Clinical Psychologist Drew Weis and Counseling Psychologist Nate Page recently unveiled two new workshop series for Carleton students, faculty, and staff: Resilient: Body, Mind, Spirit and Procrastination and Perfectionism. Both workshops grew out of past presentations for the community or at other institutions.
These workshops address a real need on college campuses. According to Nate, “Meta-analyses show that between 80-95% of college students report procrastinating schoolwork on at least a semi-regular basis (e.g. Steele, 2007). … Other research estimates 30% of the US population would meet criteria for perfectionism, and that it is closer to 80-90% in 'gifted' children.”
Drew and Nate enjoy the “ah-ha” moments that occur in workshops. Drew points to “sharing a framework on depression and anxiety that is neuroevolutionary (meaning that they are viewed as adaptive mechanisms we all possess but that can go awry). I think this is a less shaming or stigmatizing and more hopeful view that motivates students to take resilience more seriously.” Nate says, “I love it when we, as a group, are able to embrace the fact that we are all imperfect and that being imperfect is so much better than maintaining the facade that we are perfect.”
If you missed the Procrastination and Perfectionism series winter term, you can attend a modified 3-part series this spring. Also look out for ideas from the Resilience Consortium (http://resilienceconsortium.bsc.harvard.edu/). Eventually, both series will also be available on SHAC’s website.