The Gaps in Mental Health that Gap Years Can Fill by Danny Recio, PhD, LPC One of the issues with many psychological disorder diagnoses is that they can give the impression of a hard division between mental illness and its absence. However, the reality of how people experience mental health issues is not black or white; it’s mostly some kind of oscillation between shades of gray. Gap year experiences have the potential to fill these shades of gray in mental health. The field of psychology has historically struggled to adequately address the continuum of mental health issues and has been…
Mental Health
An essential and holistic best practice for study abroad and gap year programming includes staff training about the life stage of Emerging Adulthood. Understanding the gifts and challenges of 18-25 year-olds is key. Knowing who our students are broadens professional skill sets for preparing students and staff for successful learning experiences in new and different contexts. Characteristics of Emerging Adulthood (J. Arnett. 2004) include a long period for exploring a wide range of possibilities for career choices and relationships. Of particular note is that Emerging Adulthood is a stage of optimism and possibilities.
Mental Health and Gap Year Preparation at the Tail End of the Pandemic by Laura Thompson, Ph.D., LPC In many respects, life seems to be returning to some semblance of normality for the first time since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. While our routines may now resemble our pre-pandemic activities, the reality is that many of us are not the same. The past two years have changed us. They’ve taken a toll on our lives and our well being in countless ways. Mental health is one of them. A multitude of studies have addressed the negative impacts that the pandemic…