The last session of Advisor Coffee Talk for Fall Term was a two hour interactive and informative workshop provided by Judy Neighbors, PhD. Judy comes from CAPS and is also the Sexual Assault Support Services (SASS) Coordinator. This session really focused on how to create a Meaningful Relationship with our students and also why it is important to have these relationships.

This workshop was far from a lecture or presentation – Judy was able to integrate her wealth of knowledge into an interactive conversation that us, the advisors, were able to control. The advisors in attendance were able to ask questions about students and scenarios and Judy would walk the group through the concepts and tactics that she uses when building meaningful relationships.

Some of the topics covered:
Empathetic/Mindful Listening
How to make a student feel they are the center of relationship and conversation
What makes a good mentor/bad mentor
Remembering perspective – Meeting students where they are at
How to talk to apathetic or combative students
How and when to validate feelings

The presentation: Meaningful Relationships
Judy Neighbors, PhD
Psychologist
SASS Coordinator
CAPS