Running head: EXPERIENCE WITH MENTAL HEALTH

Experience with Mental Health: A Professionals Point of View

Tempris E. Daniels
Loyola University Chicago

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Introduction
Degges-White and Borzumato-Gaines (2014) begins their College Student Mental Health
Counseling: A Developmental Approach book by articulating the following, The years in which
a student is traditionally engaged in higher education are a time of great personal development
and reflect changes in many aspects of a students functioning (p. 1). In interviewing JCA, a
new student affairs professional in Higher Education, I realized that without one believing that a
student will go through personal development within their college experience, it is difficult to
truly assist students, providing them with the necessary resources. The purpose of this paper is to
examine JCAs story as it relates to the supervision helping skills given in Reynolds (2009). In
doing so, a connection is made to the person-centered helping theory and an overall reflection of
the writers experience is shared.
Summary of Interview
JCA, has just reached her 18th month anniversary as the Student Involvement Advisor at
The University Of Chicago in the Center for Leadership and Involvement. She brings a diverse
amount of experience having worked as a student worker in her student activities office in
college, in residential life and student activities in graduate school, and now at The University of
Chicago. We broke down the interview in two sections; first speaking about Higher Education in
general in relation to mental health and disabilities and second speaking specifically to The
University of Chicago.
When asked if colleges are prepared to help students who suffer from mental health
issues, JCA responded by saying, I think so now more than ever but look what had to happen in
order for changes to occur. ADA rules had to be put in place (pause) and really professors and
staff members are still trying to fight some of those rules. You would think we are all here for the

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students so naturally we would want what is best for them. I found this statement to be bold but
accurate. In further speaking about this question, we talked about how students might be more
progressive than some of the professionals in how they treat their peers with mental health or
physical disabilities. While acknowledging that her view of Higher Education is limited based on
experience, JAC finds it refreshing that she has not seen negative behavior from other students
towards their peers.
Furthermore, our conversation transferred to speaking about student conduct and how
that might differ for students with mental health disorders. Through JACs personal experience
she felt comfortable sharing some of her experience regarding one of her students who was
kicked out of the classroom for their behavior. The student was later diagnosed with bipolar.
While JAC did not share too much about the student based on confidentiality, she did share that
she felt the students conduct situation may not have been handled in the best way but she is still
unsure of what would have been more helpful. The students parents quickly got involved to
ensure their child received the proper medical support and while the school supported the student
they also felt it was appropriate to discipline the student for their actions. JAC felt the student
should not have been disciplined because what was personally going on for the students was
enough to gravel with and reflect. However, what is important is that this student is doing well
now and they keep in touch.
Building upon the first part of our interview, JAC and I shifted our conversation to
specifically talk about The University of Chicago. Being a Chicago born native, it was thoughtprovoking to hear about mental health and disabilities from The University of Chicago
perspective. When asked if The University of Chicago (UChicago) speaks with their student
affairs staff about the different ways to help their students with mental health disorders and

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disabilities receive the best assistance, JAC simply responded by saying, I have not seen that at
all but I do see the conversations happening with other identities wait what are we doing?
JAC went on to talk about UChicago as a whole is growing and she would not be surprised if in
the near future those conversations start happening. In further speaking about the UChicago
system, we felt it was important to recognize that the institution just built a health and wellness
office and that mental health and physical disabilities is housed within this office. In
understanding this framework, JAC found that although UChicago may not be at the same place
as other institutions, they are moving and growing.
The last major part of our interview, which resonates with me, is the academic rigorous
pressure faculty, parents, and students place on grades. JAC says, The culture for students here
is that if they are not feeling stressed out then they must not be working hard enough. She went
on to further say that this type of pressure can contribute to wellness as well as mental health
issues such as depression. JAC has found that students at UChicago need just as much support as
they need to be challenged. This will help students this as they start looking for jobs and to live a
balanced healthy lifestyle. While this may not necessarily be a mental health disorder, the
pressure can negatively attribute to someone who already has a mental health disability.
Supervision Helping Skill
After interviewing JAC, her passion and ability to ensure her students receive the support
needed to succeed correlates with her experience with the supervision helping skill. These skills
include leadership and management (Reynolds, 2009, p. 219) as well as energy that is used to
focus on providing students with direct services. It is important to note that because JCA works
in student activities, much of her supervision is done with students unlike a counseling-oriented
position. Knowing that, the interactions she has with her students must be meaningful and

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productive. For example, JCA advises almost 80 registered student organizations throughout the
academic school year. Her supervision skills are illustrated when she challenges her students to
stay self-aware when looking to host campus-wide events and challenges them to stay inclusive.
Another important factor that goes into the supervision helping skill is experience. JCA
explains that although she looks to help her students through her own knowledge, there are times
when she finds that her supervisor or another office on campus has the more efficient solution for
the student. This aligns with the three main developmental levels where helpers at level 1
typically are limited in their work experience, lack confidence in their ability, and are unsure of
the expectations and rules in their work environment and the supervision relationship
(Reynolds, 2009, p. 226). One example that speaks to asking others for advice is when one of her
registered student organizations leaders disclosed a physical disability to her. JCA felt terrible
because she had assume all of her students were able-bodied when in reality one of her students
were color blind. She looked to her own knowledge as well as supervisors to quickly work to
make sure the student felt included. In this situation among others, it is important that
supervisors genuinely support their students formally and informally as well as the professional
receive the same treatment from their supervisor.
Connecting Harpers Helper Theory: Person-Centered
Person-centered helping speaks to multiple core conditions, first being genuineness. JCA
shows through multiple examples the ways she hopes to build authentic relationships with
students. Although she may not always have the answers, a helper should have the students best
interest at heart and provide honesty. Looking back at the student who was kicked out of the
classroom, JCA remained person-centered throughout the whole situation and looked to make
sure the student felt supported. Harper (2010) speaks to congruency by saying, Being congruent

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means staying true to your intention to help the student talk through an experience and, therefore,
not following an invitation to make light of a concern (p. 51).
Connecting JCAs experience to my own understanding of person-centered helpers, I
recognize that while JCA looks for solutions when helping students, her focus remains on the
student. As easy as this may seem, it is challenging to provide the same amount of care to 80
student organizations while also providing self-care. If professionals are unable to provide care
for themselves, then it is challenging to ask them to provide for someone. Often, this is how
student affair professionals get burnt out. This is where the supervision helping skill can benefit
the student, the young professional, and their supervisor. Person-centered helpers also need
someone who is looking out for them as they look out for others. It is also important to teach
students self-advocacy so that self-efficacy is factored into the equation. Mental health and
disabilities is familiar to JCA but is not talked about in detail within her institution of
employment.
Reflection and Conclusion
In thinking about JCAs experience, person-centered theory, and supervision helping
skills as it relates to UChicago, I find that it is much more difficult to challenge an institutions
change in culture in relation to mental health and disability because the changes being made are
newly innovative. The institution is also making changes because they recognize it needs to
happen and is being enforced by the law. In past classes, we spoke about the universal design of
the institution and how that has changed based on construction. When asking JCA if she thought
alumni did not support the changes, she felt that if alumni did not support all students having
access to UChicago then maybe the alumnae need to rethink if they are only thinking about
themselves or everyone in the community. I would have to agree with that statement. As an

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educator, I find the most important thing for students to feel is a sense of connectedness and
inclusivity. In every step we take, students and other professionals surround us. Students must
see professionals treats students with respect at all times. Additionally, it is important that we
make sure we provide an inclusive environment for students through our work.
In conclusion, UChicago in particular was an institution I wanted to learn more about
because of my graduate assistantship in the Center for Leadership and Involvement. I recognize
that the campus is changing to become more physically accessible but I challenge their true
efforts in provide mental health and learning disability service support. Although there is not a
office yet dedicated to only these services, it is still our responsibility to educate student leaders
on inclusivity and make sure we never make assumptions about our students. In all, I really
appreciated JCA insight and the ways she connected her experience to theory and skills.

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References
Degges-White, S., & Borzumato-Gainey, C. (2014). College student mental health counseling: A
developmental approach. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company, LLC.
Harper, R., & Wilson, N. (2010). More than listening: A casebook for using counseling skills in
student affairs work. Washington, DC: National Association of Student Personnel
Administrators.
Reynolds, A. (2008). Helping college students: Developing essential skills for student affairs
practice. San Francisco, Calif.: Jossey-Bass.