College Offers Mental Health Resources and Workshops for Faculty, Staff

The College of Charleston offers multiple resources for faculty and staff to be the best they can be – and that means supporting their mental health and emotional wellbeing, too!

Between individual counseling sessions provided through the Deer Oaks Employee Assistance Program (EAP); support groups provided through MUSC Health; self-help programs through LinkedIn Learning, Dear Oaks and Therapy Assistance Online (TAO); and live workshops and trainings provided through partnerships with the Office of Human Resources (HR), faculty and staff have plenty of options for finding the support they need.

In addition to the resources listed on HR’s Employee Stress Management website, there are several workshops and webinars being offered this semester, when taking care of our mental health is more important than ever.

RELATED: Check out the Wellness and Wellbeing series that the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning is offering faculty and staff this fall.

“Before we can care for our students, our colleagues, our children and loved ones, we have to care for ourselves – that’s why we think it is so important to create opportunities for our employees to have open and honest conversations about the unique stresses and struggles that we all go through from time to time – especially now as we try to balance so many new responsibilities,” says Ed Pope, the College’s vice president of human resources. “We hope that our staff and faculty will take full advantage of these events and resources.”

The following free events are being offered over the next semester:

How to Navigate Difficult Conversations (Supervisors)
Friday, Oct. 22, 2 p.m.
Register here.

Focusing on emotional management, respectful interactions and collaborative communication, this Zoom workshop is offered through Deer Oaks EAP and will establish a safe virtual environment for participants to discuss their experiences, identify their challenges and share approaches that have worked for them in the past.

Stress of Balancing Work and Dependent Care Responsibilities (Faculty)
Tuesday, Oct. 26, 3 p.m.
Join via Zoom.
Meeting ID: 810 6720 5208
Passcode: 947206

This one-hour live program, hosted by MUSC Health, is tailored just for College of Charleston faculty.

How to Navigate Difficult Conversations (All Staff and Faculty)
Thursday, Oct. 28, 11 a.m.
Register here.

Focusing on emotional management, respectful interactions and collaborative communication, this Zoom workshop is offered through Deer Oaks EAP and will establish a safe virtual environment for participants to discuss their experiences, identify their challenges and share approaches that have worked for them in the past.

Stress of Balancing Work and Dependent Care Responsibilities (Staff)
Friday, Oct. 29, 10 a.m.
Join via Zoom.
Meeting ID: 847 8500 9868
Passcode: 696233

This one-hour live program, hosted by Alyssa Rheingold from MUSC’s Health & Wellness Institute, will be a facilitated support group session just for CofC staff looking for help navigating the stress of balancing work and dependent care issues as we continue to deal with COVID protocols.

How to Live a Mentally Healthy Life in the 21st Century (All Staff and Faculty)
Friday, Nov. 12, 10 a.m.
Register here.

Offered through Deer Oaks EAP, this live Zoom workshop was created to help College of Charleston faculty and staff live lives that are mentally healthy, enjoyable and productive. It will cover strategies for maintaining a positive attitude, enhancing emotional intelligence and maximizing personal resilience.

Managing the Stress of the Holidays (All Staff and Faculty)
Friday, Dec. 10, 10 a.m.
Register here.

The holidays are a joyous time for many, but can come with additional activities and responsibilities that can be quite stressful. Offered through Deer Oaks EAP, this practical Zoom presentation provides several helpful tips and strategies for managing our stress and keeping our lives in balance during the season.

For more information about mental health resources and events at the College of Charleston, visit HR’s Employee Stress Management website.

“As always, if there is anything else we can do for you, please reach out to the human resources department,” says Pope. “We are here to help.”