From left: Dean Jon Gould and Professor Jason Schiffman thank Peter and Diana Morris for their generous support of the school’s Psychological Services Center.
Event honors Shannon Morris, fights against mental illness stigma
What began as a family's act of love and grief has grown into a powerful force for change. A bike ride honoring the memory of Shannon Morris — a voracious reader, gifted artist and talented musician who struggled with mental illness — this year raised $32,000 for UC Irvine's Psychological Services Center (PSC), bringing the community one step closer to making quality mental health care accessible to all.
During a recent reception held at the center, Shannon's mother, Diana Morris, expressed heartfelt gratitude to the UCI School of Social Ecology for a partnership that has united her family with the center's directors and doctoral students in the clinical psychology program.
“This September will mark seven years since Shannon died by suicide,” Diana said. “This group is helping provide access and address a critical gap that exists in our country — and in this world — when it comes to mental health care. It shows that we are not alone. So many people have been touched in so many different ways. There is no one single story, no one single financial element, no single underlying truth. To be doing this in honor of Shannon is incredible. We are putting something in motion to help support others.”
Two years ago, the Morris family created the bike ride to honor their daughter and channel their loss into lasting purpose. Shannon was just 21 years old when she died by suicide. In her name, the Morrises have committed themselves to telling her story, reducing the stigma surrounding mental illness, and giving to causes that provide real, meaningful help to those in need.
“What we do to raise money through a bike ride on my daughter's birthday every other year makes me feel like I'm making an impact,” Morris said. “It's not just me giving $100 here and there — it's me coming together with all my friends and family, and all of you stepping up. To think that the last time we did this we raised $14,000, and this time we raised $32,000 from a bike ride — that is really incredible.”
The funds raised benefit the PSC, the official training clinic for doctoral students in clinical psychology at UC Irvine. Under the supervision of licensed psychologist and clinic director Naomi Tabak, PSC trainees provide low-cost, evidence-based psychotherapy for individuals 18 and older — offering in-person sessions at the Social Ecology 1 building on campus, as well as online therapy, ensuring that geography and income are never barriers to getting help.
The center, said Jon B. Gould, dean of the School of Social Ecology, “reflects the value of the school. ... It doesn't take a Ph.D. to appreciate that we have an epidemic of mental illness in this country that is untreated. If we look at childhood anxiety and childhood depression, those problems are just skyrocketing and the really sad truth is there's not enough help for them right now any where. so, for our school to have taken the leap several years ago into this area, and say we want to be part of the solution was a really important step, one that shows us living our values.”
Quality mental health care is sorely needed and often out of reach for many residents of Orange County due to the high costs of services, said Jason Schiffman, professor of psychology and director of clinical training for the clinical psychology program. “The PSC offers in-person and online therapy that increases accessibility to gold-standard treatments for depression, anxiety, trauma, stress-related disorders and other mental health concerns.”
Tabak echoed that commitment.
“All of our clinical care is provided by doctoral students who are working to earn their Ph.D.s in clinical psychology,” Tabak said. “In addition to being totally dedicated to providing the best care possible, they are also at the cutting edge of research in the understanding, prevention, and treatment of mental health concerns.”
The PSC is open to the public and accepts referrals for individual therapy. For more information, visit the center’s website.
Donations for the center can be made by contacting Stacy Skwarlo, executive director of development, at (949) 824-0383 or sskwarlo@uci.edu or by contributing online.