Ann Mulgrew, Director of Wellness, Life-coaching, and Counseling Services, Clarke University
1. Please describe your role on campus.
I serve as the Director of Wellness, Life Coaching and Counseling Services. I create and collaborate on developing a campus culture of Wellness, and Direct our Life Coaching and Counseling Services.
2. How do you lead and interface with mental health and well-being on your campus?
I direct a Wellness Network. “Developing a culture of wellness” includes leading a “Wellness Network,” which includes 25 students, staff and faculty who gather to share ideas and collaborate on initiatives that promote wellness on campus. Wellness, as a means to helping each of us be our best, authentic self, is a campus priority. These efforts have had a positive effect on our campus climate.
3. Would you share a story where you were concerned about something or someone, and the steps you took that either helped and/or left you considering how you would do it differently?
I have countless stories of students who need specific and immediate help for their mental health but do not have a local provider. This community has many resources for mental health, yet most are restricted to underinsured students or are so busy there is a three month wait list. My biggest concern, and often the hardest work I do, is connecting students with immediate and helpful services.
A story that remains with me as I walk with our students today would be about “He.” He sought help after hitting his “last straw.” A “busted” knee made him medically unable to play sports. His lack of insurance and resources to fix that knee two years ago made it irreparable and every move he made was painful. He showed up for practice, doing what he could to maintain the scholarship he received to pursue his Secondary Education Degree. He was teaching, going to practice, and completing homework for two additional online courses he was taking to excel his graduation date to minimize the cost of school. His “last straw” was when a tooth needed a root canal, but at only 22 he could not afford it. He couldn’t take it all, and began having suicidal thoughts that he knew were not good for him. I worked through his resources to get him the help he needed, while also engaging in therapy. Removing some of these barriers helped, but it took a long walk of CBT to get him to a space where he didn’t own his bad luck or identify as unlucky. Trying to “fix” his problems by throwing money or doctors at him wasn’t an option. Instead, working through his needs with the social system of resources was necessary for his mindset to shift from one of self-blame towards one that recognized wider system difficulties.
4. Could you tell us about one high point and one low point in your work?
High Point: I recently was told that I am one important reason why a student chose not to transfer from the school. To know I mattered was wonderful. Hearing how the student worked through an issue and came into more peaceful and successful times is always a high point.
Low Point: When a student told me that I am only a life coach and they needed a true professional to fix them. I was wordless after this encounter and had to walk around saying, “I’m good enough and I’m smart enough and doggone it, people like me” for a while.
5. Is there something which you would like to normalize for others, where they may think they cannot share it?
Something I would like to normalize for all of us in the trenches of mental health counseling is the “imposter syndrome” feelings I often have in my head. I feel the weight of the important tasks I often am charged with, and it can be overwhelming for a hot second. This isn’t a feeling of inadequacy. It’s the reality that I’m more on the forefront or leading the important work and I often prefer the work within an office, one on one with a student. I think many people in this role share this feeling. I liken this to any superhero or high diver. There is that moment of “thought” before they move into flying or diving out into the unknown. I believe this thought keeps me humble and reminds me to share the weight of this work with others to balance the weight.
3 Self-Care Strategies Ann Swears By
- Humor. Have, and use often, a good sense of humor. I’m trying to squelch my desire to tell you “daily yoga, running, and crossword puzzles” are my self-care choices.
- Grow and learn. Continue to learn and grow in your field of practice. Each year, new and exciting learning and resources become available in the field. I am really jazzed by the multi-cultural and diversity-focused materials found within “Active Minds” or the blog posts in “Courage to Nourish.”
- Give yourself grace. The mental “exercise” I do all day to say things carefully, holding back my “fix it” urge and instead allowing a student time to figure things out for themselves, is really exhausting sometimes.