Creating an Adviser Workshop “Student Issues: Recognition, Response, and Referrals”

Creating an Adviser Workshop“Student Issues: Recognition, Response, and Referrals” Howard Tyler and Amanda Robinson College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Iowa State University “We come to college not alone to prepare to make a living, but to learn to live a life.” — M.J. Riggs, 1883

Advising Goals • To create an environment where each student can reach their potential: • Academic achievement • Personally • Socially • Academic success (college degree, good grades, relevant experiences) is the ticket to open doors to a variety of careers • It only explains 6% of success once people are working in chosen career • We need to foster emotional intelligence as well as technical knowledge

Workshop Goals • To help you determine how you can use your individual strengths to achieve your advising goals with these students • Which types of students are in your comfort zone? • Which types of issues are in your comfort zone? • How will you handle the students and issue that are NOT in your comfort zone? • There is not a single right answer for how to best assist students facing challenges • There are WRONG answers, though…

Sympathy, Empathy, Compassion • Adviser’s show sympathy when they recognize a student’s distress and, as a result, may pity them or feel sorry for them without being able to personally understand what that student is feeling (sympathy = awareness) • This may happen when the adviser has no similar experience to provide context • Expressing sympathy can unintentionally make the student feel more alone and more distressed, and expressing pity can push them away • Advisers show empathy when they recognize a student’s distress and share that feeling even though they recognize it is not their own emotion – it does not involve the desire for action to resolve that stressful situation (empathy = awareness + experience) • This can happen when the adviser has similar experiences and can relate to the student’s situation • It may help the student feel less alone, but does not help resolve the problem • Advisers show compassion by recognizing a student’s distress and experiencing caring and nurturing feelings – and it does involve the desire to assist (compassion = awareness + action) • This is the often the most beneficial response for BOTH the student and the adviser, but requires knowledge of resources, an increased time commitment, and willingness to advocate for that student despite any perceived risks that may exist • Risks include personal risks (what if I make things worse?), perceived legal risks (are you legally liable if you get involved and the student commits suicide?) and professional risks (what if my colleagues misunderstand my involvement?)

Barriers to Student Success • Academic stress • Social changes • Old relationships • New relationships • Increased freedom and responsibility • New living environment • Exposure to new ideas, cultures, and situations

Barriers to Student Success • Family and/or personal issues • Mental health issues • Alcoholism/Drug abuse • Domestic abuse/Neglect • Sexual assault and harassment, stalking • Eating disorders • Anxiety/Depression • Sexual orientation/identity issues • Lack of knowledge of on-campus support

UC-BerkeleyStudent Survey • 67% felt hopeless at times • 95% felt overwhelmed • 45% reported emotional distress • 54% felt so depressed they couldn’t function • 10% seriously considered suicide • 52% considered counseling • Less than 1/3 actually received counseling

Barriers to Adviser Involvement? • What concerns you most about handling student issues? • What have been your biggest challenges in dealing with student issues? • Where are your boundaries? • How do you handle confidentiality vs. institutional awareness issues?

Recognizing the Barriers • Students are often uncomfortable bringing their issues to their adviser • Not adviser’s job • Sign of weakness (pride) • Fear of being judged • Lack of confidentiality • What does that look like?? • Non-verbal cues (different cues for different things) • Eye contact (too little or too much) • Testing and reading • Unnecessary lying • Closed position • Personal space

Factors That Make Seeking Counseling More Difficult • Stigma • Lack of information about counseling • Fears of family knowing • Fear of being misunderstood • Fear of being discriminated against

Common Mental Health Issues

How Common Are Mental Disorders? • 1 in 4 adults diagnosed in 1 year • In any one year 26.2% adults 18 or older experience mental disorder • 18.1% anxiety disorder • 6.7% depressive disorder • 3.8% substance use disorder • 2.6% bipolar disorder • 2.1% eating disorder • 1.1% schizophrenia

Common Unhealthy Coping Skills

Non-suicidal self injury • Cutting, burning, hitting, pulling out clumps of hair • 17% of U.S. college students have engaged in non-suicidal self injury • People who engage in non-suicidal self injury do so for many reasons • None of these show intent to kill themselves • Reasons include: • Escape from emotional distress • Change the behavior of others • Show desperation to others • If you notice suspicious marks on a persons body, don’t ignore it. Let them know you have noticed

Substance Use Disorders • 61% of college students drink alcohol regularly and 39% are classified as binge drinkers • 22% of college students currently use illicit drugs – marijuana/hashish, cocaine (including crack), heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants, pain relievers, tranquilizers, stimulants, and sedatives (used nonmedically) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Results from the 2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Summary of National Findings

Eating Disorders • 40% of female college students have an eating disorder • Includes anorexia, binging and purging, laxative abuse Massachusetts Eating Disorders Association

Issues to Keep in Mind • Unhealthy coping skills are still a coping skill, and people use them to deal with SOMETHING deeper • Students with anxiety (or other mental health issues) that drink are far more likely to drink to excess and engage in other high-risk behaviors • They cannot consider stopping the unhealthy coping skill until they learn and develop healthy coping skills • These are situations that take a LONG time to resolve because of the underlying issues

Hitting Rock Bottom

Suicide • 3rd leading cause of death between ages 15-24 • Shows signs of depression • Talks about suicide or attempts • Has made past attempts • Getting the means to kill oneself • Giving away prized possessions • Feeling rage or anger, seeking revenge • Feeling no sense of purpose in life

Myths and Facts about suicide Myth Fact • Once a person is seriously considering suicide, there is nothing you can do. • If you ask a person about suicidal intentions, you will encourage the person to kill themselves. • Most suicide crises are time-limited and based on unclear thinking. Persons attempting suicide are looking for a solution or an escape. • The opposite is true. Asking someone directly about their suicidal feelings will often lower their anxiety level and act as a deterrent. Your openness and concern will allow them to talk about their thoughts and help them feel less lonely and isolated.

Myths and Facts about suicide Myth Fact • A person who attempts suicide will always be suicidal. • People who talk about suicide don’t actually attempt suicide. • Most people who are at risk feel suicidal for only a brief period. With proper assistance they may never be suicidal again. • 8 out of 10 people who kill themselves give definite warning signs of their intentions. People who make suicide threats or attempts must be taken seriously.

Myths and Facts about suicide Myth Fact • People contemplating suicide are fully intent on dying. • Suicide occurs more frequently among certain classes of people. • Most people who are suicidal are undecided, often right up until the last minute, about living or dying. Few people attempt suicide without first letting someone know, sometimes in code. If recognized, these signals can save lives. • Suicide is neither a rich man’s disease nor the poor man’s curse. Suicide shows no class preference and is represented throughout society.

Should Suicidal Students Be Allowed To Stay in School? • The odds that a student with suicidal ideation will actually commit suicide are 1000 to 1 • Policies that “isolate or restrict” students with suicidal thoughts will restrict 999 students that would not have acted on those thoughts • Even restricting students that have attempted suicide only reduces odds to 200 to 1 Paul Applebaum, MD, Professor and Director of Division of Psychiatry, Law and Ethics at Columbia University and Past President of the American Psychiatric Association

Should Suicidal Students Be Allowed To Stay in School? • In 1984, University of Illinois established a “standard of self-welfare” • Students who threatened or attempted suicide were required to attend four sessions of mandated assessment • Approximately 3000 students have been referred to program • Rate of suicide reduced by 46% compared to previous policy of isolation and forced withdrawal • Only 1 student out of the 3000 was asked to withdraw, and was readmitted after 3 months Paul Joffe, PhD, Clinical Psychologist, University of Illinois

Dealing with someone suicidal • JUST ASK!!! • Most times it’s best to be blunt and ask the person straight out, instead of avoiding the situation, they usually just need someone to listen and notice them • Ask “Have you attempted or thought about suicide?” • A higher level of planning indicates more serious risk • Tell the person you care and want to help • Tell the person that thoughts of suicide are common and don’t have to be acted on

How Can Advisers Help??

What is your role? • Often the first point of contact for a student in need – find problems EARLY before they become a crisis • First you must gain trust - show that you care • Take an active interest in their lives • Academic • Personal • Goals and dreams • Offer confidentiality with limits • Main goal in crisis situation: • Gather as much information as possible so that you can determine • Are they in imminent danger? • Should I refer them to someone else? • Remember: You are not there to find a quick solution or solve their problems

Important things to keep in mind: • The activating event which triggers the crisis differs from person to person • Getting a “B” on a test or in a class • Death of a family member • Changing their major or career goals • Relationship challenges

How do you know whether a problem is minor or MAJOR? • Sometimes a simple issue is JUST a simple issue • Sometimes the SAME simple issue is just the tip of the iceberg Expect the worst, hope for the best • Keep asking questions until you stop getting deeper answers • Don’t accept OVERLY simple answers • Students facing challenges are experts at avoidance and deflection

Dealing with crisis behavior Do’s • Be calm, supportive and patient • Listen with an attitude of acceptance, genuineness, and empathy • Ask questions to seek clarification, not judge • Restate what the facts and feelings are to show you understand • Be aware of their non-verbal AND verbal cues!! • Are they holding back? • Are they ready to talk about their situation honestly? • Read them as to whether it is OK to push or to determine when it is time to back off… • What are the signs they are ready to talk and how can you ask? • What can you do if they acknowledge significant problems but do not want help and do not want to change?

Dealing with crisis behavior Do’s • ALSO be aware of your words, your tone, and your body language!! • Make eye contact • Nod occasionally to acknowledge a strong point in the conversation • Stand with hands clasped in front of you - never cross your arms • Do not check the time, play with your keys or anything else that the person communicating with you will view as a distraction from their conversation • How close do you sit? How does the layout of your office affect your ability to make a connection? • How do you verbally and(or) physically express empathy? • How do you end the meeting? What will you say and(or) do? • How do you keep an open line of communication now that the meeting is over?

Dealing with crisis behavior Don’ts • Don’t be critical or express frustration for the person feeling the way they do • Don’t isolate them or treat them differently • Avoid giving advice such as “pull yourself together” • Don’t interrupt to give opinions or experiences • Don’t question whether what they are saying is real or not - it is real and true to them

Take Home Message:The Three R’s • Recognize (just ask, then listen!) • Respond (give confidence, provide hope) • Refer (let them know what to expect, offer to go along) • If the student refuses outside help, then consult! • Your options are limited to support UNLESS they pose an IMMEDIATE threat to themselves or others • Know your support service staff, their personalities, strengths and weaknesses • Personally follow up with student • Make sure you are aware of your own emotional health – ask for help for yourself, too!

Resources for Assistance • Student Counseling Services • Women’s Center • Department of Public Safety • Financial Aid • Legal Services • Dean of Students Office • Department of Residence • RA’s and CA’s • Undergrad coordinator for department • Other advisers • What about parents, friends?

Partner ExercisesMeet with TWO students!

Student Panel Discussion

Questions? Howard Tyler (htyler@iastate.edu)Amanda Robinson (afordyce@iastate.edu)

Creating an Adviser Workshop “Student Issues: Recognition, Response, and Referrals”