From Mindfulness to Resilience: �I Know I’m Anxious, Now What?
Roxanne Farwick Owens, PhD
DePaul University
John P. Owens, R.N., MS-MENP, ONS/ONCC
Rosalind Franklin University
Who Are We
Roxanne Owens:
faculty member for 33 years
courses
Click Insert > Header & Footer to add Area/Division/Department name.
Who We Are
Rosalind Franklin University,
Does This Look Familiar?
Hi Professor,
I am in your Thursday class. I am in the process of moving and it is very stressful. I am also rushing for a sorority this week and that has also made me stressed because I really want to expand my circle of friends and be in this sorority because they do a lot of service work. So I will not be in class this week as I will need extra time to do my assignment and move. I know I told you I would have last week’s assignment ready this week but my cat was sick and that was very emotional for me since I have had her since middle school. Thank you for understanding. (name withheld)
Or this
Dear Academic Advisor:
My classes are too hard. I have too much reading every week and the exams are very difficult. One professor thinks I have nothing else to do in my life but take her class. My mother wants to talk to her because it is making me not able to sleep at all. But I told her I have an advisor who will do it for her.
(name withheld).
What We Want
Faculty want to provide a supportive learning environment in which students can meet educational goals and succeed
We want to avoid enabling unhealthy habits that dig the students into deep holes from which they can’t emerge.
What we Know
An August 2022 study by Sodexo (1) found:
Of the approximately one-third of students who have considered dropping out, 60% cite physical and mental health as their number one reason, up significantly from 2020, replacing financial problems as the top reason.”
What students think
3004 students at 128 institutions (2)
Inside Higher Ed/Student Voice Survey (External vs Internal Control)
�
�Should we offer mental health days, extended deadlines, modified assignments, etc. when students are concerned about their performance in our class?
Maybe.
Maybe Not.
What Do We Do?
We’re faculty members. Not Counselors.
How do we help them move forward from
"I have anxiety.”
to
“I have anxiety AND I can move toward resilience."
Let’s build on an Information Processing Model such as
In other words…
The Dichotomy of Control
“Happiness and freedom begin with a clear understanding of one principle:
Some things are within our control, and some things are not. It is only after you have faced up to this fundamental rule and learned to distinguish between what you can and can’t control that inner tranquility and outer effectiveness become possible.”
--Epictetus
Externals and Internals
Anxiety has a role in our lives
But FEAR of Anxiety does not!
(And Fear is an Internal we can learn to control)
Five F’s (4)
FIGHT: can be a physical response to a dangerous situation.
FLIGHT: signal to flee from a dangerous situation
FREEZE: immobile reaction, unable to take action, paralyzed by fear.
FAWN people pleasing, indicating compliance, but doesn’t always follow through
FLOP: mentally and physically unresponsive, actual fainting
Manifestations In the Classroom
Student may become combative
FIGHT
“Other professors have given me extensions, why won’t you?”
Student may try to get away from the situation
FLIGHT
“The work is too hard in class, I’ll be embarrassed if I give a wrong answer.”
In the classroom
Student may be overwhelmed
FREEZE
Students has good intentions, but doesn’t have the skills to move ahead
FAWN
“This looks like a lot of work. I’ll meet with the professor and make a plan.”
(Meets with professor to make a plan, usually communicates with professor, is often very polite, but doesn’t turn work in.)
Faculty response
We have been missing you in class. I noticed your last two assignments have not been submitted.As you know I don’t accept late assignments. Let’s set up a time to meet to do some troubleshooting. Perhaps we could talk about how you have parceled out your time during the week for doing schoolwork. Do you have access to all of the course materials? Are there particular parts of the coursework that seem to be stumbling blocks? Let’s set up a meeting within the next week to problem solve together.
Ultimately
Moving Forward
We need to do more than tell students do yoga! Eat well! exercise! Breathe! (though those are good things to do, too)
In Summary
same place at the same time and rationally think about what is in your control and what is not in your control.
you choose to respond to the events that occur.
your happiness.
Steps
Plan Ahead but don’t Worry Ahead
Take events to their LOGICAL conclusion
Do your honest best at all times, and if you don't, say you didn't; do better next time
What is the Good Life
Tips from various websites
Model learning from mistakes (yours and when students make mistakes in class)
01
Build community in the classroom
02
Take an interest in the students as people
03
Encourage responsible risks
04
Point out student strengths
05
Take opportunities to build confidence (a positive comment on an assignment, an acknowledgement about an insightful remark in class)
06
Tips from various websites
Celebrate steps toward success
1
Celebrate perseverance
2
Encourage peer to peer connections during class.
3
Make sure students are aware of various campus resources. And encourage them to actually use the resources.
4
Model resilience by taking care of yourself, sharing (to the extent you are comfortable) how you get through anxious/difficult times.
5
For our Philosophy Friends
For our Psychology Friends
both of which also have their roots in Stoicism.
References
Thank you