Schedule an appointment with PhD-psychologist

Unfortunately there will be fewer options for intakes/ short screenings due to personal circumstances. Therefore, the waiting times will be longer. Our sincere apologies for this inconvenience. Some intakes will be done by Joghem de Wreede, an external PhD-psychologist. If for you the waiting time is still too long, please don’t hesitate to contact your general practitioner (home/family doctor) for a referral to another psychologist.

What does the PhD psychologist do?

The PhD psychologist offers psychological support for PhD candidates who struggle with psychological issues caused by the promotion process or that have a direct effect on it. The support by the PhD psychologist lies in the area between the help offered by corporate social work and the general mental healthcare service (GGZ). The PhD psychologist is specialized in short-term treatment for:

  • Anxiety issues
  • Mood complaints
  • Concentration problems
  • Fear of failure
  • Motivational issues

The PhD psychologist is well aware of the unique position that the PhD candidate occupies. As a result, she is able to offer adequate help specifically tailored to the PhD candidate.

For whom?

All PhD candidates at Utrecht University and the University Medical Center Utrecht.

How can I book an appointment?

You can schedule an appointment for an intake interview (one hour) or a short screening (half an hour) below. You can register via the online agenda. During the intake interview the PhD psychologist will discuss the issues you are encountering and will try to find the best source of help for you. Depending on your request for asking support there are a number of options (after intake):

  • One-off advice and information
  • (Short-term) individual counseling
  • Group sessions
  • Referral

The PhD psychologist will consider referral if:

  • Long-term or more specialized help is needed.
  • Complaints are urgent or severe, for example concerning suicidality.
  • There are several problems affecting many areas of life (for a longer period of time).
  • There is a cooperation problem in the work environment that requires mediation.

If you are referred to a general mental healthcare institution/professional (GGZ), this must be arranged through your general practitioner (usually by a formal letter of referral). Therefore it is important that you are registered with a GP in the Netherlands. The PhD psychologists is well aware of the referral options and can help you find suitable support. You can also contact your GP directly if you think more specialized help is needed.

Short screening sessions are available every week: 2 to 4 time slots of half an hour each. This gives you an opportunity to discuss your issue(s) at hand and receive an initial advice from PhD-psychologist about how to cope. You can schedule an appointment for a short screening below through the online agenda.

For questions, please contact p.c.m.meesters@uu.nl or phduu@uu.nl.

What are the costs?

There are no costs for applying (for all offerings). The costs already made by PhD candidates for intakes as from 16 November 2020 will be refunded. You will be informed by Paula Meesters.

Ongoing PhD-group ‘Resilience, Self-esteem, and Stress-management’

Trainer: Drs. P.C.M. Meesters (Paula), PhD-psychologist/ Psychologist with a PhD degree

Participants: For all types of PhD candidates UU/ UMCU, both Dutch and International.

Sessions: Every two weeks on Mondays 15:00 – 17:00 o'clock (3-5 pm). The sessions are online via Microsoft Teams or held face-to-face. Ongoing group means you can enroll any time and use the group as long as it is useful or necessary for you.

Language: English (when all participants are Dutch speaking it will be in Dutch).

Aim: The learning goal of this PhD-group is to build a more balanced self-image, to develop your professional autonomy within the doctoral context, and thereby becoming more intrinsically motivated. We focus on core beliefs, core values and qualities such as resilience, self-esteem and stress-management. The applied techniques are derived from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Schema Therapy (ST), Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT).

Enrolment and questions via email to: p.c.m.meesters@uu.nl

Intake form

According to the law about the safekeeping of personal information (AVG) it is better to send a file with sensitive personal information, like the intake form, via SURFfilesender.

Procedure:

  • Go to www.surffilesender.nl 
  • Click on ‘send file’ and log in with your Solis-ID
  • Fill in the e-mail address of the recipient, and select ‘encryption’.
  • Make and share a password (take care: share the password in a separate e-mail, NOT via SURFfilesender. Chose a password you don’t use for other purposes. You can also choose an automatic generated password).
  • Click on ‘send’
Make an appointment

No data available?

Can’t find any available dates in the schedule? Then see if there are any opportunities next month. At the end of each month, the new appointment possibilities open up.

In case of emergency we strongly advise you to contact your general practitioner. Your GP usually has time to see you at short notice.

Emergency outside office hours? Call the general practice centre on 088 1309670. 

Life threatening situation? Call 112.

Do you have suicidal thoughts or are you thinking about suicide? Or are you worried about someone with suicidal thoughts? Talk about it. Call 0800-0113 or chat via 113.nl (24/7 open, anonymous and confidential).