Bluffton’s campus counselor Rae Staton has had to adapt how she provides counseling for Bluffton students in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and the closing of campus. Photo by Sydney Staton.
The COVID-19 pandemic may have stopped traveling and going to work, but it has not stopped Bluffton’s campus counselor, Rae Staton, from performing her responsibility to be there for students.
Staton has been the Bluffton’s campus counselor for 10 years, and this is her first time having to use Zoom for meetings with students.
“We have never had a situation like this before,” said Staton. “I have obviously talked to students on the phone in the past when there have been issues, but there are a lot of rules around video therapy and it is not something I have dealt with.”
Staton said the state of Ohio had to implement several emergency orders adjusting some rules and regulations around video therapy due to the pandemic situation. The adjustment was made to help make it easier for clients all over the state to access their therapists.
“With counseling centers shut down, and people struggling even more, it is really important that people are able to access their counselors,” said Staton. “Some of the rules had to be adjusted to allow access via telephone and computer.”
Adjustments were also made specifically by Staton. She said she had to develop a new consent to treat form that allows for the understanding that right now, the system is not perfect. While she is doing her best to use the technology she has available, Staton explained there are things out of her control and she hopes people are understanding of that.
Staton said one new challenge of doing counseling at home is the control of a comfortable setting she and her students are normally meeting in.
“I’m used to the quiet space of my office, the comfy couch where students generally feel safe enough to kick off their shoes and put their feet up for an hour as we chat,” said Staton. “Now they are in a space outside of my cocoon that is not always so safe in the fact that they worry about someone hearing what they say, someone walking in while they are talking, or someone worrying about who they are talking to. I can control my space, but I can’t control theirs.”
Staton said she is trying her best to keep students comfortable during their meetings with her. She said confidentiality is not an issue because she has her own office in her home that is sealed off by another door between her living room and office door.
“I keep both doors closed which blocks out most noise and I wear headphones, so no one could possibly hear what is said to me,” said Staton. “It’s not difficult to keep things private this way.”
Some things Staton is learning during this pandemic regarding her role as a counselor are how important the stages of counseling are for students along with the face-to-face interaction.
“Many of the students I was working with were in the middle of some really hard work,” said Staton. “Trying to work on the now with this ‘new normal’ is challenging.”
Staton said there is a process of “wrapping things up” by the end of the semester so she and the students can leave things in a manageable or final place for summer.
“Knowing that they are vulnerable with things unfinished and sort of wide-open is not only hard for them but me as well,” Staton said.
Staton said she is a people person and she misses the face to face conversations with the students.
“I am really blessed with my role,” said Staton. “I get to be one of the first people with whom students share their good news. Not only am I the keeper of secrets, but I get to be invited in to the good news as well.”
She also said a former student gifted her with small confetti cannons which she would normally use during a moment when a student shares something exciting with her in a session. She explained she has been using animations to create the effect for students now when they share the good news, but it’s not the same.
“It is a national trauma, you cannot turn on the news without getting messages in some way about this virus, death tolls or negative predictions,” said Staton.
Staton suggested for students having a hard time during this pandemic to try to step away from news and screens and get some fresh air, go for a walk, bike ride or participate in mindfulness exercises to help reduce stress. She also said keeping a schedule such as eating regular meals, doing classwork, getting exercise and relaxing can help those who are struggling.
Staton said it is important for students to understand that everyone is grieving this pandemic and change in some way and the ones struggling are not alone.
“We need to understand that there is a reason for feeling the anxiety that we feel, the lack of motivation and the stress,” Staton said.
