The Whole StudentKeenyn R. Wald, LPC

Mississippi State UniversityStudent Counseling Services

$56,564.67

Overview• Development over the life-span• College Student Development• Counseling Skills• Counseling Services

Life-Span DevelopmentInfancy 1-3 years Autonomy vs Shame/Doubt

Early Childhood 3-5 years Initiative vs Guilt

Middle/Late Childhood 6 years to puberty Industry vs Inferiority

Adolescence 10-20 years Identity vs Identity Confusion

Early Adulthood 20s-30s Intimacy vs Isolation

Middle Adulthood 40s-50s Generativity vs Stagnation

Late Adulthood 60s and onwards Integrity vs Despair

Life-Span DevelopmentInfancy 1-3 years Autonomy vs Shame/Doubt

Early Childhood 3-5 years Initiative vs Guilt

Middle/Late Childhood 6 years to puberty Industry vs Inferiority

Adolescence 10-20 years Identity vs Identity Confusion

Early Adulthood 20s-30s Intimacy vs Isolation

Middle Adulthood 40s-50s Generativity vs Stagnation

Late Adulthood 60s and onwards Integrity vs Despair

Come mothers and fathersThroughout the land

And don't criticizeWhat you can't understand

Your sons and your daughtersAre beyond your command

Your old road isRapidly agin'

Please get out of the new oneIf you can't lend your hand

For the times they are a-changin'.

Dylan, B., 1964

Emerging Adulthood• 18-28• Period of exploration and change• Role experimentation, finding the right “fit”

Arnett, 2006

Emerging Adulthood• Semi autonomy• Students take on some of the responsibilities,

but others they leave up to the care of parents

Arnett, 2006

Emerging Adulthood• Psychological development is not inevitable• Think back to the vs stages of Erikson

Arnett, 2006

Emerging Adulthood• Development is fostered when the student’s

environment provides a balance of challenge and support

Arnett, 2006

Emerging Adulthood• “the upward potential of youth is given wings

by the encouragement, the wisdom and the leadership of adults far more than by any stirrings inherent in the adolescent’s nature”

John J. Mitchell

Emerging Adulthood• The goal of emerging adulthood is to transform

into an adult

Arnett, 2006

Emerging Adulthood• Accepting responsibility for one’s self, making

independent decisions, and being financially independent

Arnett, 2006

College Development

College Development• Arthur Chickering• Identified seven vectors of development

through the college years

Chickering, 1993

Developing Competence• Intellectual• Social• Physical

Chickering, 1993

Managing Emotions• Channel and release emotions, delay

gratification, and tolerate some level of anxiety

Chickering, 1993

Autonomy → Interdependence• Striving for self-sufficiency

Chickering, 1993

Mature Interpersonal Relationships• Healthy and positive relationships

characterized by tolerance and reciprocity• Increased appreciation of differences• Acceptance of flaws in self and others

Chickering, 1993

Establishing Identity• Integrate different facets of self• “assembling a jigsaw puzzle”• A healthy self-concept through all phases of

identity; vocational, personal, social• Self-acceptance

Chickering, 1993

Developing Purpose• “many college students are all dressed up but

do not know where they want to go. They have energy, but no destination. While they may have clarified who they are and where they came from, they have only the vaguest notion of who they want to be”

Chickering, 1993

Developing Integrity• Question and examine inherited values, retain

and/or revising some, discarding others, and adding new ones

• Congruence between values and actions

Chickering, 1993

Invisible suitcasestorage unit

Challenge and support

What an amazing opportunity!

Shim et al., 2009

Financial habits (+/-) formed at this age are likely to persist

throughout adulthood

Shim et al., 2009

$$ Knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors acquired during this

period can affect their lives profoundly

Shim et al., 2009

Financial independence is a key to achieving “adult” status

Student Loan Debt• MS• Avg: $27,322• 57% of population

with debt

• Nat’l $29,400projectstudentdebt.org

• AL• Avg: $26,450• 53% of population

with debt

ACHA/NCHA• Within the past 12 months, which of the

following have been traumatic or very difficult to handle:

• 33% of respondents• Only academics was higher with 44%

Santrock, 2008

You get them at their best…

…and at their worst

And you get to impact them throughout

Counseling

Warning Signs

Sudden change in behavior

Hopelessness & helplessness

Sleep disturbances

Substance use

High-risk behavior

Repeated/frequent appointments

Emotional distress

Using funds for others

Counseling• Depression• Anxiety• Transition to college

Counseling• Relationship issues• Grief• Substance use

Counseling• Academic Concerns• Identity issues• Eating disorders

Counseling Skills

What is good listening?

Curiosity

Eye Contact• Power differential• Culturally appropriate• Observe the students’ reaction and style

– How well you are doing will be reflected

Vocal Qualities• Tone and speech rate

– I am happy to be here today.

• Accents?

Body Language• Face them squarely and lean slightly forward• Have an expressive face• Use encouraging gestures• Be yourself

Empathy• Does not mean agreeing them about

everything• Trying to view it from their perspective• Be genuine, use your own experiences

Summarizing and Paraphrasing• Using their own words• Using your words

Environment• What is in your office environment?• Certifications• Art• Plants• How are you defined by your space?

Carl Rogers• Congruence• Unconditional Positive Regard• Empathy

R.E.S.P.E.C.T.F.U.L.• Religious/Spiritual identity• Economic class background• Sexual identity• Psychological maturity• Ethnic/racial identity

Lewis et al., 2011

R.E.S.P.E.C.T.F.U.L.• Chronological/developmental challenges• Trauma and other threats to one’s well-being• Family background and history• Unique physical characteristics• Location of residence and language differences

Lewis et al., 2011

You can only dowhat you can do

References• Santrock, J. W. (2008). Essentials for life-span development. New York, NY:

McGraw-Hill.• Arnett, J. J. (2006). Emerging adulthood: The winding road from the late teens

through the twenties. New York, NY: Oxford University Press• Chickering, A. W. & Reisser, L. (1993). Education and identity. San Francisco, CA:

Jossey-Bass• Lewis, J. A., Lewis, M. D., Daniels, J. A., & D’Andrea, M. J. (2011). Community

Counseling: A Multicultural-social justice perspective. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole• Shim, S., Barber, B.L., Card, N.A., Xiao, J.J., & Serido, J. (2009). Financial

socialization of first-year college students: The roles of parents, work, and education. Journal of Youth Adolescence, 39, 1457-1470.