Take Care of Yourself

Responding to distressed students can trigger complex personal thoughts and feelings for faculty and staff. It is important to obtain support for yourself as you engage in work with students in distress. You may find yourself in need of support for situations beyond those arising from helping distressed students, such as those in the Common Causes of Emotional Distress outlined earlier. This support might come from colleagues, partners, friends, or through consultation with Counselling Services. UPEI also provides EFAP, the Employee and Family Assistance Program, through which all eligible faculty/staff and members of their immediate family can get assistance to deal with all types of personal, family, or work-related challenges, including counselling.  In addition, UPEI has launched a new Mental Health Toolbox microsite in collaboration with Holland College. This resource will provide UPEI and Holland College employees with quick access to assessment tools to help you determine where you are on the mental health continuum and what resources will be most helpful. The site also hosts a comprehensive guide of available resources available through UPEI and within the province to help you access services more quickly. You can access this resource through https://mentalhealth.ca.gobenefits.net/upei-holland. If you have questions or require assistance with the toolbox, please contact employeeservices@upei.ca.

The Academic Instructional Skills Program is developing a course that focuses on instructor well-being as part of the Professional Growth, Development and Identity badge. This free professional development course will be available in the late Fall of 2022.