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Now, more than ever, college campuses need a language of basic training for faculty, advisors and staff and that language is coaching-question-based relationship building that many of us weren’t trained for along our professional path. While we aren’t the mental health experts, we need to be the first line of emotional connection before the relationship can be safe and learning—and academic persistence—can take place.
As mental health challenges have become more prevalent in the college student population over recent years, institutions have increased their investment in mental health services and trained clinicians. However, challenges and barriers remain for many students who need support. One common issue is that the students who seek help outnumber the capacity of the counseling center. Another is students declining to use the resources available to them. Despite the gradual lessening of stigma regarding mental illness, students often resist seeking help, whether out of shame, fear of disclosure to parents who may not be supportive, or other causes.
Amaura Kemmerer is the director of clinical affairs of UWill, an online mental health service provider that partners with hundreds of colleges. In a recent article in Campus Safety Magazine, Kemmerer spoke to the role of faculty and staff in supporting student mental health. After outlining various causes of the rising need as well as the challenges affecting service availability, she cites faculty and staff as part of the front line: “While faculty and staff should not replace certified mental health experts on campus, they can—and already do—play a preventative role in addressing students’ well-being and helping them connect to needed resources.”
Coaches and faculty/teaching assistants with coaching skills are in a key position: They can both connect students to targeted resources and provide an opportunity for them to identify their challenges. In fact, several strategies cited by Kemmerer as useful parts of a preventative role dovetail with coaching practices: asking open-ended questions, using reflective listening, and approaching a conversation without judgment. As she notes, “it’s not about asking faculty and staff to become mental health professionals. Rather, their important role within the institution means they can act as connection points to a college or university’s more specialized mental health resources.”
How can coaches and those with coaching skills appropriately and effectively support students struggling with mental health challenges?
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Know your institution’s resources. To refer students thoughtfully and effectively, coaches need to understand what’s available. Additionally, find opportunities to get to know personnel at the various resource offices so that you can deliver a direct/warm referral when possible.
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If your institution makes it available, get trained in basic mental health support. Colleges may offer a free training periodically, such as Mental Health First Aid, available to all faculty and staff. Trainings like these increase knowledge about best practices to use when students are in crisis.
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Honor student disclosures with both empathic listening and appropriate boundaries. Let students know they are heard without judgment, and clearly identify what you can address within the scope of coaching and what the student may need to seek help with elsewhere. It’s important to know the emergency protocol set forth by your institution for your role. If the student is discernably in crisis, seek immediate support as the protocol directs.
Note, too, that being “thrust into the role of first responders” as Kemmerer notes means that faculty and staff may need mental health support themselves. Be informed about how your institution supports faculty and staff mental health, and don’t hesitate to take advantage of it – even as you benefit from self-care, you will model it effectively for your students.
The LifeBound Academic Coaching Training equips faculty, staff, and academic coaches with the skills to ask powerful questions that build trust, encourage self-reflection, and guide students toward solutions. As highlighted above, faculty and staff are often the first line of emotional connection for students facing challenges, yet many lack formal training in how to engage students in meaningful, nonjudgmental conversations.
LifeBound offers multiple training pathways to enhance questioning techniques and coaching effectiveness:
Self-Paced Coaching Course:
Choose Your Own Dates! (15 hours + 3 mentor-led sessions)
Dive into coaching strategies and question-based techniques using a wide range of real-world student scenarios to address mental health, academics, and career readiness.
Live Three-Day Virtual Training:
Next Class: April 4, 11, 18
Interactive, hands-on practice with expert feedback.
LifeBound Certification
Summer Session: May 27 – August 26
Advanced coaching techniques for long-term student success.
LifeBound is the only academic coaching training that blends real-world business expertise with career readiness, ensuring students gain the mental resilience, adaptability, and communication skills needed to thrive in both college and the workforce.
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