Navigating the delicate terrain of supporting grieving colleagues with skill allows them to do the work of grief, incorporating a fresh loss into their life story. As we incorporate compassion, empathy, and cultural sensitivity into our workplace, it becomes fertile ground for growth, professionally and personally.

Our lives are busy and our calendars are full. Making time to connect and listen requires an intentional approach. This can help you find yourself in a much more positive frame of mind when you appreciate the people you see throughout the day.

Each story of adversity underscores the importance of empathic listening. The resiliency that surfaces when people feel seen and heard before moving toward problem-solving is awe-inspiring. While very simple, it can be so profound to listen, seek to understand, and then work with a person to find a solution that works for them.

It's important to step off the "wheel" and be present in the moment.

Trauma-informed leadership considers the effect trauma can have on communication and learning, and can help us be better teachers, leaders, and learners.

There is so much beauty in the world. There is joy in seeing drawings on patient doors, artwork created by patient’s siblings and school mates displayed on hospital room walls, a hug of comfort between family members who are navigating a complex hospital admission together. The more we are able to find beauty around us, the more we have opportunities for mindful consideration.

The phrase “real world” is often used to refer to the “professional” world, “adult” world, or life after graduation. But what do we really mean by it? And is this characterization truly beneficial for students?

It is important to use our critical thinking skills and sometimes doubt another individual’s motivations. However, having no hope that someone’s motivation may be nuanced, or that good may still come from it, can cause us to shut them out and turn us into cynics.

Now more than ever, campus mental health is dominated by the narrative of a crisis, painted as a dire picture of never-ending anxiety and depression among students, staff, and faculty. We now have opportunity to deconstruct the singular “crisis” narrative and consider more complex and nuanced understandings of campus mental health.

Compassion involves recognizing and turning toward another’s pain, seeking to decrease their suffering by extending them kindness and care. Self-compassion is compassion turned inward. Self-compassion researcher Kristin Neff identifies its three components as self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness.