the Badger Recovery email list, or follow Badger Recovery on Instagram.

UW–Madison is a participant in Wisconsin Voices for Recovery‘s Nalox-ZONE Program, which provides free access to naloxone. Last fall, UW–Madison installed Nalox-ZONE boxes in University Housing that provided free access to NARCAN®, a brand of naloxone nasal spray. This August, due to campus-wide interest, UW–Madison installed 13 additional boxes, for a total of 25 locations on campus, so the entire UW–Madison community has access to this lifesaving measure.

“We are deeply concerned about the national increase in fentanyl-laced drugs,” says Jake Baggott, associate vice chancellor for student affairs and executive director of University Health Services (UHS). “The expanded availability of naloxone at UW–Madison will help us ensure a safer campus community where all students can thrive.”

The installation of additional naloxone boxes coincides with National Overdose Awareness Day on August 31. In recent years, deaths related to opioid misuse have grown significantly in Wisconsin and across the United States.

Most of these deaths are related to fentanyl, a highly potent synthetic opioid. Many overdoses occur in people who do not realize they have taken fentanyl, since it is often found mixed with other drugs, including cannabis, cocaine, and in fake Percocet and Xanax pills. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services estimates that as many as 40 percent of counterfeit pills contain enough fentanyl to be lethal.

“Overdose deaths are the leading cause of preventable death among 18 to 45 year olds,” shares Jenny Damask, assistant director of high-risk drinking prevention at UHS. “Because most overdoses are witnessed, naloxone boxes equip bystanders with the tools to reverse an overdose and potentially save a life.”

The boxes contain NARCAN® nasal spray, a breathing mask, and instructions on how to administer NARCAN®, which will allow a bystander to respond quickly to the signs of an opioid overdose while emergency responders are on their way. If a bystander witnesses a person experiencing an overdose, they should call 911 and administer naloxone immediately.

UW–Madison’s policy on Amnesty Through Responsible Action ensures that neither a student experiencing an overdose nor the friend who calls on their behalf receives disciplinary actions, sanctions, or citations.

Naloxone boxes located in University Residence Halls are available to UW–Madison students with keycard access. Boxes located in other campus buildings are accessible during open hours. If someone is concerned about their own or another’s substance use, they may choose to take the naloxone from the box and carry it on them in case of emergency.

Since their initial installation in University Housing in fall 2022, naloxone boxes have been accessed 28 times.

Among the new naloxone boxes available on campus are those in the Wisconsin Union’s Union South and Memorial Union. “The Wisconsin Union acts as a community center, bringing together students, faculty, staff, alumni, and guests,” says Mark Guthier, associate vice chancellor for student affairs and executive director of the Wisconsin Union. “Making naloxone available in our buildings helps us care for our community and visitors.”

Providing access to naloxone on campus is part of UW–Madison’s strategy of supporting students experiencing drug and alcohol misuse. In addition to university programs supporting a safer campus community, UHS provides medical and mental health care services, as well as recovery support through Badger Recovery, UW–Madison’s collegiate recovery community.

For more information on naloxone on campus, including a list of frequently asked questions, visit UW’s Naloxone webpage.

We recognize that those in the LGBTQ+ community continue to be impacted by oppression, prejudice, and inequitable systems of power and privilege. We know that LGBTQ+ people of color disproportionately bear the brunt of violence and oppression. We stand in solidarity with our LGBTQ+ students and colleagues and, in particular, our LGBTQ+ students and colleagues of color. As a health care organization, we are committed to supporting LGBTQ+ students through a variety of services, including our LGBTQ+ and Transgender & Gender-Nonconforming (TGNC) Support & Empowerment groups, our outreach at the Red Gym, our work to match students with in community providers, and our other campus-based programming.

We encourage all students to engage in events and resources that honor Pride Month and LGBTQ+ members of the UW–Madison community.

We know you can all relate when we say the semester has flown right by, and if you feel like you haven’t even had the chance to catch your breath before finals, you’re not alone.  It’s time for everyone on campus to start strategizing and preparing for that last hurdle before summer break.

Skip the all-nighters

If you’re already planning to stock up on coffee and energy drinks in anticipation for a couple all-nighters, know that there are much better recipes for success than caffeine, sugar, and marathon study sessions. Overloading your noggin, forgetting to take breaks, and tiring yourself out will actually compromise qualities like concentration and alertness needed to perform well on an exam. Being deprived of rest can even weaken your immune system, and we know the last thing you want is to bring down a semester’s worth of hard work because you’re too sick to sit an exam.

With this in mind, instead of being that person whose idea of a slumber party means cramming at College Library, remember that a healthy balance of effective studying and sufficient sleep is the way to go. Aim to get enough sleep because it provides clarity, restores energy, and helps you perform tasks better with a good mood throughout the day. Sleep also happens to strengthen the neural connections that form your memory, helping you recall new information better.

Study breaks

Believe it or not, this isn’t an impossible feat to achieve!  Don’t leave important studying to the last minute because let’s face it – cramming ≠ concentration. If during any of your study sessions you feel as though you’ve hit a brick wall and can’t seem to focus, there are several quick-fixes you can do to rejuvenate yourself.

Set an alarm to wake you from a refreshing 10-20-minute power nap, or take an effective study break! There are plenty of things you could do, from five-minute dance breaks or yoga in the living room, to playing your favorite power-up anthem and using the duration of that song to organize your work space. Additionally, you may find that closing your books, switching your phone off, and finding a quiet space to just breathe and collect yourself can do wonders.

However you plan to tackle finals week, strategize smartly and fit in time to save some shut eye. If you have a favorite go-to study break strategy, inspire some of your fellow Badgers by tweeting @UHSMadison with #studystrong to share your ideas. Good luck!

UHS has an ongoing commitment to building and supporting a diverse community of students and employees. We encourage applications from qualified candidates of any race, sex, ethnicity, religion, disability status, sexual orientation, political affiliation, or age category who value such an environment. Military veterans and speakers of multiple languages are encouraged to apply.

UHS is not part of UW Health or UW Hospital. Employment at UW Health and UW Hospital is handled through UW Hospitals and Clinics.

Employment opportunities for permanent staff »

Student employment »

UHS student positions will only be listed on the UW Student Job site 

UHS Diversity Statement

UHS has an ongoing commitment to building and supporting a diverse community of students and employees. We encourage applications from qualified candidates of any race, sex, ethnicity, religion, disability status, sexual orientation, political affiliation, or age category who value such an environment. Military veterans and speakers of multiple languages are also encouraged to apply.