Peer Counseling

Have confidence in your abilities. Know that your supervisors have confidence in you. Know that you are not alone and have resources available to help you help others. Understand your own beliefs but do not judge others for holding different beliefs. Understand the motivation of your role in counseling situations (Not to be a problem solver, but to listen and refer if necessary). Remain Objective (You cannot take on your residents’ problems as your own and remain emotionally healthy). Our goal is to help our students find their own solutions.

 1. Being aware of your own feelings, motivations, values, strengths, and weaknesses.  2. Establish yourself in your community as a person your students can go to with personal problems.  3. Knowing Helping Skills/ Counseling Model

 1.Precounseling  2. Listening  3. Problem Identification  4. Resolution  5. Follow Up

Stage 1: Pre-counseling Establishing yourself with your residents and preparing yourself to help. Student approaches you with a problem or you notice a problem. Evaluate the person’s emotional state. Talk with them immediately if it is a crisis, contact a resource if you cannot speak with them immediately. TIPS: Address the situation explaining that you are concerned about the student and care about them. Think about the environment before talking to the student – will being in their room cause them to be defensive? Should you ask other students to give you all privacy to discuss what is going on? Stage 2: Listening Stage Understanding what the student is telling you is key! Repeat what they are saying if necessary. Ask for clarification if unsure. You should listen more than you talk! Be Empathetic. Empathy= understanding where the person is coming from and understand the emotions they are feeling. TIPS: Nonverbal Cues are important- over 50% of communication is nonverbal. Focus on the student, do not play with your phone, have an open body stance. (Crossed arms and legs indicate you are closed to the conversation.) Ask Open ended questions… it encourages the student to explain things rather than give one word answers.

Step 3: Problem Identification and Analysis 1.Restate the Problem 2. Analyze the problem to determine if the students’ perception is accurate. 3. Develop options for managing or resolving the problem. 4. Determine the student’s expectations for the ideal and the realistic resolutions to the problem. TIP: Everyone has a right to their feelings. Everyone sees issues from their own perspective. Sometimes people allow a small situation to consume them, they may need someone to help put it in perspective. Write down options- sometimes it helps to see things in writing. Step 4: Resolution Stage Students will commit to a plan of action and decide on a time frame for the action to occur. TIP: Leave the student with the option of revisiting the issues with you if they need more assistance. Give the student resources they can use on their own (The number to the University Counseling Center)

 Step 5:  Follow-up Stage  Check to ensure the student has attempted to implement the course of action they decided on.  If the student has not taken action or if the situation has not improved, you will need to refer them for additional help.  TIP:  Do not bring up every detail that the student confided in you- simply ask how they are doing and how things are going.

 Suicide Consideration  Roommate Conflict with the potential for Violence  Drug/ Alcohol problems  Rape/ Sexual Assault  Situations in which someone is being physically abused.  Potential stalking situations  * You will be asked to complete an occurrence report for most of these scenarios. If someone is being charged with violating policies, however, you will fill out a incident report.

 Professional Staff (Professional Staff On Call if after office hours)  UPD  University Counseling Center (UCC Counselor on Call at all times.) Walk with students to the UCC during the day.  Academic Counselors  Center for Student Excellence  Fellow staff members on RA staff

 Symptoms that a student is experiencing a crisis:  Hostility or emotional outbursts (Poor emotional Control)  Erratic Sleep Patterns  Unusual Eating Habits  Excessive worrying or moodiness  Unnatural preoccupation with personal health  Changes in personal hygiene  Paranoia or fear that others are plotting against them  Persistent and continued depression for more than one week  Talking openly about suicide, using phrases such as “If would be easier if I wasn’t here”, “I want to end it all, etc”  Giving away prized possessions.

 As an RA, it’s not the RA’s role to advise a student to take a certain action, especially on topics such as the following:  Abortion and Pregnancy  Rape and Sexual Assault  Drug Abuse and Alcohol Abuse  Domestic Violence  Listen more than you advise.  Do NOT promise you will not tell anyone about the counseling session- Your job requires you to talk about the situation with your Area Coordinator.

 Process is very similar- be sure to listen to all parties.  Use the “Roommate Agreement Form” to help discuss topics. Creating a cleaning calendar, a study schedule, or a guest visitation schedule if necessary.  Have each student write down their concerns about their living situation- this helps to remove the emotion from the situation and focus on solutions.  Do not leave the students alone during a conflict- we do not want to see any violence!  Leaving a roommate situation unattended may lead to violence. University Housing has a Zero Tolerance Policy for Violence- the students may lose the privilege of living on campus.