Discussion List for campus-based and allied personnel working to end gender-based violence on campus.

["McLay, Molly Margaret" <>]

Hi all,

 

I run a mandatory first-year program that is peer-led and serves close to 10,000 undergrads each year. We are looking to find ways to better accommodate students in our workshops who are survivors, specifically during triggering moments. Some survivors ask to be excused from attending altogether, and we do this (although we don’t have a major advertisement of that). Others may want to attend (or remain) in the workshop but need ways to stay grounded, detach for a bit, or distract themselves in a moment of distress or during a triggering portion.

 

A student recently came to me explaining that going onto their phone was the only way they could make it through the workshop at times, but because so many students go on their phones because they do not wish to be there or pay attention for other reasons, we have a fairly strict no-phones policy that was enforced for that student. The experience did not go well for them because of that, and we were brainstorming alternatives to phone use for future participants.

 

Has anyone used something like a fidget cube, coloring sheets, or some other kind of activity or object for this purpose? I’m certain something like this could help a number of students with various learning styles, not just survivors. I’d love to hear what others have utilized!

 

Let me know what you think!

 

 

Molly M. McLay, LCSW

(pronouns: she/her/hers)

Assistant Director

University of Illinois Women's Resources Center

Office of Inclusion and Intercultural Relations

 

NEW LOCATION!

616 E. Green St.

Suite 202, MC-302

Champaign, IL 61820

(p) 217-333-3137

http://www.go.illinois.edu/wrc

 

 

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If you need assistance related to sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, or stalking, please call the Women’s Resources Center at 217-333-3137 anytime Monday-Friday 9am-5pm to make an appointment. If you need support outside of these hours, please call the Rape Advocacy, Counseling, & Education Services (R.A.C.E.S.) hotline at (217) 384-4444 or the Emergency Dean at (217) 333-0050.