Oren Shefet, PhD

Associate Director, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
Start Date: January 16, 2024

From the sunlight pouring through the window to the pastel rug and cushiony armchairs, stepping into Oren Shefet’s office is a breath of fresh air. The bright, welcoming room is complete with vibrant bookshelves filled from end to end, handmade gifts from former patients such as a square clock that reads ‘whatever’ with jumbled numbers in the corner, and several paintings and novelties depicting Sigmund Freud, the neurologist famed for revolutionizing the field of psychology in the early 20th century.

“I’m very glad to be back at Stony Brook,” says Oren, who has a soft and calming voice with an accent that reflects his Israeli heritage. “This was the first place that gave me a job post-graduation, and it’s really exciting to return in a leadership role. I am extremely committed to the social justice mission of this university, and I’m committed to serving students in a way that fits them best as unique individuals.”

Oren started out as a lawyer before he realized his passion for mental health services. Dissatisfied with his original profession, he decided to return to Tel Aviv University – where he got his law degree – to obtain a BA in psychology. He moved to the United States in 2000 to attend Columbia University for his master’s and Adelphi University for his PhD.

Oren’s subsequent fellowship at Stony Brook reaffirmed his choice to transition from lawyer to clinical psychologist. He continued working at SBU for a couple of years before he moved to SUNY Old Westbury and eventually became director of the school’s counseling center.

“I have a whole lot of enthusiasm for student mental health and wellbeing,” he says. “And I return to Stony Brook with more than 15 years of experience working with students from all backgrounds and helping them get better. I’ve also served as editor in chief of the Journal of College Counseling and chair of the research committee of the American College Counseling Association. So I've been fortunate to read, I believe, more than half of all research about student mental health that has been done in the US over the last decade.”

His goal is to use this knowledge and experience to bolster CAPS by creating more resources and opportunities for students while making sure his team continues to provide the highest quality care. So far, he says he’s been impressed with the diversity, ambition and resilience that characterize Stony Brook’s student body. Praising society’s destigmatized perception of mental health services, Oren encourages students to seek counseling no matter what hardships or hindrances they may be dealing with.

“Unfortunately, we are in the midst of a mental health epidemic where there have never been more students struggling with depression, anxiety and other difficult problems,” he says, “which makes our accessible services for the campus community even more important.”

Oren firmly believes that every person has their own unique difficulties and their own special way of overcoming them. His job is to help patients build the tools and hone the techniques that best preserve their psychological wellbeing – that way, they’ll remain equipped to handle future hardships that may arise. At the same time, he’s full of helpful advice that applies to all students.

“University is a marathon, not a sprint,” he says. “So you have to take good care of yourself. Pulling an all-nighter is fine every once in a while, but it’s important to make sure that you lead a balanced life – that you have time to meet with your friends, time to eat, to sleep, to study, and time for your favorite activities.”

For him personally, those activities include reading books, playing board games with his twin sons Ben and Natan, who are both 12, and spending time with his wife Liat. Their family is completed by two cats called Jelly Bean and Smudge. “The names were chosen by my boys,” Oren says fondly as the sun dips into view through his office window.

Walking out of the room is equally pleasant as entering. A warmhearted energy emanates from the smiling faces who greet you like an old friend in the lobby. It’s clear why Oren is so fond of his CAPS colleagues – akin to his favorite kind of board games, everyone is working together to achieve a cooperative goal.