Being Well, Feeling Well, Doing Well….The Journey of Women Faculty of Color
Conference Strand
Research and Theory
Abstract
Research clearly suggests negative factors that may foster attrition amongst minority female faculty. These factors are related to increased anxiety, career dissatisfaction, and burnout which unfortunately have led to decisions to leave the profession. The proposed workshop will provide female faculty the arena to discuss healthy ways of addressing work stressors, balancing life roles, and the potential for burnout.
Evidence
Myers, J. E., & Sweeney, T. J. (2005). Counseling for wellness: Theory, research, and practice. Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association.
Stebnicki, M. (2007). Empathy fatigue: Healing the mind, body and spirit of professional counselors. American Journal of Psychiatric Rehabilitation, 10(4), 317-338
Young, M. E. & Lambie, G. W. (2007). Wellness in school and mental health systems: Organizational influences. Journal of Humanistic Cousneling, Education and Development, 46, https://login.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/login?
Format
Individual Presentations
Biographical Sketch
M. Ann Shillingford, Ph.D.
M. Ann Shillingford, PhD is an Associate Professor of Counselor Education at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. She currently serves as coordinator of the counselor education Ph.D. program at UCF. She has several years of experience as a professional school counselor prior to completing her doctorate at the University of Central Florida. Dr. Shillingford has written several articles and book chapters on multicultural issues particularly focused on disparities among of color. Dr. Shillingford has a keen interest in exploring measures to deconstruct educational, social, and health disparities among marginalized communities. Dr. Shillingford is currently conducting research exploring the effects of media exposure to police and community violence on the physical and mental health of African American mothers raising young black men. She also facilitates a study abroad program with counseling students to the island of Dominica, exploring the multicultural competence of counseling students through a cultural immersion experience. Dr. Shillingford also serves as coordinator for the UCF National Holmes Scholar program (NHS). The NHS is a mentoring program to support students from underrepresented groups in higher education.
The Dr. Shillingford’s co-edited book, The Journey Unraveled: College and Career Readiness of African American Students, was published Fall, 2015.
Nivischi N. Edwards, PhD, LMHC, LPC, NCC, BC-TMH
With a Doctoral degree in Counselor Education from the University of Central Florida, Masters degree in Community Counseling from Andrews University, and Bachelors degree in Psychology from Syracuse University, Nivischi espouses that true accomplishment in life is love; unconditional love for God, self, and others. She specializes in marriage and family relations, is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Licensed Professional Counselor, National Certified Counselor, and Board Certified TeleMental Health Counselor. Nivischi has also done research on Black female faculty success and presented research findings at national conferences. Her teaching and research interests include healthy relationships – including those relationships with self and others. She trains budding counselors as a professor at Liberty University. Nivischi also works as a Military and Family Life Counselor (MFLC) with the Department of Defense (DOD) where she travels to military installations throughout Europe and Asia providing counseling services to personnel and their families in all military branches.
Location
PARB 128
Start Date
2-8-2019 2:30 PM
End Date
2-8-2019 3:45 PM
Recommended Citation
Shillingford, Ann and Edwards, Nivischi, "Being Well, Feeling Well, Doing Well….The Journey of Women Faculty of Color" (2019). National Cross-Cultural Counseling and Education Conference for Research, Action, and Change. 11.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/ccec/2019/2019/11
Being Well, Feeling Well, Doing Well….The Journey of Women Faculty of Color
PARB 128
Research clearly suggests negative factors that may foster attrition amongst minority female faculty. These factors are related to increased anxiety, career dissatisfaction, and burnout which unfortunately have led to decisions to leave the profession. The proposed workshop will provide female faculty the arena to discuss healthy ways of addressing work stressors, balancing life roles, and the potential for burnout.
Description
Career dissatisfaction among women faculty of color has been found to be associated with anxiety, stress, and burnout. Stebnicki (2000) described burnout as an occupational hazard that may hinder one’s ability to promote the wellness of others (e.g., students, family, self). Wellness may be defined as a holistic approach integrating body, mind, and spirit and incorporates the process of optimal functioning of the mental, physical, and spiritual health (Myers & Sweeney, 2005). Young and Lambie (2007) suggested that enhancement of wellness practices is necessary in combating occupational burnout and/or impairment. This presentation will focus on the experiences of women faculty of color in academia and highlight the importance of life roles in subjectively defining wellness. The presenters will also introduce practical strategies for work/life balance while maintaining productivity.
I am proposing the implementation of a workshop particularly focused on the wellness of women faculty of color. The first phase of the session will involve participants discussing their current wellness or self-care procedures and the positives and limitations to their wellness success. We will then move on to discuss aspect of job satisfaction in terms of wellness, life roles, and burnout. The Indivisible-Self Wellness model will be introduced and explained to participants. The next phase of the presentation will be discussion of a recent wellness study conducted by the presenter wellness study and the implications listed for minority female educators. At the next phase, participants will be asked to develop a tentative wellness plan that they think will benefit them mentally, socially, and professionally. The final phase will involve engagement in wellness activities.