Cal Plett (they/them) is a current fourth-year Ph.D candidate in the Music Department at UCR, focusing on Ethnomusicology. They are passionate about mental health in university settings, and have spent both undergrad and graduate school advocating for better mental health services for students, faculty and staff alike.
More than 2,000 students utilize the Counseling and Psychological Services program (CAPS) according to the most recent data provided by the University of California, Riverside (UCR), totaling over 11,000 appointments made in the 2019-2020 academic year. Since 2020, it is likely these numbers have only increased.
I myself have used the CAPS services for over three years and would argue that the center has deeply impacted my success at UCR. Specifically, I am indebted to my previous counselor, Dr. Heather Johnson, for her dedication as a medical provider.
But given my recent experience with underhanded professional practices and concerning deceptiveness from the center’s leadership, I do not plan to return. Johnson, as explained in an article published by The Highlander in Nov. 2025, was placed on administrative leave by the board after seven years working for the program. The article expands on the alleged misconduct and the subsequent clearing of accusations against Johnson. Despite all of this, she remains on leave.
I write here as a former patient of Johnson to make UCR students and administration aware of the negative effect their decision to place Johnson on administrative leave, without any explanation to her patients, has had.
I was notified of Johnson’s absence in early Sep. 2025 at the beginning of the fall quarter. Having met with her over the summer and into the fall, I had created a mental health plan with Johnson and relied on her for my psychological care and support. Less than a week after our last visit, I was informed that she was no longer working at the department and that nothing more could be said.
The destabilizing effect of losing my weekly counseling and the disregard by CAPS leadership for how impactful this decision was blindsided me. Rather than the truth, I received an insouciant email to “reschedule with someone new” as if this was not majorly impactful news. I experienced justifiable confusion about the reason for her absence. When calling repeatedly for the next couple of weeks to inquire about Johnson, I was met with the repeated answer, “We don’t know anything, we can’t tell you if she’ll return. Can we reschedule your next appointment with a new counselor?”
I was not provided any contact information for Johnson and was not allowed to reach out to her. I had spent over two years working with her and was left with no answers, no genuine support and no real accountability from the center, despite the distressing nature of this situation.
While the center was dedicated to providing me with a new counselor, it felt like the proverbial band-aid on a bullet wound. The situation seemed intentionally opaque in a way that left more questions than answers.
Occurring behind the scenes, the CAPS board of directors decided to place Johnson on administrative leave in early Sep. 2025 and chose to file against Johnson’s license for what she believes to be retaliation against her union activity. They gave no answers about her absence, not even describing to her patients the nature of her leave and refused to offer any further information. This led to false claims about Johnson’s absence, with some clients believing that Johnson may have had an emergency, serious injury or major event that caused her abrupt absence.
The information above was never told to me as a previous client of Johnson. I did not learn of the situation from the UCR administration or the CAPS board members, but instead from the article in The Highlander. The intentional equivocation of the board’s decision allowed for their actions to go unquestioned. I believe CAPS’s leadership and handling of the situation was negligent.
The process of forced termination of therapy can evoke major emotions for both the therapist and patient. A provider is expected to take steps during the remaining counseling sessions before terminating the relationship for the well-being of their client. Planning for the termination of services, discussing complex emotions and identifying necessary future steps are integral for the safest and healthiest termination of services.
According to research published in the American Psychological Association, a consensus is clear. During forced termination, the therapist must do their best to help patients attain closure. This is especially true in university and college settings, where treatment has a standard and fixed timeline. Psychologists have fiduciary status and can exert undue influence over a patient, making it integral that they act in the best interest of their patient.
It’s clear that leaders who are responsible for administrative decisions have just as much influence and responsibility for the well-being of their therapists and patients as those working individually with a given patient.
It is also arguably undisputed that ethical termination is a capstone of therapeutic treatment. The response, or lack thereof, to Johnson’s leave is objectionable at best and professionally incompetent at worst. This is especially worrisome due to the CAPS board — in particular, Director Elizabeth Mondragon and Associate Director Loretta Mead — all holding graduate degrees and licenses in psychology.
I believe this woefully irresponsible decision and nonexistent response to the attempted suspension of Johnson’s license calls into question the CAPS board’s behavior in prioritizing the health and safety of students. Forced termination can evoke similar psychological responses as those of the grief process.
Therefore, the decision to terminate Johnson would likely have students already seeking care in an even more difficult and precarious mental position. This decision necessitated preparation to cope with the therapy termination process for her patients, instead of an attempt to “mend” their experience afterward.
I remain concerned about the ongoing leadership decisions by CAPS board members. I implore CAPS leadership to acknowledge their mistake and immediately reinstate Johnson as a counselor at CAPS.
Finally, I extend a gesture of care towards her prior — optimistically, current — patient list. Johnson’s patients deserve answers for the quality and stability of their care. These students at UCR deserve to begin their treatment again with their chosen counselor.
Op-Eds are not edited by The Highlander, excluding those related to grammatical errors and AP requirements. Op-Eds do not reflect the opinion of the Editorial Board and are not written by Highlander contracted writers.
