April 15, 2020 FAC/STAFF

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Faculty & Staff Resource: How to Support Students at a Distance

The Jed Foundation presented a live webinar (How Faculty can Support Student Mental Wellness) on supporting student wellness from a distance. Below is a brief “tips sheet” that summarizes some of the key points from the webinar:

Faculty Tips Sheet
• You do NOT need to be everything to students. But you can be a great bridge to other resources available to them!
• Know the signs of distress. Common stressors during this period of social isolation may include:
o Uncertainty of duration
o Fear of infection – for self and others
o Frustration, boredom and loneliness
o Grief and loss
• Provide space for students to share their COVID-19 experiences. Encourage discussion about challenges they’re experiencing, and ways they’re coping.
• Give students the opportunity to individually check in. Via email or online office hours.
• Use V-A-R to support students.
o Validate the student’s concerns;
o Appreciate their willingness to share them with you;
o Refer them to campus resources.
• Employ principles of active listening. Hear on 3 levels:
o Content of what they are saying;
o Emotions that they are feeling;
o Behavior in response to those thoughts and feelings.
• Know the resources. Students can still utilize campus resources during this time including Counseling Center, Academic Advising, Student Accessibility Services, Career Center, Writing Center, Learning Commons, CSDI, Financial Aid & more.
• Encourage schedule consistency. Now more than ever, students will need some routine and normalcy in their lives. Encourage them to stick to a schedule that balances academic productivity with self-care.
• Promote self-care. For yourself and your students! You could include self-care tips to daily lectures/power points.

JCU Counseling Center Services:

The Counseling Center remains available to all JCU students to support their mental health and wellness. We are offering Zoom consultations with a therapist for all JCU students, although due to state licensing restrictions, we can only offer a one-time consultation for students currently residing outside Ohio. Students still residing in Ohio can continue with a regular frequency of appointments.

For more info about Counseling Center virtual services and additional pandemic related sources, please visit our Counseling Center webpage.