Put On Your Own Mask First Before Assisting Others: Prioritizing a Collaborative Approach to the Wellness of Student and Academic Affairs Professionals

With a growing demand for addressing the mental health needs of students, so is the need for faculty and practitioners in student affairs and academic affairs to engage in supporting students through their trauma, due to a lack of mental health resources and a rise in students’ feelings of isolation and anxiety, as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The impact of supporting students through crisis is an experience that, when encountered with normalcy, may impact the emotional and physical well-being of higher education professionals, which higher education employee wellness programs do not typically address. Institutional capacity for employee mental health support and resources is limited, and there is a lack of awareness and few data on the impact that these work stressors can have on higher education professionals. This article focuses on the role academic and student affairs leaders play in engaging departments of human resources in workplace wellness programs that account for the unique work stressors these professionals experience.