Mental Health University: Recent Episodes
Dr. Joel Ingersoll
Through my 20 years of counseling, coaching, advising, and mentoring college students I have learned a critical insight: College admission does not guarantee college success. Scores get kids in BUT ungraded skills get them through. I’m obsessed with sharing my knowledge of those skills, increasing mental health awareness, and highlighting challenges affecting millions of college students. This podcast is a result of my relentless mission to help college kids adjust, discover, cope, and develop. Join me and co-host Libby Gilliland, a student-athlete at LaSalle University this semester.
What does it take to sustain performance (athletic, academic, leadership)? Scan the internet for words of wisdom and you'll come across dozens of suggestions. In this episode (and her last as an intern for now), co-host Sarah Policano details her top 5 mindset skills - keys for development as an athlete and student at Bucknell University. We detail the 5 skills and highlight those that serve as the foundation of Emotional Intelligence Skills, critical for anyone to develop.
Episode Highlights:
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Mindset skills for peak performance.
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Elements of self-motivation.
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Sarah's development of skills over time as an athlete.
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Troubleshooting moments when sustaining attention is a challenge.
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Emotional Intelligence (EI) related to performance, development, and potential.
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Supplying yourself with confidence.
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"Mental Toughness" a common (but limiting) phrase.
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The value of increasing self-awareness.
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Developing skills over time, not overnight!
Thanks for listening & sharing!
Body image is a top concern among mental health professionals working with adolescents and young adults. We dig into the range of challenges among students and student athletes susceptible to distorted body image, the domino effect with other eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia), psychological health and performance. Other related topics include the perception of "healthy," pressure of social media, and misinformation around diets, supplements, and workout plans from non-credentialed "expert" influencers.
Episode highlights:
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The nature of body image challenges among students.
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Dialogue about body image observed in conversation with middle school kids.
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Challenges for student athletes in weight specific sports.
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Labels, language, & perception: "skinny, strong, powerful."
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A healthy relationship with food as a necessary fuel for performance (brain & body).
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Caution on the metrics of progress we tend to amplify.
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The unregulated supplement world: Dr. Joel's story
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Key tips for accessing help.
Are you coachable?
Talented high school and college athletes are in full swing practice mode as the fall semester and sports season quickly approaches. For any student, student-athlete, performer, or professional who aspires toward excellent performance in whatever their chosen endeavor a massive question looms: "Are you coachable?" Seems like the question should have an obvious answer - "Of course I am!"
In this episode we dig into the mental challenges of being coached - or receiving critical feedback from evaluators including the range of ways students unknowingly respond that may impact performance. We provide insight into ways of seeing the big picture during uncomfortable emotional moments of receiving feedback and action steps to take toward making meaningful changes.
Listeners this is not just for students - as we also detail the value of coaches and leaders to be coached, for everyone can benefit from a trusted accountability partner to help us see our blind spots. So tune in, enjoy, and please share!
Episode highlights:
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Mental challenges of being coached
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Risks of personalizing feedback
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Understanding stages of change
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Getting stuck in contemplation
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3 keys to discovering your potential
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Mental commitment to ongoing development
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Risks of giving into negative emotions & how they effect performance and team dynamics
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How to proactively respond to unfavorable feedback (coaches, teachers, and bosses)
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Why every leader can benefit from coaching
While athletes and students strive for excellence, many experience psychological distress when pressure to perform intensifies. This occurs too often in athletes and students, especially when they land in a narrow view of defining "success." We dig into the common metrics students and athletes use to define success and the range of mental health effects of too much pressure, the impact of excessive pressure on performance, self-concept, and highlight how world class athletes are including mental health professionals on their development team.
Episode highlights:
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Pressure in sports and academics
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Risks of a score driven culture
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Risks of focusing on singular data points for success
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How to avoid defining yourself by a moment in time
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Big names connecting with sports psychologists: Biles, Cavendish, Phelps, Osaka, Bolt, Williams (Serena), Clark (Wyndham)
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College athletic programs including in house mental health support
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How students can use resources on and off campus
Athletes encounter a host of psychological hurdles when recovering from injury. In this episode we dig into the challenges of coping mentally during recovery, decisions to re-commit to playing, awareness cues for realistic expectations, trusting our body to perform again, and the risks when athletes choose/are told they can no longer play. I have worked with dozens of athletes in a range of these circumstances. I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to include a mental health professional as a part of the recovery team. Episode highlights:- Personal athletic injuries - Normalizing psychological reactions - Coping with big decisions - Realistic expectations during recovery - Risks of no structure- The role of a mental health professional - What to do if an athlete discontinues playing.
In this episode we dig into the pros and cons of social media on student and student-athlete development. Key areas like self-concept, self-confidence, body image, professional readiness, and relationship building, and intimacy are highlighted. Targeted action steps for students to develop “healthy” engagement with social media apps at a critical time of development! Episode highlights:- Social media & branding, NIL presence.- The motivation behind interacting on social media.- Who is validating and authoring your life?- Great read! “The Crowd” by Gustave LeBon.- Creating a personal barometer for healthy engagement.
Response to failure (perceived or real) is a critical skill for developing athletes & students. A lack of this skill has significant implications on self-confidence, mental health challenges (depression, anxiety, substance use), and general enjoyment of the activity. We dive into the normalcy of failure and highlight how it is a necessary experience to fuel personal strength and ongoing success. Specific examples and action steps are included to increase self-awareness and provide strategies to implement. At the end of the episode, be sure to stick around for a brief exercise to help develop this key success skill. Episode highlights:- The fallout from a negative response to failure.- Keys to increase awareness of negative thinking traps.- Responding favorably and fairly.- How to redefine your experience.- It needs to be fun!- Do not use social media for validation.
Life is an ongoing sparring match with stress. The mental and physical implications of ignoring stress are massive. In this episode we dig into performance and chronic stress among student athletes and college students, highlighting the health (mental and physical) risks if ignored. We also explain the nature of stress, what cues to look for, and action steps listeners can apply immediately to better manage stress. Be sure to stick around after the episode - I’ll walk you through an easy exercise I often utilize with athletes/performers that can be used across a range of athletic, academic, and social experiences. Just be mindful to practice the skill. Other episode highlights include: How to effectively use stress energy.The impact of how we label physical cues.Building a personal warm-up.Simple, action steps to use daily. The importance of asking for help.
The jump from high school to college for a student-athlete carries many new challenges. Athletic, academic, and psychological hurdles loom large - even for the most gifted, successful high school athletes. In this episode we dive into those challenges, highlight the importance of prioritizing mental health, and the vast resources for student-athletes to connect with on campus. Intern & co-host Sarah Policano (Bucknell University Student Athlete) sheds valuable insights and tips for soon to be college student-athletes. Episode Overview:Introducing student-athlete Sarah Policano. A Runner’s Mindset.Psychological tests in making the jump to college sports. Adjusting to academic & athletic changes.Structure, Time Management & Schedules.Mental Health Awareness & Campus Resources.Transparency of professional athletes with mental health.Sports psychologists on campus.The critical skill of asking for help.
College relationships have huge mental health implications. Toxic relationships can implode a college semester, including academic performance, mental health, and key areas of personal development. In this episode we dive into signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships, including those long distance relationship challenges that affect a college experience. 2:00 : College relationships5:30 : Long distance dating 12:20 : Keys for a healthy relationship 23:50 : Being homesick32:00 : Keys to coping with adjustment 33:45 : Having the GAP year conversation37:00 Recap
Suicide and self-harm are among the most uncomfortable discussion topics- yet incredibly necessary as critical mental health topics. Statistics are alarming - particularly among college students where on average 1,100 college students commit suicide each year. In this episode we discuss the often avoided conversations around suicide and self-harm including the implications for students concerned about roommates and friends at risk and how to access help. 1:30 : Introduction 2:15 : College campus messaging 5:00 : Stigma around the word suicide 8:20 : Social awareness on jokes 12:00 : Suicidal thinking “ideation” 16:00 : Approaching & supporting friends 24:30 : Consulting a therapist as a concerned friend 27:00 : Continuing campus conversations 28:30 : Call to Action: Take charge of your mental health 36:00 : Recap & Tips
This episode highlights 5 critical “To-dos” this fall to maximize mental health self-care. The trend, especially among students, is when stress increases, self-care actions decrease in frequency leading to risk of increases in stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Too often students lean on coping strategies - more booze, more weed, more meds - to cope with the emotional demands. We introduce 5 easy action steps to get started and maintain throughout the semester/school year. Send your questions to mentalhealthuniversirtpodcast@gmail.com 2:05: Student mental health overview 5:30: Exercise 8:00: Adjusting your definition of exercise 12:50: Nutrition 24:00: Sleep 29:30: Mindfulness 34:20: Designing a realistic approach
August hits and the college packing starts! How many trips have you made to Target, Bed-Bath & Beyond, let alone opened countless Amazon boxes? In the upcoming weeks car trunks will be packed with college “necessities.” In this episode we dial in on 5 words to pack in addition to all the physical stuff. These are simple, useful words to maintain a healthy, success oriented mindset during the semester. Too often once arrival excitement gives way to semester STRESS, the simple words are forgotten. Tune in and anchor these 5 Mindset words! Email us at: mentalhealthuniversitypodcast@gmail.com 1:12: Introduction 2:30: Top 5 items we packed for college 7:30: Adjustments to college 8:30: 5 Key Mindset items to pack 8:50: “Develop” 12:10: “Discover” 14:15: “Breathe” 19:30: “Assess” 21:10: “Help” 25:20: Recap 26:00 Wrap up
Rather forget a bad spring semester? Most of us have been there and our response to a subpar semester is critical. In this episode we highlight common areas of challenge and what holds college students back from creating change to their approach to success. We also walk through easy do-it-now tips to get students on the path to an awesome fall semester. 1:30: Introduction 2:30: Challenging your mindset on returning to school 4:00: Fear of repeating a bad semester 5:34: Action steps to take now 7:30: Keys to planning your semester 11:30: Discover your unique success formula 14:00: Get to the small tasks 16:00: Check points 18:00: Accountability partners 19:30: Freshman accountability partners 21:00: Mega campus resources 23:00: Benefits of networking 26:15: Why you should check email 29:00: Summary tips
mentalhealthuniversitypodcast@gmail.com
Many challenges await first year college student athletes. In this episode we discuss college athletes adjusting to new schedules, team dynamics, and more athletic talent and other challenges to the psychological adjustment to college sports. While mental health awareness is increasing there continues to be stigma around athletes seeking mental health services. Unfortunately there are coaches who talk about it but have yet to fully integrate mental health care into programs. This trend shows up not only in college but in various high school club team programs. Tune in and enjoy! Send questions and topics to mentalhealthuniversitypodcast@gmail.com 1:33: Introduction 1:50: Early campus arrival for athletes 2:15: Challenges for first year student athletes 3:25: Balancing performance and team dynamics 5:00: Binding with a new teammates 7:00: Does it feel like home? 8:30: Crucial mental health resources 11:30: Increasing awareness of mental health resources for athletes 13:15: Potential scenarios for freshman student athletes 17:00 Mental health stigma 19:00: Plan now for fall 22:15: 5 Mindset Tips for Athletes 24:00: The importance of having fun - a checkpoint for all athletes
Internships for college students come in all forms. Some great, some suck, and many were unavailable. Believe it, there are huge takeaways from bad internships. We talk through the range of internship experiences and give key tips on how to make the best out of the worst internship experiences and how to create your own AMAZING internship experience. Really, you can! Tune in and let’s go!! 0:56 : Introduction 1:37: Common internship complaints 2:48: Create your own experience 4:40: Focus on a growth mindset 5:06: TikTok Confessions 6:00: Productivity in a boring experience 10:32: Keys to networking 13:15: Why bad internships are good! 15:45: Keeping a healthy personal life 19:18: “I didn’t get an internship”; now what? 26:50: Positive perspectives on summer jobs 28:40: How to keep focus on your path 31:50: Wrap up
Send you questions and topic ideas to mentalhealthuniversitypodcast.com
In this episode we tackle key summer habits for college students to develop for success in the Fall 2022 semester. Most college kids make promises to initiate change when they get back to school. Key insights on why this is counterproductive are highlighted as well as simple strategies to get started now! Have feedback, topics or questions, send to mentalhealthuniversitypodcast@gmail.com 1:55 : Settling into summer risks 2:30 : How to create a schedule 3:00 : How to prevent bad habits 4:50 : Sleep cycle keys 6:00 : Risk of self doubt 8:00 : Understanding the school cycle 8:50 : Use summer to prevent falling behind in the fall 10:45 : Your summer as a “preseason” 12:30 : Creating a realistic routine 14:20 : Summer reading tips 15:50 : What to start reading 16:15 : Self-help books 20:00 : Audio books 21:00 : Using podcasts to increase focus 23:00 : Develop a good relationship with food 24:00 : Wrap up
In this episode we dive into one of the more challenging experiences for college students when they are confronted by rejection. Whether from a social group, internship, or job opportunities the psychological impact is stressful and it’s critical that students learn to pivot from rejection and thrive. Episode Notes 1:04 : Introduction 2:34 : Acceptance and rejection within Greek life 5:15 : Feedback from rejection 7:00 : Acceptance and relationships 8:40 : Opportunities beyond Greek life 10:50 : Rejection in other life areas 11:55 : Feedback from workplace rejection 17:00 : Learning from internship experiences 18:00 : Interviewing your interviewer 20:45 : Responding to rejection 23:00 : Intro to college acceptance and rejection 24:40 : Closing
Social anxiety is one of the most common challenges among college students. An experience that shows up in many places and has great impact on a college experience. In this episode we dial in on the range of social anxiety experiences college students encounter, methods to learn to cope, and campus resources to check out. Email us your questions! mentalhealthuniversitypodcast@gmail.com 1:06: Introduction 3:15 : Social anxiety impacting college experience 4:55 : Impact of COVID-19 on social anxiety 7:35 : Keys on social participation & group work 10:00 : Public speaking 12:40 : Anticipating social anxiety 14:45 : Overthinking & Catastrophizing 16:00 : Anxiety & commuting students 17:35 : Avoidance habits 18:00 : Coping through alcohol/drugs 19:00 Group therapy as a treatment 25:00 : Personal insecurities 26:25 : Being receptive to feedback 29:15 : Closing
Student-athletes have unique challenges in college and are often in the unfamiliar place of making stressful decisions. In this episode we highlight the range of challenges for student-athletes, from those in high school deciding whether to continue playing to those who have suffered career ending injuries. Email us your questions at: mentalhealthuniversitypodcast@gmail.com 1:08 : Introduction 3:01 : Travel commitments of athletes 6:15 : Deciding to play in college 10:55 : Athletics as a job 13:05 : The resources athletics provides 14:30 : Deciding not to play 16:45 : Seeking new opportunities 17:45 : Risks of the available party scene 19:15 : Freedom to make new decisions 23:00 : Adjusting as a college student-athlete 24:00 : Challenges after a career ending injury 25:40 : Reaching out for help 27:00 : “Wait.. I’m not the top dog anymore?” 29:00 : A growth mindset as an athlete 30:00 : Recap
Recovering from midterms is a tough challenge. Bad performance too often leads to self-doubt, avoidance, and lost opportunities to develop effective response skills. In this episode we tackle the challenges of recovery from midterm disasters and how to set up for a strong semester finish. 1:10 Intro 1:50: Recovery from midterm performance 2:55: Self-doubt 4:15 : Why meet with professors 5:01 : Feelings of Failure 6:46 : Parallels to golf 9:00 : Don’t blame the test 11:30 : Academic persistence 12:15 : Why learn the material? 13:25 : Schedule to see a professor 16:15 : Shifting Perspectives on professors 17:50 : Take a spring break reset 21:20 : New approach checkpoints 22:30 : Student-athletes 24:30 : Review
The tragic events in the Ukraine has college students concerned, anxious, and carrying significant stress. In this episode we highlight the impact of these events and how levels of anxiety and stress increase and often maintained when our mind are filled with uncertainty. Listen in for tips on how to recognize these moments and utilize coping strategies. Have a topic or question you would like us to address? Email Dr. Joel & Libby at: mentalhealthuniversitypodcast@gmail.com (We will not share your name when addressing your topic/question!) Episode Notes: 2:10: Introduction 3:08: Student conversations around the conflict 4:18: How college students are getting news = STRESS 6:05: Stress surrounding conflict 8:00: Comparison to Gulf War news 8:20 : Concerns about the future 10:05: Dealing with uncertain information 11:00: Similarities to the psychological impact of COVID-19 news 13:00: Focusing under stress 14:05: What fuels anxiety 15:30: You don’t have to keep your thoughts private 16:15: Discussing the conflict in class 18:50: The mental health crisis 20:00 Levels of stress 21:50: The added stress of the semester timing 22:20: Importance of self-care 25:20 Strategies to reduce anxiety before exams 26:45: Wrap-up
It’s midterm season! Ever meet up with a case of test anxiety even when you were prepared for an exam? Worst! In this episode we discuss the common challenges connected to test anxiety - and extend it to other areas of performance anxiety (presentations, sports, theater). Learn approaches to develop to help minimize anxiety in pressure moments and how to respond to subpar performance in proactive ways! Episode 4 notes 1:00 - differences between high school and college test taking
2:30 - everyone deals with text anxiety differently
3:50 - fear of test taking
5:20 - catastrophic thinking and self doubt
9:50 - giving presentations
13:20 - tips on test taking
15:00 - create a warmup
19:20 - test prep/ sleep
23:00 - responce to grades
25:00 - mindset in preparation for an exam
27:30 - values of anxiety/avoidance
31:20 - recap
Self-motivation is a critical Emotional Intelligence skill to develop, yet challenges so many college and high school students. This time of year is especially difficult when most people start to cave on their New Year resolutions and fall back into old patterns. Same goes for students. In this episode we target common motivational challenges: When a course or content is irrelevant; Thinking that you’ll never use the information; Feeling like a professor sucks, and more. We talk easy Mindset strategies to keep students on track during the semester challenges. Thanks for tuning in and remember to subscribe!
This week we discuss the causes of winter depression and how to fuel your body and mind while in the midst of a depressive episode. We also go over how to be an effective bystander while trying to help a friend in need of mental health support.
Dr. Joel & Co-host Libby Gilliland tackle how to keep your new years resolutions while getting back in the swing of college life. In this episode, we discuss finding accountability partners you can trust and more tips on staying motivated this semester.
Dr. Joel & co-host Mia Fusillo dive into Emotional Intelligence skills, importance of prioritizing EI development as students and leaders, how to spot opportunities for development and risks of minimizing their importance.
Dr. Joel & co-host Mia Fusillo dig into self-esteem and highlight influencing factors, relationship with anxiety & depression, challenges of real self versus ideal self, and the risks of relying on social media for self-value.
Dr. Joel & co-host Mia Fusillo tackle the challenges of getting re-connected with good lifestyle habits, why it’s critical to start with simple steps now, understanding social anxiety, and defining closure in life experiences and relationships.
Dr. Joel & Co-host Mia Fusillo tackle how to best help friends struggling with mental health challenges, when to set boundaries to avoid being held emotionally hostage, and differences between empathy versus sympathy.
Dr. Joel & co-host Mia Fusillo review the movie “Angst” & discuss important takeaway insights, tips, and resources for kids experiencing anxiety. The film helps to raise awareness about anxiety among adolescents and highlights stories from some amazing, resilient kids and families.
In this episode Dr. Joel & Mia discuss challenges of anxiety, identify different types, signs to get help, how anxiety is connected to depression, lifestyle tips, & what to look for in accessing mental health resources.
Part 2 of 2: In this episode Dr. Joel & Mia discuss mental health stigma on college campuses, how to access therapy as a college student, trends of college mental health services, common student challenges, and advice on how to help friends on campus.
Part 1 of 2: In this episode Dr. Joel & Mia tackle the stigma connected to mental health treatment, the real experience of therapy and reasons why people go, why people steer away from the topic of “suicide,” and the wide range of benefits to participating in therapy.
Co-host MIa Fusillo introduces 2 seniors from New Providence High School (Caroline Hall, Paige Spoerl) who announce their college choices. The students discuss reasons for choosing their colleges, challenges about making a college choice amid the coronavirus restrictions, expectations for a fall semester, tips for staying productive and focused, and the pros & cons of taking a GAP year.
In this episode meet student intern & co-host Mia Fusillo. We take a deep dive into understanding students perspective on stressors, FOMO, online learning, tips for time management, prioritizing mental health, and developing career skills from home.
Dr. Joel discusses the challenge for students to build a success team, identifies the critical skills kids need but are never formally taught or graded on, and the career risks to students if they neglect to develop them!
What happened to my kid who did well in high school? Why are they struggling in college? It’s more common than many people think! Join Dr. Joel highlighting the common challenge of academic struggle among college students, the psychological impact, and the key skill to recover! For more information check out: www.drjoelingersoll.com
Dr. Joel highlights 5 challenges to first year college students during a parent program. Tune in for Challenge #1 and learn tips on to recognize it and how to help! For more check out: www.drjoelingersoll.com
Dr. Joel responds to questions from high school juniors and seniors about college adjustment. Dr. Joel covers topics like taking a leave of absence, challenges of choosing the right major, how to maintain lifestyle balance, goal setting and more.
Kids get tested in many academic areas. We often overlook skills that they are tested on BUT do not receive grades, especially when they transition from middle to high school, high school to college, or college to career. Join Dr. Joel as he highlights 5 areas and coaches parents on how to help!
Dr. Joel highlights for parents the 5 common, hidden signals of anxiety for college bound high school seniors. These occur especially this time of year when college choices are looming. Learn how to spot them and the importance of what lies behind these observations that usually make parents nuts!
Take the short Quiz! Join Dr. Joel and learn about how students can minimize anxiety and stress over picking a college major. Tips & insights for parents, high school and college students. Learn what happens when the fantasy about college life meets reality and the common challenges that occur.
Dr. Joel interviews College Reading Specialist Susan Auger (MA) who provides awesome insight and tips on academic and reading resources on college campuses, common challenges for first year college students, how high school juniors and seniors can prep now for the reading demands in college, and how parents can create a “House Filled With Literacy” to help inspire their kids to read.
Psychologist & Master Coach Dr. Joel Ingersoll talks challenges and success tips for responding to a bad semester. Learn key strategies to implement NOW, before next semester starts!