Ashleigh Andersen, Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW,) is the Interpersonal Violence Prevention and Education Specialist at the University’s Office of Sexual and Interpersonal Wellness (OSIW). Located in room 908 at 41 Park Row, the office provides support and resources for students who are or have been impacted by sexual violence or intimate partner violence by offering violence prevention initiatives, training and events. Andersen is a confidential resource on campus, meaning she is not a mandated reporter, while the peer educators of that office are private resources and report only to her.
What inspired you to pursue a career as a LCSW?
I always knew that I wanted a career that helped people in some way, but my understanding of what that could look like when entering college was limited. I went to college as a political science major, thinking I was going to be a civil rights attorney, but as I took more of my major classes, I realized that was not quite the right fit for me. My limited understanding of social work at the time was through things like the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) and a lot of negative depictions on television. It was not until my first job out of college as a case manager that I gained a fuller understanding of what a social worker was and just how much I could do. I could be a therapist, advocate, or work in a school, or a hospital or a legal setting, etc. The options are pretty endless. After a couple of years in that role, I applied to grad school to get my master’s in social work, and it was the best decision I could have made.
What drew you to working in the field of sexual and interpersonal wellness specifically?
I have always had an interest in gender-based violence prevention from both personal and professional perspectives. That first job I had out of college as a case manager was at a domestic violence (DV) shelter, and it really solidified my passion and commitment to this work. My experiences following that with grad school, internships, and future jobs broadened my understanding of the need for healthy relationship education, the gap in services for marginalized people, and how direct intervention (therapeutic services) with individuals and prevention through education was critical to moving towards ending gender-based violence.
Do you have a typical morning schedule, or does everyday look different?
Every day looks a little different depending on [whether] I have meetings, events, student sessions or workshops. I try not to schedule anything for the first or last hour of the day so I have time to prepare for the day ahead and the one following. It does not always work out, but most of the time, I am able to do that.
How do you prepare for the day ahead? Are there any routines or check-ins you prioritize?
I have a running list on my computer of tasks I need to complete and flag any emails that I need to prioritize. I will set aside time throughout my day/week to make sure I stay on top of anything time-sensitive.
How do you create a welcoming and supportive space for students who may be hesitant to seek help?
I try to create a space where students can feel comfortable sharing their stories—a space where they are heard and their experiences are validated. It can be scary or intimidating coming to an office like mine because maybe you are not fully sure why you are here or what to expect, but know that this is a safe, confidential, and judge-free space to receive support, information and resources. If I am not in the right place for whatever reason, I will make sure to connect you to a resource that is.
What kinds of student concerns do you typically address in a day? Can you walk me through a typical one-on-one session or student interaction?
Every student’s concerns and sessions are different. It can be anything from past relationships or sexual trauma to something that has happened more recently, to questions about sex/gender identity/sexual orientation, to making sense of an experience that just did not feel right. Often, students come for one reason, and many times, it connects to other things, and we spend time processing and making sense of how it all works together. The student is the one in charge of how much they want to disclose and how often we meet, so it is mostly up to them what they would like to get out of a session.
How do you balance meetings with students, outreach and administrative tasks throughout the day?
From a logistical standpoint, my calendar is my best friend. It keeps me organized and on top of everything I need to do, so I am better able to plan my time. From a personal standpoint, balancing all of these different tasks helps me not feel burnt out in any one area because my day-to-day is always different.
What role do peer educators play in your daily work?
Peer educators are wonderful resources that help me with outreach, planning and hosting events, and connecting with students one-on-one who may not be ready to meet with me or would prefer a peer interaction to receive information on resources and services available to them.
What is the most challenging part of your day?
I am not sure there is a challenging part of my day other than sometimes it feels like there just are not enough hours in it. Looking more broadly, I think my greatest challenge in this role and running this office is getting students to know about who I am and [the] services they have access to.
What is the most rewarding part?
The most rewarding part for me is meeting with students for one-on-one sessions and having really engaging conversations in workshops I facilitate. I think, in both circumstances, I am able to see the work being done in real-time.
Is there a particular moment in your day when you feel like you are truly making an impact?
The moments when I can see students making connections or a lightbulb going off in their head from a conversation, a session or a workshop makes me feel like I am truly making an impact.
How do you wind down at the end of a workday?
At the end of the workday, I wrap up any emails or tasks I could not complete earlier. Once it is 5 p.m., I usually head to the gym, go home to make dinner and then binge-watch whatever show my partner and I are watching at the time!
Do you take time to reflect on the day’s conversations and experiences?
Absolutely! Some days are harder than others, but even with the hard ones, I know that a student is on the path to healing if they [take] that first or second or third step to meet with me, and that helps shift my 1perspective in a more positive way.
Given the emotional nature of your job, how do you separate work from personal life?
I have been in this field for about 11 years, and it took me a while to figure out a healthy work/life balance. Now I know to have healthy boundaries with work, like only working within my designated hours, not answering emails outside of that time (for the most part), going to my own therapy, having my community of people and doing things that bring me joy outside of work.
What is one change you wish campuses would make to better support student wellness?
One change I wish campuses would make would be to have mandatory healthy relationship education for all students, with it continuing from freshman year to senior year. For many students, they do not receive any information on what a healthy relationship is, understanding consent or how to set boundaries, and I think this is critical for everyone to build healthy interpersonal relationships throughout their lives.
What keeps you motivated to do this work day after day? Working in this field can be emotionally demanding. How do you take care of yourself and prevent burnout?
What keeps me motivated is that this work is important and necessary. Having a healthy work-life balance helps to prevent burnout, and also, getting to see the real-life impact of this work makes me want to do this in some capacity forever.
If you could change one thing about how campuses approach sexual and interpersonal wellness, what would it be?
I think the change I would make would be to put more of an emphasis on its importance. For the most part, currently, it exists for students who are personally impacted or have an interest in the content, but we are all impacted by sexual and interpersonal wellness-related issues in one way or another. Learning to build healthy relationships and how to build community is so fundamental to our well-being and our humanity that it should be information and education that is woven into every aspect of the college experience.
What advice would you give to students who are interested in pursuing a career in social work or wellness education?
The best advice I would give is to find social workers to talk to (like me!) so you can ask in-depth questions and do an internship or a job related to the field. I took three years between undergrad and grad school, working as a case manager at the DV shelter, and that provided me with so much real-world experience that allowed me to feel way more prepared for grad school and entering into the professional social work world.
