Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 16

Res Life Peeling Away Layers of Grief by Camille Perlman Res Life staff need to care for themselves in order to take care of others. Recognizing symptoms of stress in staff is just as crucial as recognizing them in students . . . Residence life staff are a vital piece of the campus community, constantly monitoring and nurturing the development, health, and well-being of the students. Many times referred to as the “front lines” or the “first responders,” this staff is often the first to heed the call of a student in crisis. Needless to say, the job can be very stressful as they see firsthand the trauma and aftermath of suicide, domestic violence, or drug abuse. Much of their training is about caring for their fellow staff or a student’s well-being, but the reality is that they themselves need to be supported just as much and more. These professionals are in a prime position to feel weighed down by layers of trauma and grief. It may be that they have assisted students through several crises over the course of a year, or it may be that the trauma of others is added to their own personal crises and losses. The result is cumulative grief that can leave a person feeling fragile, vulnerable, and burned out. “The cumulative effect on first responders varies given the staff member’s personal resilience, hardiness, and systemic and social support,” says Wayne Griffin, associate director and clinical associate professor at the University of Florida’s counseling center in Gainesville. “Staff often assume a certain level of responsibility for the ‘well-being’ of their residents and colleagues. Like others, when confronted with tragic circumstances outside their scope of response, they may feel helpless and frustrated that there was not more they could have done to prevent the incident. The individual staff member, if she or he does not receive adequate social and/or systemic support, may develop symptoms not dissimilar from what is seen in post traumatic stress response: namely disruptive sleep, recurring dreams, negative self-talk, avoidance of perceived high stress situations, appetite changes, energy flux, and difficultly with concentration.” 1 Talking Stick

Talking Stick - September/October 2008

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Talking Stick - September/October 2008

Talking Stick - September/October 2008
Contents
Online Now
Vision
Just In
Your ACUHO-I
Transitions
Res Life
Facilities
Business
Calendar
Safe Harbor
Think Globally, React Locally
Conversations
First Takes
Reporting Out
New Members
Snapshot
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - Talking Stick - September/October 2008
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - Cover2
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 1
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 2
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - Contents
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - Online Now
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 5
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - Vision
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 7
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - Just In
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 9
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 10
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 11
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - Your ACUHO-I
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 13
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - Transitions
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 15
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - Res Life
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 17
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 18
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 19
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - Facilities
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 21
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 22
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 23
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - Business
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 25
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 26
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 27
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - Calendar
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 29
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - Safe Harbor
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 31
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 32
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 33
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 34
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 35
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 36
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 37
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 38
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 39
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 40
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 41
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - Think Globally, React Locally
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 43
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 44
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 45
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 46
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 47
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 48
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 49
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 50
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 51
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - Conversations
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 53
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 54
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 55
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - First Takes
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 57
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - Reporting Out
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 59
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 60
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 61
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 62
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 63
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 64
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 65
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - New Members
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - 67
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - Snapshot
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - Cover3
Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - Cover4
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