UCSF Trauma Recovery Center

11/02/2026

This week is International Stress Awareness Week.
Stress is our bodies' response to perceived external threats, danger, or other causes of worry or pressure. While short-term stress can be manageable and even motivational, chronic or ongoing stress can hamper your mental and physical wellbeing, and also lead to unhealthy coping behaviors.

If you're experiencing trouble with mood changes, sleep, diet, or behavioral issues that are related to stress, you can seek out ways to reduce stress in your life. These could include setting boundaries with others, prioritizing healthier sleep and diet routines, practicing self-soothing behaviors at difficult moments, and using deep breathing, relaxation, and meditation methods to calm your mind and body. Talking with trusted others can also help. If needed, seek out trained mental health providers, such as therapists, who can guide you in addressing the impact of stress in your life, and building your coping skills and resiliency.

Here are things you can do to begin to manage the excessive stress we are currently living with and a little bit about the science behind each of them.

10/05/2026

October 4-10 is Mental Illness Awareness Week. We all have a part in raising awareness and reducing stigma around mental health conditions, whether we are directly or indirectly impacted in our own lives, or in our communities. About one in five adults in the U.S. lives with a diagnosable mental health condition, which could include anxiety disorders, depression, panic disorders, phobias, or PTSD. Treatment for mental health disorders is effective, yet over half of those in need do not receive such treatment.

Support yourself and others in being proactive about mental health needs: practice compassionate self-care, encourage sharing honestly with trusted others about mental health struggles, and reach out for help to professional providers when needed. Screenings and treatment is shown to improve coping skills, stability, and life quality.

The Trauma Recovery Center provides crucial mental health services thanks to the key funding support at the local (City and County of San Francisco, SF DA Victim Services Division), state (CA Victim Compensation Board), and federal (Office of Refugee Resettlement) levels. We thank our many community partners who work alongside us to help people who have experienced trauma to heal and regain fuller lives.

Explore resources for understanding your mental health, helping loved ones, or accessing information for personal, academic, or professional purposes—all conveniently gathered in one place.

09/03/2026

September Is National Su***de Prevention Month
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health, su***de or substance use crisis, or emotional distress, dial or text 988 to get support 24/7 at the Su***de and Crisis Lifeline.
Or get chat support at 988lifeline.org with a trained crisis counselor.

A su***de-related crisis can feel sudden, unpredictable, and dramatic, and we may be caught off-guard and feel unsure what to do. If someone in your life struggles with suicidal ideation, offer to listen in an open, nonjudgmental, and compassionate way. Active listening, without trying to debate or disprove what they say, will help them to feel heard and validated.

Help connect them to mental health services. Psychotherapy (such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) can be effective in helping them to understand their feelings, learn coping skills, and gain lasting psychological wellbeing and resiliency. Suicidal thoughts are a symptom, and treatment exists.. There is hope.

The Trauma Recovery Center joins other mental health service organizations, mental health advocates, prevention organizations, survivors, allies, and community members this month, in fostering su***de prevention awareness. We thank our funding partners at the local (SF City and County, SF District Attorney Victim Services), state (CA Victim Compensation Board) and federal (Office of Refugee Resettlement) levels for making our services possible.
https://www.nami.org/co-occurring-conditions/risk-of-su***de/

Thoughts of su***de can be frightening. But by reaching out for help or checking in with family and friends, we can avoid devastating outcomes.

08/10/2026

August is National Wellness Month
Wellness means how we actively sustain our overall well-being. Making wellness a priority in our day-to-day lives helps us to resilient, to handle and recover from challenges, and to preserve our emotional and physical health. It helps us to think, feel, and function at our best.

Wellness includes self-care -- beneficial routines and habits such as healthy eating, sleep and rest, exercise -- as well as good boundaries and supportive relationships, and our daily choices. Wellness can mean seeking help, including professional help, if you need it.

The Trauma Recovery Center provides crucial mental health services and related support to help those affected by trauma, to regain their life functioning and wellbeing. Our services are supported by funding from local (City and County of San Francisco; SF District Attorney Victim Services Division), state (California Victim Compensation Board), and federal (Office of Refugee Resettlement) sources.

We hope you prioritize daily self-care and other forms of wellness every day, during this month and beyond!

08/06/2026

July is Bebe Moore Campbell BIPOC Mental Health Month.
Bebe Moore Campbell was an author, playwright, advocate, teacher, and journalist who brought attention to the mental health impacts of racism and the unique challenges and strengths of Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) individuals and communities.

She wrote novels, nonfiction, essays and articles in major media, and the children's books, Sometimes My Mommy Gets Angry, which won the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Outstanding Literature Award for 2003. She founded NAMI-Inglewood after facing challenges in obtaining mental health resources for her own daughter. Congress recognized her work in 2008 by recognizing her work and its focus every August.

The TRC serves clients and BIPOC and other under-served communities with crucial mental health services, thanks to funding from our local (City and County of SF, SF DA), state (California Victim Compensation Board), and federal funding.

Each July, MHA is proud to recognize Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month (also referred to as BIPOC Mental Health Month). Named in honor of teacher, author, advocate, and journalist Bebe Moore Campbell, this month is a time to focus on the unique strengths and challen...

07/02/2026

July Is Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
Bebe Moore Campbell was a trailblazer, whose books, including “The 72-Hour Hold” and “Sometimes My Mommy Gets Angry,” addressed the impact of racism on mental health and the enduring strength of culture, community and connections. Beyond her writing, she co-founded NAMI Urban Los Angeles, and her groundbreaking work revolutionized how we approach mental health in underserved communities. She highlighted the consequences of stigma on the lack of mental health care for communities of color.
Campbell shed light on the unique struggles faced by people of color and advocated for their voices to be heard, and for inclusive and equitable resources for mental health care and support.
After Campbell’s passing, her friends, family and allied advocates pushed to have her life and work be honored, and in 2008, July was nationally declared as Bebe Moore Campbell Minority Mental Health Awareness Month through a Congressional resolution backed b y bipartisan support.
Join NAMI in celebrating Bebe Moore Campbell’s legacy and mental health across all communities.

Bebe Moore Campbell was a literary trailblazer, who used her words in books including, “The 72-Hour Hold” and “Sometimes My Mommy Gets Angry,” to address the profound impact of racism, mental health and the enduring strength of culture, community and connections. However, her impact extended...

06/11/2026

June is PTSD Awareness Month
Traumatic events can have lasting effects on a person’s mental health, and having longer term symptoms after experiencing trauma related to violence, physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, accidents, loss, natural disasters, systemic discrimination, and other causes can lead to a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

PTSD symptoms can co-exist with other conditions such as substance use disorders, depression and anxiety. About 1 of every 20 adults in the U.S. experiences PTSD annually.

There are effective treatments to help those with PTSD to reduce symptoms and obtain a better quality of life. Be aware of your own and others' needs, and encourage yourself or others to seek guidance and treatment if needed. Awareness and support are crucial first steps to getting better.

How EMDR Healed My Trauma It is through my own experience with loud sound as the most healing salve I have ever known that I recognize how deeply many of us want to feel better. Blog NAMI Blog Read more

06/05/2026

Today is National Gun Violence Awareness Day

in Solidarity

Today, we Wear Orange to honor lives impacted by gun violence and to raise awareness about the importance of prevention, healing, and community support. As part of the ZSFG Level 1 Trauma Center, we see firsthand the devastating impact of gun violence on individuals, families, and communities.

The Trauma Recovery Center serves many individuals who have been profoundly affected by gun violence. TRC's services help them to regain their life functioning and wellbeing. This work is made possible through our funding partners at the local and state levels, including the City and County of San Francisco, the SF District Attorney's Victim Services Division, and the California Victim Compensation Board.

Trauma can affect anyone, and recovery often requires compassion, connection, and access to care. We honor the patients, families, caregivers, first responders, and healthcare professionals whose lives and work are touched by trauma.

During National Gun Violence Awareness Day and Wear Orange Weekend this June 5-7, join us as we honor survivors of gun violence.

05/08/2026

May is Mental Health Awareness Month.
Mental health issues affect us all -- personally, in our families, and in our communities. This month is an opportunity to speak with those in our lives about mental health. By having open, supportive conversations, we reduce stigma. We can promote awareness, understanding, and support for people to get help if they need it. The TRC exists to serve survivors of trauma with comprehensive services that help them regain their wellbeing. This crucial work is made possible by local, state, and federal funding, including from the city and county of San Francisco, SF District Attorney Victim Services Division, California Victim Compensation Board, and the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement. Learn more about Mental Health Awareness Month efforts nationwide at NAMI:

Mental Health Awareness Month provides a chance to stand with your community and show that no one struggles alone.

04/20/2026

National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is April 19–25
“Listen. Act. Advocate. Protect victims, serve communities.”

This week brings people together to recognize the impact of crime, honor survivors, and renew our commitment to victims’ rights and services.

Crime deeply affects victims and survivors: physically, financially, emotionally, socially, and spiritually. No one should have to face crime-related trauma alone. TRC is among the over 12,000 victim service programs in the United States. We help survivors rebuild their lives, with support from local and state funding, including the California Victim Compensation Board, the City and County of San Francisco Affiliation Agreement, and the SF District Attorney's Office.

National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is a time to look back on the advances of the past 45 years, honor the strength and resilience of survivors, and renew our promise to support victims’ rights every day.

https://victimsofcrime.org/national-crime-victims-rights-week/