Resources for Faculty

Students may encounter a variety of mental health difficulties during their academic journey. As a result, faculty members, teaching assistants, or staff individuals in university might come across students who require emotional wellness help.

Self-Care for Faculty and Staff

Compassion fatigue can commonly develop when an educationalist approaches a student with an open heart and provides a listening ear. Compassion fatigue doesn’t make you weak or incompetent rather it is the cost of caring

• The first step is to be aware of the signs. People with compassion fatigue may experience the following:

  • Increased irritability or impatience with their students

  • Difficulty planning lessons and other work-related tasks

  • Decreased concentration and focus

  • Failing to acknowledge that traumatic events can impact students or feeling detached/numb

  • Extreme emotions often but not always accompanied by intrusive thoughts, mainly regarding traumatic events a student has related

  • Dreams about students and their traumas

  • Feel like isolating yourself or don’t want to meet or socialize with people.

• If you were experiencing a number of these symptoms, it would be a good idea to talk to someone (another staff or faculty member) while respecting the students confidentiality.

• Try creating teams in your departments and working together to help students, rather than taking everything upon yourself.

•  Create clear boundaries between work and personal time.

• Keep perspective by spending time with students who are not experiencing traumatic stress.

• During personal time do at least one activity that you like e.g reading a book, taking a walk, gardening, baking.

• Conducting a self-reflection of the day is very important. Take out time to go over your day, analyze how you are feeling, allowing yourself to express your emotions.

• Try maintaining a healthy lifestyle by eating healthy, getting enough sleep, and exercising.

• Often talking about other people traumas triggers personal unresolved traumatic experiences.