“Working with a vastly diverse student body, with students from different countries of origin and sociocultural backgrounds is refreshing and enriching to my personal and professional experience at Brown,” says Dugyala.

Her top priority for graduate students is to increase accessibility and respond to their unique needs. “Graduate students present with mental health concerns that are quite unique and multi-layered, owing to an advanced stage in their academic and personal lives,” she says. 

One aspect she particularly enjoys about working with graduate students is their unwavering motivation to proactively address their mental health needs. Their emotional and intellectual maturity is something she appreciates. Dugyala also recognizes that graduate students would like their own spaces for group therapy or workshops and is actively working to create these opportunities. Recent events include a Navigating Interpersonal Relationships workshop and an online Anxiety Toolbox Workshop seminar.

“It’s an honor to be a part of this systemic change at Brown focused on creating additional resources to help increase the graduate students’ sense of belonging and well-being,” says Dugyala.

Dugyala is enthusiastic about collaborating with graduate students to meet their mental health needs. Ideas for outreach events and workshops can be shared via email at counseling@health.brown.edu or discussed by calling CAPS at 401-863-3476.