概述
UCSF's Faculty and Staff Assistance Program offers regular virtual events for UCSF and UCOP employees.
Wellness Webinar Series
Mental Health in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: What Helps, What Hurts, and What to Watch For
Friday, October 30, 2026
12 p.m.-1 p.m. on Zoom
Register for Mental Health in the Age of AI Webinar
Presented by:
Dr. Jessica Allanson, Licensed Clinical Psychologist, UCSF Faculty and Staff Assistance Program
Artificial intelligence is becoming an increasingly present part of our everyday lives. From helping us organize information and brainstorm ideas to offering advice, companionship, or even support during difficult moments, AI tools are changing not only how we work, but also how we seek information, make decisions, and relate to technology. As these tools become more sophisticated and more human-like in their interactions, it is increasingly important to consider what their use may mean for our mental health and wellbeing.
What does it look like to engage with AI in a way that supports rather than undermines our wellbeing? When might AI be helpful, and when should we be cautious? How can we recognize when our own (or someone else’s) relationship with AI may be becoming concerning?
Join us for a 1-hour informational webinar exploring AI use through a mental health lens. Drawing from current research and psychological perspectives, we will discuss both the potential benefits and risks of engaging with AI and consider practical ways to use these rapidly evolving tools safely and intentionally.
This webinar will focus on:
- Reviewing current research on AI use and mental health
- Exploring potential mental health benefits of AI when used appropriately
- Understanding psychological risks and concerns associated with AI use
- Identifying signs that our own or someone else’s relationship with AI may warrant greater attention
- Discussing practical steps for establishing healthy boundaries and supporting safer, more intentional AI use
AI is likely to remain an evolving part of our personal and professional lives. Developing a healthy relationship with these tools does not require avoiding them altogether. It begins with understanding how they can affect us, recognizing where their limitations matter, and making thoughtful choices about when and how we engage.
Please note: This webinar approaches AI from a mental health and psychological wellbeing perspective. It is not intended to provide information technology, cybersecurity, data privacy, or UCSF-specific AI policy guidance.
Bio:
Jessica Allanson, PhD, MA, is a licensed clinical psychologist with the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program at UCSF and runs the FSAP Post-Doctoral Fellowship Program. Dr. Allanson has chosen to specialize in recovery from substance use and workplace burnout, working primarily with those in high-intensity work settings and with high-achieving populations. She incorporates empirically-validated skill-based learning as well as industrial/organizational psychology strategies into her work with individual clients, teams, leaders, and learners. Dr. Allanson believes in the power of compassionate education and hopes to use her passion for sharing and teaching to support and empower those who are curious.
All are welcome. If you have questions or need a reasonable accommodation, please email: [email protected]
Gratitude in Action
Thursday, November 12, 2026
12 p.m.-1 p.m. on Zoom
Register for Gratitude in Action Webinar
Presented by:
Dr. Jessica Allanson, Licensed Clinical Psychologist, UCSF Faculty and Staff Assistance Program
The original Gratitude in Action Webinar was first developed and introduced to the UC community in November 2023 as a part of the FSAP Wellness Webinar Series. We invite you now to join us for what has become our Annual November Gratitude Webinar for another opportunity to engage, re-engage, and learn more about developing your own personal practice of Mindful Gratitude.
This webinar explores current research on gratitude, including its potential benefits for managing stress, our own wellbeing, and how we experience and respond to the world around us. Given the unique experiences and demands of the UC Community in mind, this webinar will focus on brief, practical approaches to gratitude that can be incorporated into everyday life.
Whether you’re interested in returning to a gratitude practice you’ve used before, have tried gratitude practices in the past that didn’t quite work for you, or are simply curious about where to begin, this webinar will help you explore different approaches and identify what might be most useful and sustainable for you.
As we head into the winter season, join us for an hour of your workday to step away from the usual demands, learn what the research tells us about gratitude, and experiment with a few ways of putting it into practice.
During this webinar, participants will:
• Learn about current research on gratitude and its potential benefits for well-being
• Explore different approaches to incorporating gratitude into daily life
• Identify common barriers to starting and maintaining a gratitude practice
• Consider how technology, relationships, and the workplace can help support a practice
• Experiment with several brief gratitude practices
• Develop a personalized plan for incorporating gratitude in a way that feels realistic and sustainable
Bio:
Jessica Allanson, PhD, MA, is a licensed clinical psychologist with the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program at UCSF and runs the FSAP Post-Doctoral Fellowship Program. Dr. Allanson has chosen to specialize in recovery from substance use and workplace burnout, working primarily with those in high-intensity work settings and with high-achieving populations. She incorporates empirically-validated skill-based learning as well as industrial/organizational psychology strategies into her work with individual clients, teams, leaders, and learners. Dr. Allanson believes in the power of compassionate education and hopes to use her passion for sharing and teaching to support and empower those who are curious.
All are welcome. If you have questions or need a reasonable accommodation, please email: [email protected]
Mindfulness-Based Self-Compassion Program
FSAP's virtual Mindfulness-Based Self-Compassion Program is now closed for the current Summer 2026 cycle.
Join FSAP clinicians for a virtual eight-week mindfulness course to help:
- Reduce anxiety and stress
- Increase mental resilience and distress tolerance
- Decrease self-defeating thought patterns
- Increase experiences of happiness and productivity