Patch #38 Vulnerability and Self Care – Thinking about Faculty Mental Health
The patch I selected is #38 on vulernability and self-care. Specifically the passage that resonated with me is:
“How did I get here?
How do others have it all figured out?
I try to reconcile the disparity between truth and fiction while this lie of familiarity shouts names at me: “Outsider!” — “Pretender!” — “less than”
I am not alone…
Beyond speaking those words, I need to believe I’m not alone for these battles in the mind are invisible, but fierce, and we are fighting to lift ourselves up from them, breaking free to reclaim lost confidences and beliefs in our worth—in our purpose—in our dreams.
We are not alone…
Recentering my focus on the humanity around me reveals many open lives… open arms beside me, gifting me acceptance and trust.”
I chose this passage because my current research is on supporting faculty mental health in higher education. While student mental health should be a top priority, the mental health of faculty is often neglected and I think it is important for educators to be able to access the same kinds of supports they need to live healthy and happy lives. Sharing narratives is one way of fostering connections with others, and the lived experience of an individual is more detailed than any kind of policy or bullet point item can provide. Having conversations about mental health is important and I am hopeful for a future where mental health of all is supported
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