Situating the Post-Secondary Instructor in a Supportive Role for the Mental Health and Well-Being of Students

Abstract

Despite the increased consideration of student mental health and the ongoing efforts of bettering intervention systems, one aspect remains relatively underexplored: the role of the instructor. The purpose of this paper is to propose and discuss a (re)conceptualized understanding of the postsecondary instructor – as one who not only creates, delivers, and/or facilitates academic curriculum, but who can also support the well-being of students. Instructors can carry a central place in supplementing or facilitating a number of initiatives available in higher education settings to support the mental health of students, whether this entails recognizing a concern, rendering a type of support, or redirecting a student elsewhere for further intervention.ᅟ.