In our third episode, Dr. Jamye Hardy from the Vanderbilt Office of Student Care Coordination gave us some self-care tips that students and people in the larger community can take advantage of in order to improve their mental health.
To listen to her interview, be sure to go to Anchor at https://anchor.fm/johannah-chanteria/episodes/Chamomile-Tea-Dr--Jamye-Hardy-eabcck
Episode transcript: https://blackteainquiry.wixsite.com/podcast/post/episode-3-chamomile-tea-dr-jamye-hardy
Tips:
During our interview, Dr. Hardy shared with us some tips from her own experience, as well as tips from her office and books!
1. "So, I always like to say that I really learned the difference between giving up and moving on in that setting." - Dr. Hardy
Many times we feel like if we drop something, whether it be to our benefit or just because we are tired, then we are giving up. That’s not always what it means. Sometimes you have received all you can from that situation. Sometimes it’s best to let it go because it won’t be beneficial to you and what you have planned for your life or your mental health. Letting something go doesn’t always have to be “giving up” because maybe it won’t help to keep that extra weight on you.
2. "I knew that it was below a sadness that was, like, common or standard, I guess you could say. And ,I knew in my heart that I wasn't supposed to be there because I knew that I wasn't supposed to feel that level of sadness. . . You can do something about your situation."
- Dr. Hardy
If you feel like you’re stuck in a situation that is making you unhappy, you have the ability to leave. If you are doing something that you love and that you really feel your place in, you will not have an excess and/or an unbearable amount of sadness. If you do, maybe whatever you’re doing is not what is right for you. It’s okay to move on.
3. ". . .mental health is not something that you have to pay for. And, I think that in the society that we live in, it can almost, kind of, feel that way. Like, 'Oh, you have to go to therapy or you have to pay some coach X amount of dollars in order to help you,' but these things that are available to us— like the time that we can take out for ourselves, or the other things like your community and spending time with people who feel you up, and doing things that make sense for you. . ." - Dr. Hardy
This is incredibly important because there are a lot of situations that people are in that make it seem like mental health care is financially unattainable. Dr. Hardy lets us know that you can have mental health care without spending your entire check, or deciding between that and other necessities like food, clothes, or bills.
4. ". . .'build and maintain your environment' or 'build and maintain your community.' You have control over what is in your environment. And, that isn't just limited to your physical space. So, that means we're looking at the people you're surrounding yourself with, the food that you're eating, the music that you are choosing to listen to, the activities that you are engaging in." - Dr. Hardy & the OSCC
Environment has a huge impact on our mental health and our ability to care for ourselves. In, for example, you are surrounding yourself with people who are emotionally taxing on you, maybe you should not spend time with them. This also applies to the things you put on and in your body (products, food, etc), and who is in your support network. All of these factors can combine to either hinder or improve your self-care.
5. "'No' is a complete sentence." - Dr. Hardy & the OSCC
Hearing this really lifted a weight off of my shoulders. It is possible to say no to things that either make you uncomfortable or have you working to your limits. It is okay to say no. Sometimes, it’s better if you do! You can’t do everything at one time. You deserve a break, and if you know that you won’t be able to complete a task with its best interest— or especially your best interest— in mind, then use that sentence: “NO."
6. The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom, by Miguel Ruiz: ". . . Mr. Ruiz, in his book, basically lays out four principles that you can utilize in order to gain this personal freedom that we're talking about." -Dr. Hardy
7. “[When creating a self-care plan], do things that make sense for you. . . [and] don’t compare your self-care plan to other peoples’ self-care plans because you can only be you.” -Dr. Hardy
Dr. Hardy explains that trying to adopt someone else's self-care plan will cause you t. have to 1) figure out that other person's challenges, and 2) learn how to reshape how that other person deals with those challenges to fit your own life. Both of these cause added mental strain on your life. So, instead, try to learn from what other people have done and take things from your own history and the advice of others to cultivate a self-care plan that is centered around your needs.
Resources for students:
Dr. Hardy explains some of the options available to Vanderbilt students that they can use to improve their mental health and self-care!
1. The Office of Student Care Coordination (OSCC): ". . .the purpose of our office is to talk to students about the different resources that are available. We talk about on-campus resources, off-campus resources, and also online resources. Or, some special circumstances— if we have distance students or people who are graduating— we can also help people find support before they leave as well."
The OSCC is a hub of mental health resources available to Vanderbilt students. There, you can fill out an intake form that “allows you to talk about each area of the Wellness Wheel in relation to your current experience” (Wellness Wheel discussed below). This intake form includes space for students to either explain how they are feeling and what challenges they are currently experiencing in words or on a Likert Scale. From there, a Student Care Coordinator (like Dr. Hardy!) can talk to students about different resources that can meet their needs.
2. The Wellness Wheel: "So if you have the Vanderbilt app, the Student Care Network has a. . . Wellness Wheel on there. And, if you look at the Wellness Wheel, you will see that there are all different types of sections to one's life. So, you've got financial health, mental and emotional health, social health, intellectual health. . . your environment. . . [and] spirituality's on there as well. So, looking at every aspect of what kind of makes you a human." -Dr. Hardy
The Wellness Wheel is a way for students to visualize the different aspects of their life that may be contributing to the mental health challenges they are facing. It can be found on the Student Care Network’s website (https://www.vanderbilt.edu/studentcarenetwork/) or through the Vanderbilt app, listed under the “Student Care Network” widget.
3. University Counseling Center (UCC): ". . .typically, if there is an emergency, students are able to utilize the University Counseling Center, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday through Friday. . . Something that I would say: if you feel as though your level of normal functioning— whatever normal functioning is for you— if that is being so dramatically impacted by your emotions that you feel like you are unable to continue on in the way that you have been, then go on in to the University Counseling Center. I like to call it the 'emotional emergency room.'" Dr. Hardy
The UCC is for students who need immediate mental health care. It specializes in crises and times of trauma, and serves as a short-term option for students. https://www.vanderbilt.edu/ucc/
4. Let's Talk: "'Let's Talk' is a drop in opportunity for you to talk to a counselor without an appointment. Currently, uh, there are two African-American— or three African-American— counselors who serve in some of those roles. . . Let's Talk is housed at satellite locations around campus. So, typically it moves around, but right now for this semester. . . we [have] one. . . in the bottom of Eskind Library, that [is] on Tuesdays. On Wednesdays, it [is] in the Office of Student Care Coordination, and then on Thursdays, it [is] in Owen, the business school." -Dr. Hardy
“Let’s Talk” allows students to talk to a counselor in a more informal, short term way, as opposed to consistent on-going counseling. Dr. Hardy explains that this service can be especially useful for students of color because of their diverse staff and the ability to go to talk to a counselor without the stigma of more formal therapy.