Advising and Supporting (A/S)

Below I have outlined my work toward achieving advanced proficiency in this area. To read more about this competency and my current proficiency level, you can read the narrative in this page.

Competency Overview

This competency focuses on the ability to support student's holistic development, particularly their mental health and wellness. As a professional develops their proficiency in this area, they move from one-on-one or personal reflection on this topic to institution-wide procedures and consulting services that impact the professions that work with students in their daily work.

Foundational proficiency in this area is dedicated to practicing active listening skills and understanding how to communicate with students in a productive way. Professionals at this level will also know when and where to refer students with specific concerns and understand when to elevate to intervention procedures in crisis management situations (ACPA & NASPA, 2015, p. 36).

At the intermediate level, professionals must demonstrate the ability to navigate complex group dynamics and address the "developmental needs" of different groups (ACPA & NASPA, 2015, p. 37). These professionals are also challenged to take on mentor relationships with both students and staff members. The intermediate outcomes also focus on a broader knowledge of how to provide resources and develop outreach and prevention programs to support student's mental health (ACPA & NASPA, 2015).

Professionals who demonstrate the advanced outcomes of this competency level actively research student wellness issues to further the field's understanding of how to best support the holistic development of students. Additionally, their role is to assess the current interventions and outreach programs in place to ensure they are meeting the institutional goals to support the mental health of students (ACPA & NASPA, 2015). These professionals are also able to navigate the response processes of crisis interventions and post-traumatic stress responses after events have occurred that could impact the wellbeing of the campus community (ACPA & NASPA, 2015).

My Competency Level & Applied Knowledge

Currently, I am operating at the intermediate level of this competency. From HEA 622: Techniques of Counseling, I learned how to listen actively to student issues and how to use techniques like question-asking, paraphrasing, and using the silence to ensure I "establish rapport with students," "facilitate individual decision-making and goal-setting," and "challenge and support students" (ACPA & NASPA, 2015, p. 36).

During my role as a Resident Director Intern for the Brown University Pre-College program, I was able to "perceive and analyze" the unspoken dynamics of the group of my high school residents. I remember within a few days, I could start to see relationships form, noticing that a particular student was being left out of the rest of the group. Because this student identified as a trans woman and self-reported having severe depression, I realized my responsibility to ensure this student felt included and celebrated within the group and that differences were "mediated" appropriately (ACPA & NASPA, 2015, p. 37). I collaborated with other paraprofessionals and professionals on staff and had someone come in to present on the LGBTQIA+ community and even set up a line of communication with this professional so the student felt supported. I would often have one-on-one meetings with this student to ensure they felt cared for and supported. When the student was having a particularly bad day, I was sure to consult with the mental health professionals and professional staff members to ensure we followed the correct procedures for mental health support, as limited as they were at that time.

This experience taught me that I while I do need to work on how to identify patterns and signs of severe depressive episodes, I did well with collaborating with other professionals and sought support when needed. This took deep reflection to understand where my limitations were as a professional and how to best advocate for and support the student along with the other fifteen students for which I was responsible.

Advancement in A/S

To further enhance my skills in the intermediate level, I will challenge myself to develop outreach and prevention programs by collaborating with and learning from other professionals. I would also like to learn how to best provide advocacy services to those who have survived abuse or violence. I can do this by connecting with the mental health services of the campus and reading recent literature on this topic. While each student will have different needs and goals, this will provide a guide on how to best support students through a crisis to promote their holistic development.

References

American College Personnel Association & National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (2015). Professional Competency Areas for Student Affairs Educators. https://buffalostate.open.suny.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-1819821-dt-content-rid-17029589_1/courses/202030-HEA624-1665/ACPA_NASPA_Professional_Competencies.pdf.