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 The key to remember is most academic advisers are not personal counselors. Carl Rogers wrote at the end of his career that he was not sure about the benefits of psychotherapy and maybe having a good friend is all that is needed. As any good friend, academic advisers must good listeners to help students reflect about their personal and academic goals. Listen, listen, listen!~ Barbara K. Wade, Ph.D., Penn State University, June 5, 2007 Listen. Stop talking and just listen.Give students a little extra time and your full attention. Try to listen with your heart and respond with compassion and patience. This response may be nonverbal such as head nods, raised eyebrows, and other appropriate responses to a feeling they may be expressing or may be verbal such as “I see” or restating the concern in own words. Students often reveal or disclose very personal things in an advising setting. This may be due to the nature of the private 1:1 advising setting or established relationship or trust/rapport. Students also may not know the difference between an adviser and a counselor. If the student is distressed beyond what would be considered “normal stress” (which is a judgment call on the part of the adviser, so a list of indicators from counseling office is helpful here), then always take time to explain that what they need may be outside the area of expertise for an adviser. Explain how counselors can do more for them on a personal level. Refer as appropriate, of course, but also keep the relationship open. Keep in mind that after a disclosure, students may feel vulnerable or embarrassed thinking that they said too much. Reassurance may be needed. ~ Julie Sperrazza, Arizona State University, June 5, 2007 It seems important to also remember what advisers can do, and what they are skilled to do. Sitting with someone when they are hurting; just listening attentively, and non-judgmentally; paying attention to and taking action with behaviors which cause you alarm—does not require professional licensure as a counselor. Each of these scenarios requires that you be a competent, caring individual with good basic skills in listening, referral, and human empathy.Perhaps in moments of crisis one of the most important roles can be that of an academic adviser. An adviser can serve as the facilitator. An adviser can be the person who sees a problem and connects the student with a counselor; connects the student with emergency services; connects the student with a community or campus resource person. While without proper training and credentials it is not appropriate to intervene, counsel, or respond in a therapeutic manner, simply stopping what you are doing and being on the scene, to be calm, to be present, to comfort through listening, getting a glass of water, or simply sitting and waiting with the person, can do an enormous amount to help that person stay in control of that situation. A crisis occurs when our normal coping mechanisms (and our secondary coping mechanisms) don't work to resolve the situation. If what we normally do to “get better” or to “get through” fails to work and our back-up plans fail, too, then we start to experience a crisis. At those moments, we feel overwhelmed with stimuli—either too much emotion, too much pain, or too much “stuff” is occurring—our coping isn't working, and we don't know what to do. Even a counselor at those moments changes his or her techniques. Since there is a surplus of emotion, over-stimulation, the focus is on safety and what's next, not on emotions or reflection. At those moments, Puryear, Slaikeu, and others explain that a person may feel or actually be out of control. A struggle for control then is not helpful at that moment. So you don't need to fix the situation. You don't need to solve their problem. You don't even need to say it will be okay. You just need to get help and be present if it's safe to do so. At those moments a kind voice, a concerned face, and just someone present—to get us help—makes a world of difference. We don't need to “process feelings” or to be hugged or be moved. We simply need to safe until we can cope again or get back into control. And having someone there who is safe and sane and getting us help may make the difference. Another thing to note is distress is not always crisis. If in tough situations someone tends to scream and cry—and that works for them—then when you see them crying on the scene they may not be in crisis. They may just need a safe place to vent or lose it a bit. And again, while you are getting a counselor or other appropriate professional to come assess, as an academic adviser you can be making sure the police are present so the area is safe, helping the person get seated or re-routing the immediate path of people. You can look for a nearby, quiet place, should the person wish to step out of the crowd. If they are out of control physically, you can be facilitating the scene and calling the appropriate personnel, or moving others to another path/room. You can also simply say, “I am here and I am getting us help.” My experience is that academic advisers are remarkably capable people. Of course we want to work within the parameters of our skills and knowledge, and we never want to counsel, coach, or advise if we are not credentialed and well equipped to do so; however, I know of few people who care more, who think quicker, or who are better connected to the professionals needed for the situation. Remember what you can do, and how you are skilled to help. Perhaps take a counselor or administrator a cup of coffee one day next week, and start a conversation. Perhaps bring up the issue with your supervisor and say, “I know in an emergency that you are the person I call. But until you get there, what might I do to help? You know, I am an academic adviser??!” ~ Rusty Fox, Tarrant County College, June 5, 2007 Appropriate timing, my Penn State friends! Thank you.As has recently been shown through our tragedy—it is evident that students need an ear. I'm not certain that advisers are any more “the right people” to talk to in tragedy, but we can be an ear. Often, the way that individuals heal is by talking about the tragedy. Experience shows that advisers can be the ones who make appropriate referrals to critical support networks. I kept a stack of information on my desk regarding support information for students; our counseling center, local agencies, and additional centers and counselors who volunteered time. By the time the students had almost all gone home for the summer, my huge stack of information referral papers were gone! I consider this a success! Personally, however, I will sincerely state that it is much more difficult than I ever imagined to provide that ear. I have an undergraduate degree in social work, I have worked in counseling settings, and have been trained and have previously held certifications for such work. This is not something that is unfamiliar to me. However, in the days and weeks that followed April 16th, I could never have imagined the emotions that presented. I believe this is strictly because I was affected too. These were my students, my university, and my colleagues. People I knew—just two buildings away, and it could have been me. I provided the ear. I listened. I listened to student first responders tell about what they saw. I listened about students looking for their best friend. I listened about roommates who are forever gone. I listened to stories about noises that occurred and were being replayed in students' minds. I listened about girlfriends who were so loved and now lost. I listened about Resident Advisors who were so helpful and will not be there for the rest of the semester. I listened and I listened and I listened some more. And then I sought the ear to help me. Advisers must be ready to listen when it is critical. Advisers, probably better than other professions, must be willing to seek help when necessary too, for their own ability to persevere. A sincere thank you to everyone—for your prayers, your support, and your patience through this time. ~ Kara E. Lattimer, Virginia Tech, June 11, 2007 With little or no specific training as a counselor, I would be remiss to offer advice of a personal nature beyond the scope of my training and academic responsibility to a student. Personal issues are indeed just that. I do not venture into uncharted waters, but I always address the person and listen with care and concern. I suspect that just listening is often a help, especially when few others may be there to listen. I will recap or paraphrase the issue just to assure the student I heard them. They must connect the issue to the part of their environment they allow themselves as a student: this is a self-generated epiphany that only the student can discern and connect to their education.~ John McCluney, Kaplan University Online, June 19, 2007 The Mentor is published by Penn State's Division of Undergraduate Studies Available online at www.psu.edu/dus/mentor/ Privacy and Legal Statements | Copyright | © The Pennsylvania State University | All rights reserved | |
