UvA Podium Modules - Student Services

An open conversation about discomfort in contact with students

An open conversation about discomfort in contact with students. What do you do when a topic comes up in a conversation with a student that makes you feel uncomfortable? Through self-reflection and awareness, this module will help you discover where this feeling comes from and how to deal with it in an interactive way.  

A student comes to see you and uses language that makes you feel uncomfortable. You notice this feeling, but you don’t want to interrupt the student. After all, you want the student to feel heard. What do you do?  

In this module, we will explore where our feelings of discomfort come from and you will practice dealing with such situations. Topics like communication techniques, creating a safe environment, and setting boundaries are discussions.  

In the first module we will focus on the conversation that makes you feel uncomfortable, the second module will focus on the effect of your personal beliefs on those conversations. 

Practical information:

• Targeted audience: Study advisers and other student counsellors
• Module type: workshop