Responding to the call to become a more nurturing and healthy university, the Office of Student Affairs (OSA) initiated Enhancing Ginhawa: A workshop on providing psychosocial support to students last 24 April 2019 at the UP Cebu Performing Arts Hall. The whole day seminar workshop aimed at equipping faculty in identifying students at risk and how to respond appropriately to these students. The speaker for the seminar-workshop was Dr. Violeta V. Bautista, R.P., C Cl.P., licensed clinical Psychologist Care and Counsel, and a professor of the Department of Psychology of the University of the Philippines Diliman.
The workshop started with the faculty members sharing their experiences in dealing with students with psychosocial needs and how they were able to handle the situation. After the rich sharing of experiences, Dr. Bautista imparted ways on how to become more sensitive to the plight of the students and how to give psychological first aid. These objectives were integrated in a series of workshops through role playing activities. The faculty were also given the chance to practice basic counseling techniques such as attending and tracking.
At the end of the workshop, the participants were given tips on self-care and also their first steps on how to integrate the techniques shared to their setting. Everyone gave their commitment through their signatures in advocating a nurturing and healthy UP Cebu community.
(This was originally posted in the University of the Philippines Cebu website on May 6, 2019.)