Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) provides a range of mental health services to help RISD students improve emotional, interpersonal, and academic functioning, including:

individual and group counseling, at no additional cost, to any matriculated undergraduate or graduate student.
recommendations to off-campus providers.
consultation to faculty, staff, and parents who may have concerns about a student.
outreach events, and training, related to educating and improving mental health within the college community.
a counselor on call (for after-hours mental health emergencies).
psychiatric services (upon recommendation from a CAPS counselor).

Emotional well being is essential to personal development and integral to the creative process. Counseling provides a space to address issues that may be interfering with your work. Seeing a counselor helps you respond to the situation before it escalates.

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All appointments with CAPS can be in person or through telecounseling. Students are encouraged to call CAPS directly at 401 454-6637.

Students must be escorted to the CAPS office. Please call the office when you arrive in the lobby.

For non-crisis referrals: Please encourage students to contact us directly to schedule a needs assessment appointment. Offer to let the student call from your office; calls made outside of office hours will be connected with our after-hours support.

CAPS provider info

last updated: 9/29/23

Director, Deborah Levans, LICSW
Pronouns: She/Her
Education: BSW, St. Thomas University, MSW, Boston College
Clinical interest/specializations: Identity (Including racial, gender) International Students, First Generation Students, (Traumatic) Grief, Trauma, Eating Disorders
Languages spoken: English, French, Spanish

Associate Director, Nicole Nelson, LICSW
Pronouns: she/her
Education: BA Roger Williams University; MSW Smith College
Clinical interests/specializations: LGBTQIA identity exploration, grief, trauma, supporting folks with history of domestic violence and sexual assault, and anxiety disorders
Languages Spoken: English

Staff Counselor, Damion Vania, LMHC
Pronouns: He/Him
Education: BA Boston University, MA Lesley College
Clinical Interests/specializations: Creatives, international students, grad students
Languages Spoken: English

Psychiatrist, Dr. Harold Woodcome, MD
Pronouns: He/Him
Education: Brown University, Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons
Psychiatry Residency: Brown University/Butler Hospital
Areas of Interest: Young Adult Psychiatry
L Languages Spoken: English

Psychiatry Resident, Dr. Daniel Trujillo Diaz
Pronouns: He/Him
Education: Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education, Mexico
Postdoctoral Training: Yale University
Residency Training: University of Utah, Brown University/Butler Hospital
Areas of interest: Young adult psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry
Languages: English, Spanish

Intercultural Specialist, Maria Toprani, LICSW
Pronouns: She/Her
Education: BA, Hobart and William Smith Colleges; MSW, Rhode Island College
Clinical Interests/Specializations: Trauma-Informed Care; Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Mindfulness Meditation; Utilizing an Authentic, Strengths-Based, Collaborative Approach; Working with Immigrants, First Generation, BIPOC, Intersecting Identities; Supporting Students with Anxiety and Mood Disorders, Chronic Illness and Grief
Languages Spoken: English

Part Time Counselor, Mike Petrarca, LMHC
Pronouns: He/Him
Education: BA, Suffolk University, MA/CAGS, Rhode Island College
Clinical Interests/specializations: OCD/anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, ADHD, existential issues, autism spectrum disorders
Languages Spoken: English

Part-Time Counselor, Yatyee Lee, LMHC
Pronouns: She/Her
Education: BSSc, the Chinese University of Hong Kong,MA, Rhode Island College
CAGS, Rhode Island College
Areas of clinical interest/specialization: Adjustment, acculturation, relationship, depression, anxiety

Languages Spoken: English, Mandarin, Cantonese