Disclosing mental health conditions as an instructor: Opinion

In a recent article for The Conversation, Jenn Bergen, Ana Carolina de Barros, Jan M Gelech, Shannon Forrester, Simonne Horwitz, and Vicki Squires of the University of Saskatchewan discuss the benefits and challenges of disclosing mental health conditions to their students. Some instructors feel they have a political or moral responsibility to disclose mental illnesses, the authors explain, and disclosure can support students who are struggling. Reflecting on personal experiences and a recent academic project, the authors describe how revealing personal information was perceived by students. The authors write about how instructors who disclose their mental health status receive varying levels of institutional support, though students may give positive feedback. The Conversation Note: Archived stories may contain dead links or be missing source links.