"Helping Students with the Personal & Emotional Challenges of HE and FE"

1. "Helping Students with the Personal & Emotional Challenges of HE and FE" Gertie Raftery Student Counsellor Dkit

2. Outline • Challenges facing your learners. • Helping students meet these challenges. • Recognizing the strengths of experience – “experience cannot be bought”. Exercise • Recognising and responding to distress.

3. Challenges facing learners • Multitude of roles - parent, earner, partner now adding the role of student • Financial sacrifices • Lone parent • Scary – not making the grade • Burnout – pre-existing time pressures • Lonely – not fitting in

4. Reasons behind the late entry to Education • Learning difficulties • Adolescent difficulties • Breakdown of the family of origin- death separation • “Breaking the mould” – emotional legacy • Financial pressure • Dysfunction in the family of origin

5. Helping students meet these challenges • Numbers accessing student counselling service 21% of those accessing the service last year.

6. Meeting the challenges Students who come in through the Access route into TCD were 3 times more likely to attend counselling than the general student population Looking Forward : Investigating Counselling and Support Needs of Non-Traditional Students in Irish 3rd level Education, TCD Counselling Service 9In collaboration with AIT and UCC

7. Loss 40% Anxiety 27% Abuse 20% Self harm 18% Self Identity 17% Relationships 16% Academic 14% Depression 12% Addictive behaviours12% Physical health 9% Other mental Health5% Welfare & Employment 4% Eating disorders 3% Sexual issues 3% Breakdown of problem areas

8. LOSS This figure includes 22 who were experiencing loss as a result of the separation of the client’s parents - an issue which continues to grow and is responsible for significant level of pain and distress- though there is I think limited knowledge of this impact among the general public22 also experienced loss as a result of bereavement. ANXIETY The levels for anxiety are showing a general level of increase nationally across student counselling services ABUSE The figures for abuse are made up mainly of those who have been victims of bullying – 20 an issue which has lasting effects on young people’s self – esteem and ability to cope.

9. ADDICTIVE BEHAVIOURS While on the face of it this figure seems to confirm the general perception of the prevalence of alcohol and drug issues amongst this age group over three quarters of this figure represents young people affected by their parents drinking

10. Helping students meet these challenges • Dedicated supports / integration? • Varieties of supports to meet their special needs www.mymindmatters.ie

11. Recognising and Responding to Distress • Know the limits of your role – the importance of boundaries • Confidentiality?? • Handling disclosures. • Tears are not necessarily a bad sign! • Referrals

12. When to refer • The problem requires specialist help • Depression/suicidal thoughts • Extreme stress anxiety panic • Unresolved grief • Alcoholism drug abuse • Serious medical/mental health problems • Eating disorders • Legal problems

13. When to refer • You are unable to be genuine, honest, impartial • You are worried the person might come to harm or get into deeper problems • You are concerned about your own circumstances.

14. Suicide Risk. • Signs of suicide risk and what to do • Myths of suicide • Tips for referring reluctant students

15. Questions. • “Cruel to be kind” – realistic about demands and expectations. • Unhealthy competitiveness.