Healing After Harvey

1. COLLEGE OF IBERAL ARTS Healing After Harvey • Healing After Harvey • Department of Psychology and Sociology Department of Psychology and Sociology

2. Agenda • Self Care for Faculty and Students • Recognizing the symptoms and indicators of student stress and how to engage with students who may need assistance • Question and answer with discussion

3. Faculty, staff and students are likely to experience post-Harvey stress to some degree • Stressors can include: • An absence of normal routine • Time pressures including concern about “lost” time and difficulty flexing into new schedules • Loss of resources – both emotional and financial • Overreliance on “quick fix” coping mechanisms such as eating, drinking and other “feel good” strategies • Survivor guilt over feeling less impacted than others or an inability to assist others in greater distress • Recall of past traumatic experiences and stressors

4. Recognize your own needs • As faculty and staff we are called upon to solve multiple problems on a daily basis, making it easy to “push” our own needs aside in order to address those of our students • Self-reliance is highly valued in our culture, but may not be adaptive in the face of long term stressors • The ability to talk about concerns and connect with others over shared experiences is strongly associated with healthy recovery from traumatic experiences • Oftentimes the mere expression of concerns or fears is healing in itself without requiring a concrete solution to a problem.

5. The Physiology of Stress • Stress related symptoms are vital for survival, but when they go on too long they can cause significant distress • Cortisol is released in response to stress and can cause changes in both emotional and physical functioning including: • Forgetfulness and difficulty making decisions • Increased heart rate, respiration and anxiety like symptoms • Impaired immune function • Fatigue, changes in appetite and sleep patterns • Changes in mood, depressive symptoms • The longer the stressor continues, the longer the physical response and the longer the recovery time

6. What coping strategies are less effective? • Drug and alcohol use – including legal drugs such as caffeine • Overeating or sleeping too much • Withdrawal from friends, family and others • Denial • Ignoring physical or psychological needs • Using work or other activities to avoid thinking about distressing situations • Over engagement in conflict and and unwillingness to be flexible

7. Positive Self-Care Responses • Try to establish a normal routine (eating, sleeping etc.) • Keep active – both mentally and physically • Exercise is one of the best ways to reduce mild stress symptoms and will help clear the body of cortisol • Monitor your stress level and recognize the need for extra self-care time • There are many relaxation practices available in the community and online • Engage in practical problem solving – break large problems into smaller tasks • Help others when you are able to – altruism is a powerful source of positive feelings • Seek help when appropriate and concerns seem overwhelming or do not get better with time • Avoid judgement – everyone moves through their own process in their own way

8. Personal Responses to Harvey Can you think of any examples of something you may or may not have done different in response to the events surrounding Harvey?

9. Recognizing Student Distress • College is normally considered a high stress period that marks the transition into adulthood for many students and the development of self-care strategies • Even if a student did not directly experience effects from Harvey, chances are something in their family or someone they know has been impacted by these events • Oftentimes students may have difficulty recognizing their own emotional distress or when to seek help • Changes in academic performance may be one of the first signals that something is wrong

10. Examples of Distressed Student Behaviors • Poor work quality • Procrastination • Problems with attendance/tardiness • Repeated requests for special consideration • Disruptive behavior • Problems with peers • Evidence of fatigue • Essays, emails, journals that communicate problems

11. Other Indicators • Odd appearance/behavior • Emotional extremes • Depressed or anxious mood • Unexplained crying • Irritability/angry outbursts • Hyperactivity or very rapid speech • Dramatic weight change • Indecisiveness • Lethargic • Poor hygiene/dress • Speech/thoughts that are hard to follow • Other strange or unusual behaviors

12. Address Student Concerns Directly • Approach the student in private and provide them with an opportunity to express their concerns • Be specific about your concerns - e.g. you’ve been missing a lot of class, assignments etc. • Many students will be grateful for a direct expression of concern as they may not know what to do or who to turn to – active listening and validation of their concerns are key • Validate their concerns, but do NOT promise confidentiality • If you’re uncomfortable working with the student alone, pair up with another faculty member or your department chair • The University Counseling Center Staff can provide support and act as a resource if you are uncertain about what to do

14. Resources • Provide information about campus resources and assist the student directly with connecting to those resources if needed • Reassure them that there are options available to address whatever concerns they have • Assist the student in identifying and engaging their own resources • Recognize that you may not be able to solve their problem directly and maintain appropriate boundaries as needed

15. Threatening/Dangerous Behavior • If a student’s behavior is of immediate concern and it threatening towards themselves or others, contact the University Police Department x4444. • If a student makes you feel uncomfortable – don’t meet with the student in insolated place or alone. • Consult your department chair or supervisor if you have questions or concerns.

16. Other Resources • Islander Help Call Center, x 9999; http://tamucc.edu/islanderhelp/ • ICARE (http://icare.tamucc.edu/index.html) • Disability Services x 5816 • Health Center Nurse Line x 2601 • Career Services; Housing; Izzy’s Pantry • Judicial Affairs, Assistant Dean of Students x2967 (Angela Walker) • Dean of Students (Ann Degaish) x2612 • University Police x4444

17. University Counseling Center Services • Assessment & Screenings • Anonymous on-line screenings for depression, anxiety, PTSD, bipolar disorder, eating disorders • Personal Counseling • Academic Success Skills Counseling (e.g., time management, study skills) • Group Counseling • Psychiatric consultation

18. Questions, comments, or concerns?