By Anne Riker Garlington
In collaboration with the UF Counseling and Wellness Center, the College of Public Health and Health Professions is offering Gator-2-Gator consultations for PHHP graduate students.
Gator-2-Gator is a confidential peer support initiative that bridges the gap between PHHP students and student ambassadors, who have been trained to provide personal support and share information about available mental health resources.
The program was designed as a collaborative effort with faculty across the PHHP departments of physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech, language, and hearing sciences, as well as the rehabilitation science doctoral program.
PHHP students interested in receiving free support through Gator-2-Gator may visit the Gator-2-Gator: Rehab Sciences website to schedule a 30-minute consultation with a trained peer ambassador. Please note that during a consultation, students will not receive clinical care, evaluation or treatment from a professional counselor or mental health professional. Therefore, no personal information will be gathered.
Two Gator-2-Gator ambassadors, Liat Sauberman and Darrion Gant, share why they became involved.
Liat Sauberman, second-year doctoral student in occupational therapy:
What prompted you to participate?
I thought it would be a way to help others and believe it is a beneficial program to learn techniques and strategies for those dealing with stressful situations in graduate school life.
Why do you see value in this role?
Adapting to the graduate lifestyle can be difficult. Many of us are in high-stress classes, new living situations, and navigating adult life as well as managing everything else. Being a person who peers can come to for support is a great experience.
How did you benefit from the ambassador training and/or what has it been like to offer peer support?
Participating in the ambassador training exposed me to several different resources the students can benefit from as well as myself. Training helped us learn different ways to encourage students through motivational interviewing, such as how to combat stressors around them. Some skills emphasized in the training were communication, skilled listening, and non-verbal communication, which can help students progress through their conversation.
Darrion Gant, second-year doctoral student in occupational therapy:
What prompted you to participate?
I know how valuable it is to be able to talk with someone who has an idea of what you are going through. Everyone needs support at one time or another, even graduate students!
Why do you see value in this role?
After being in the United States Navy for four years I saw what not tending to my mental health did to my productivity. When I spoke about my problems with friends, I felt they didn’t understand the severity or the nature of the issues. I see the value in sharing your issues with someone who is on a similar path, who understands and empathizes with the issues you face.
How did you benefit from the ambassador training and/or what has it been like to offer peer support?
The training helped improve my listening and communication skills. I try to focus more on what the person is saying and what their real concerns are. When I utilize my training, I feel the person I am talking to naturally opens up and shares more, which gives me more insight into their circumstances.