A two-day training at the end of July brought together 72 participants from across campus to help them learn effective ways to support the mental wellbeing of others, particularly those experiencing some trauma or distress.

The training, designed for MSU employees that serve in a student-, staff-, faculty-, or community-facing role, featured the Skills for Psychological Recovery and was led by one of SPR’s developers, Melissa Brymer, Ph.D., Psy.D., of UCLA. Robin Gurwitch, a clinical psychologist and professor at Duke University, also served as a presenter.

Attendees from more than 25 units across campus took part in the in-depth, two-day training.

“It was inspiring to see so many dedicated employees from such a variety of departments make a commitment to improving the mental wellbeing of our campus community,” said Bailey Akers, case management coordinator with the MSU’s Office for Resource Support and Coordination, one of the sponsors of the training.

SPR is designed to help survivors learn new skills and effectively cope with stresses and adversities. It is based on an understanding that survivors will experience a broad range of reactions (physical, psychological, behavioral, spiritual) across time. While many survivors will recover on their own, some will experience distressing reactions and need support. Informed community members may help these survivors recover by introducing them to the applicable SPR skills. 

The training was made possible through a partnership between ORSC and the Trauma Services and Training Network. By training a cohort of paraprofessionals on campus, ORSC and TSTN hope to build capacity and equip the community for when these resources are needed in the future. 

To help further build that capacity across campus, there will be a Train the Trainer program wherein about 25 employees who have completed the SPR training will learn how to present the skills to others across campus and be willing to respond to a crisis on campus. Additionally, there is a free online SPR course individuals can sign up via the National Child Traumatic Stress Network.