Self Care and Shared Professional Responsibility
Graduate school presents many challenges to developing professionals, leading students to occasionally neglect maintenance of an appropriate balance between professional activities and self-care. Richmont Graduate University reminds students that development of professional competencies is dependent upon effective self-care behavior (i.e., getting enough sleep, adequate nutrition and exercise, obtaining medical and mental health care when needed, utilizing social support, church involvement, etc.).
It is the student’s responsibility to maintain effective self-care behaviors while in graduate school. Students have access to their advisor, enhancement programs, mentors, and other resources while enrolled at Richmont. Students are made aware of these opportunities at their orientation and in a bi-annual email.
Richmont’s graduate training programs are a small professional community in which students support one another in developing effective self-care behaviors, much like the broader profession will be upon graduation. When a student recognizes that another student neglects his/her self-care, the student should try to offer assistance to the other student in obtaining help before discussing it with a faculty member. Should the other student continue to engage in significantly unhealthy self-care behavior following peer assistance, you, as the observer, should discuss your concerns with your advisor or dean. This is your professional responsibility. Faculty may also discuss observed concerns with students regarding neglect of regular self-care.
Because of Richmont’s high value on wellness, the institution has established THRIVE, an initiative to support students in the process of developing, practicing, evaluating, and adjusting personal practices of self-care. Students receive guidance and encouragement from their advisors each semester in developing personalized wellness plans. Richmont seeks to provide a culture of wellness for students, faculty, and administration alike.
Faculty are open to requests for accommodations in particularly distressing periods (e.g., personal or family tragedy, illness, etc.). In such situations, consistent with demonstrating professional competence, the student should bring the situation to the attention of his or advisor and other affected faculty in order to plan for how to handle the potential program hiatus (e.g., coursework, clinical cases, etc.). The Records Office can offer assistance if the need for extended absences arises that requires a Leave of Absence or Institutional Withdrawal. Students should also be sure to address financial considerations (loans, assistantships, impact on tuition fellowship, etc.) when considering a hiatus from the program.