MENTAL HEALTH AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS IN

THE TIME OF PANDEMIC

Speaker: Maria Olivia D. Bating,EdD, MD, RGC

COMPREHENSIVE SUMMARY
According to Arianna Huffington, if you take care of your mind, you take care of the world
– that is why taking care of your mental health is a big deal for us especially when we noticed
already something different about ourselves. Caraga State University conducted a webinar last
November 20, 2021 about Mental health and Psychological support for Graduate students in the
time of pandemic. The webinar’s Guest speaker was Dr. Maria Olivia D. Bating. Before the
webinar started, there was what we call as “break room” where the participants were
interviewed first by assigned guidance counselors about how we deal with the pandemic and
shared our experiences regarding to it. The host presented the objectives of the webinar which
are: (1) we must be empowered by right information about covid-19, (2) we must have
processed ourselves as to the effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic to personal lives; (3) we
evaluated our coping strategies and come up with healthy and effective strategies on thriving
the new normal; lastly, to be empowered to face the new normal. Dr. Bating also discussed how
crisis becomes an opportunity and at the same time a danger. During pandemic, crisis really
affect a person’s ordinary life. There is extreme stress and physical and psychological reactions
that were expected to happen.

We were asked also how COVID 19 pandemic brought danger to us in terms of our
mental health. In relation to this, Dr. Bating also discussed pandemic fatigue, a natural and
expected reaction to a sustained and unresolved adversity. It is also a feeling of alienation and
hopelessness that gradually evolves over time and affected by a number of emotions,
experiences and perceptions. She also emphasized that we are living in a very uncertain
condition and that is why uncertainty is the most stressful feeling. She mentioned also how
Toxic Positivity becomes an emotional response to the pandemic and accordingly, it is not
helpful to someone dealing with problems. When we express disappointment or sadness,
someone tells us sometimes that “Happiness is a choice”. Toxic positivity can actually harm
people who are going through difficult times. We should be able to hear and support them upon
dealing what they have been experiencing. Those difficult emotions, while often unpleasant and
hard to deal with, are important and need to be felt and dealt with openly and honestly. When
we are going through something hard, we must think of ways to give voice to our emotions in a
way that is productive like writing a journal or talking to a friend.

Dr. Bating showed also a Self-Regulation Toolbox about how we deal when we are
angry, overwhelmed, insecure, rejected and discouraged. How to minimize being worry and
scared were also stressed by Dr. Bating through avoiding things that can trigger us to be upset.
There should be a schedule worry time so that it won’t interfere with other aspects of our lives.
She also let us have an icebreaker so that we will be relaxed through a dance number
presented. We should not worry the things we cannot control. We should be grateful always for
what we have.

After the discussion, there were questions raised by the participants and were answered
by Dr. Bating. It was formally ended by a closing message of Prof. Rosario B. Heria, Graduate
Studies Secretary.

REACTION:

It was indeed a refreshing start for me for having this webinar regarding mental health in
the time of the pandemic. Upon listening to the discussion of Dr. Bating, I was having my
realizations that I should be taking care my mental health even more. Since then at the start of
the pandemic, we have our own issues in life and all of us cannot deny the fact that the most
affected aspect is our mental health. I have learned so much in this webinar especially in
dealing with worry, stress and toxic positivity. It opened my senses that worrying should not be a
priority. We should be grateful for every moment that we survived this pandemic.

Actually, this type of webinar is a boost of our self-esteem in terms of dealing problems
that ended up depression and anxiety and much worse, suicide. It opened the door of those
people, who were not able to admit to themselves the reality of mental health problems due to
the fact that some still considered it a taboo. I was lucky enough to participate in this webinar
and it is a great help for us teachers dealing with so much pressure and stress every day. I will
be more grateful for the things I have and will no longer entertain negative vibes.

I am hoping for more webinars like this and more talks by Dr. Bating because she made
us always say at the back of our minds how accurate are those things she explained during the
webinar. Looking forward for her part 2 perhaps in this topic. My perceptions about mental
health became broader through this. There is no health, without mental health according to
David Satcher.