Dr. Elizabeth M. Stanczak Dealing with Difficult People

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Palo Alto Community College

Presentation

on

Dealing with Difficult People

by

Dr. Elizabeth M. Stanczak

Executive Director of Health &

Counseling Services

University of Texas – San Antonio

Dealing with Difficult People

• Keep your focus on someone’s behaviors and not their mental status

• Know you Student Code of Conduct – this will be your best friend when it comes to behavioral problems

• Use your Student Judicial Affairs office to deal with difficult students

• Human Resources will help with difficult staff or faculty.

• Law Enforcement will help with difficult people!

Dealing with Difficult People

• What is mental illness:

– A clinically diagnosable disorder that significantly interferes with an individual’s

cognitive, emotional &/or social abilities.

– The diagnosis of mental illness is generally made according to the classification systems of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of

Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-IVR) or the International Classification of Diseases,

Tenth Edition (ICD-10)

Dealing with Difficult People

• Why someone becomes upset:

– Not feeling heard

– Not getting what they want (or need)

– Not feeling important (“just a number”)

– Frustrated

– Confused

– All of the ABOVE!

Dealing with Difficult People

• First thing to do:

– Listen (actively and intently)

– Remain calm (ignore harsh words)

– Alert others to the issues (elicit support)

– Never move to put yourself in a position of being “alone” with the person

– Explain what you can do, and what you can’t!

– Bring in a supervisor (there is strength in numbers)

Dealing with Difficult People

• Things are getting “out of hand”

– Call your campus Security Officer(s)

– If available, contact your Counseling Services for support

– Call San Antonio Police Department for assistance

– Ask permission to contact a family member

– Continue to remain calm and “talk with” the student/person

Dealing with Difficult People

• UTSA SIRT

– We have a team of mental health professionals who review all reported incidents where there is a concern for someone’s safety or the safety of others

– Mandated Assessment

– Based on University of Illinois Suicide

Prevention Program

– Interview and Testing is used to assess level of risk, along with educating about the student code of conduct.

Dealing with Difficult People

• Behavior Intervention Team

– One UTSA Police Sgt., one UTSA Counselor

(me), one Student Judicial Affairs Officer, and one legal counsel from Legal Affairs. This is the “Core” BIT.

– Expanded BIT deals with non-student related issues

– Any threat to the campus community

Dealing with Difficult People

• Interviews

• Data – information, specifics

• Assessment

– Mosaic

– Personality Assessment Inventory

• Risk for self-harm

• Risk for violence

– Only verbally

– Potentially physically

Dealing with Difficult People

• Use Community Resources

• Respect the rights of others

• Seek Legal Counsel

– Don’t violate the American’s with Disabilities

Act

– Ensure that you can legally do what you are intending to do (mandate assessment, etc.)

Dealing with Difficult People

Questions?

Dealing with Difficult People

• Thank you for your attention and questions!

• Please feel free to call if you have any questions:

– (210) 458-4140 (Counseling Services)

– Wellness Center 1.810

– University of Texas – San Antonio

– (210) 458-4142 (Student Health Services)

Again, THANK YOU

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