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Protecting your mental health as a PGR supervisor

By Suzie Shapiro, Wellbeing Lead & PGR Mental Health Adviser

According to the World Health Organisation (2021) “Well-being is a positive state experienced by individuals and societies. Similar to health, it is a resource for daily life and is determined by social, economic and environmental conditions. Well-being encompasses quality of life, as well as the ability of people and societies to contribute to the world in accordance with a sense of meaning and purpose. Focusing on wellbeing supports the tracking of the equitable distribution of resources, overall thriving, and sustainability. A society’s well-being can be observed by the extent to which they are resilient, build capacity for action, and are prepared to transcend challenges.”

Pausing to consider the above definition of wellbeing in the context of a PGR-supervisor relationship, we can see how supervisors might play a key role in ensuring the wellbeing of their postgraduate researchers, helping them to contribute to the world through their research in accordance with a sense of meaning and purpose, and helping them to build emotional resources to transcend challenges.

In addition, is also clear that in order to support our PGRs, we must also seek to ensure our own continued wellbeing. The role of supervisor is undoubtedly varied and demanding, and within this there are a number of practical steps we can take to support and protect our own mental health. Below I offer some pointers for you to reflect on, in order to support you to look after yourself in addition to supporting your PGRs.

Set out an agreement with your PGRs

As we all know by now, having a conversation from the outset of the relationship, to set boundaries and expectations upfront can be hugely helpful in getting the relationship off on the right foot. But what does this mean in practice? It means reducing ambiguity and uncertainty and creating clarity and shared understanding. Dr Joanna Royle wrote an excellent post about what to cover with new PGRs, and Dr Emma Waters followed this up by asking supervisors to consider their own position and power, and offered tools for expectation setting.

In addition to their sage views, I’d like you to think about discussing and agreeing what confidentiality means in the context of your relationship. While it’s important to create a space where your PGRs feel they can be open and honest, it’s important to let them know that, should you have concerns about their safety, you have a duty of care to break that confidentiality and escalate your concerns appropriately.

In terms of supporting your own mental health, this means you know you aren’t shouldering sole responsibility for their safety and wellbeing alone or working beyond your expertise. If you are urgently concerned about a researcher’s safety, it also means you don’t need to worry about gaining their permission before immediately seeking guidance and support.

Set clear boundaries

Setting boundaries with our work is critically important to support our work-life and personal-life balance, and ultimately our own health and wellbeing, particularly when taking on helping or supportive roles. There is no arguing this is always easy, however, taking time to consider the framework of your work, and the small steps you can take to set some boundaries can be very helpful in the longer term. For example, giving students a clear sense of how quickly you are able to respond to communications, and how much advance notice you need to give feedback, can help negate the sense of pressure you may feel to respond immediately.

It can also be helpful to set out both your preferences for combining work and socialising, your boundaries around talking about your personal life and what topics are on and off the agenda for supervisory conversations (avoiding accidental oversharing on both sides), what you can and can’t support in terms of their mental health and wellbeing, and the limits of your expertise and how to seek help from others (not just for wellbeing, but for the many areas of expertise that are needed to create a successful research career – we all need specialist support!).

Effectively utilising an email auto-response – not just when you’re out of office, but also to manage busy periods, deadlines, and ‘do not disturb’ time – can be a helpful tool in reaffirming boundaries that support wellbeing.

Build your knowledge of PGR support

While you do have a key role to play in supporting your PGRs’ wellbeing, the burden does not sit on your shoulders alone. Having a strong understanding of the institutional resources available in your university will allow you to maintain your own boundaries around your role and signpost PGRs to any specialist expertise they require.

Many institutions offer 24/7 counselling and advice lines for PGRs, and don’t be hesitant to also reach out to colleagues in your Student Wellbeing and Inclusion teams for further information on their work and referral pathways, so you have that information to hand when needed.

Plus, there are a great deal of pre-emptive wellbeing support resources too – things like PGR events, communities, and networks, skills training, Visa support, writing support, and careers support. These all contribute to the idea of building up wellbeing resource as part of daily life.

You may wish to include details of some of these in your email auto-response messages. This can help to minimise the stress that comes with an overflowing inbox, as you know your researchers are being provided with useful information, and alternative support routes, even when you are unable to respond immediately.

Know your escalation routes

Most universities have a version of a Student Safeguarding Team, who are there to provide guidance, risk management and case management expertise for all students (including PGRs) in crisis. Did you know this can include mental health crises, serious financial distress and homelessness, or where PGRs are victims of crime? Having an understanding of how and when to access this support in advance of encountering crisis point is reassuring, and again, helps to lift the sense of sole responsibility, and alleviate the stress that can come along with a supportive role.

‘Fit your own oxygen mask first’

The concept of ‘fitting your own oxygen mask first’ may be a cliché, but as with many clichés there is some validity to the idea. For any of us working in roles where supporting others is a key element, it is crucial that we prioritise understanding and building our own health and wellbeing to put us in a position where we can do this effectively, and not to our own detriment.

Set aside some time to reflect on the helpful activities you engage in that actively support your own mental wellbeing. Also be ready to spot those coping mechanisms which perhaps feel good in the moment but are less helpful in the longer term. Behavioural habits such as social media scrolling, online shopping or gambling, or drinking alcohol can provide us with momentary relief and distraction but may be detrimental if engaged with to excess or in the longer term.

Building more nourishing activities into your schedule will help provide you with balance and nourishment, ‘refilling your cup’ as you (see above definition) ‘contribute to the world in accordance with a sense of meaning and purpose’. Focusing on activities that provide you with a sense of mastery, are centred on exercise or movement, or support social connection, will help to counterbalance the challenges faced in your role.

Explore supports for yourself

Many universities now provide an Employee Assistance Programme that all staff can access 24/7, to speak directly to a trained counsellor. Look at your institution’s Human Resources or People & Organisational Development web pages for details of the staff support available to you. If you’re thinking that this type of service is for people in serious distress only, let me reassure you that seeking assistance pre-emptively, to manage stressful periods, and to make sense of difficult times is all part of their regular business. You may be pleasantly surprised by how helpful and restorative a de-brief with a trained stranger can be!

Although there are many steps that we can take to support our mental health and wellbeing, sometimes we might be doing everything we can but still find our ability to function well has become impaired, and we would benefit from some external help. It can feel challenging to reach out for support; we might feel vulnerable or find it tricky to articulate what’s going on for us, but if you are finding your ability to feel good and function well is deteriorating, it might be worth engaging with your GP and/or considering seeking support through therapy. Working with a therapist as part of a regular healthcare routine, is becoming more and more common, and can help you explore the challenges you’re experiencing and develop strategies and tools to help you overcome the impact it has on you.

Developing our self-awareness, noticing when things change for our wellbeing and mental health and then taking early action can make a big difference, and stop things from escalating. Your health is worth your attention and effort, so please look out for yourself!

Useful free website resources for you and your PGRs:

Book Recommendations:

For immediate support:

  • The Samaritans 116 123
  • Breathing Space Helpline 0800 83 85 87
  • If you are unable to keep yourself safe, attend your local Accident and Emergency Department or call 999.

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