Pulse March / April 2017 | Page 66

ASK THE EXPERT

What are the common stressors millennials face on a daily basis? Why is it necessary to teach them life skills on how to manage stress?

In this Ask the Expert Q-and-A, HOLLY ROGERS, MD, psychiatrist and mindfulness teacher at Duke University’ s student counseling center, offers an insightful look at today’ s millennials in her book, The Mindful Twenty-Something( published by New Harbinger). The idea for the book was sparked after she and Margaret Maytan, who codeveloped Koru Mindfulness, the only evidence-based mindfulness training program designed specifically for college-age adults, had a difficult time finding a good companion textbook for their class.

“ Though there are so many great books on mindfulness and meditation, we couldn’ t find one that spoke directly to the issues that young adults are concerned with: the stresses of college or starting a career; the uncertainty of their future; handling relationships with lovers, friends and professors; and making the choices that will determine their life course,” Rogers says.

Pulse: Why is it more important than ever to educate young individuals on mental health and how to cope with stress? Holly Rogers: The value in learning mindfulness in your 20s is that it helps with stress-management, but also, and as important, it allows you to know yourself better, get clear about your values and what gives your life meaning, and then use that information to inform the important life choices you will be making over the course of this important decade of your life.

In regards to stress, it is clear that on many college campuses, the number of students reporting trouble with stress, anxiety and depression has been steadily rising, and utilization of services at college counseling centers is rising so quickly that in many places, there simply are not enough resources to keep up. Using mindfulness as a tool to manage stress and, more importantly, improve resilience, is a useful strategy for helping young adults deal with their stress and enrich their lives.

P: What are some of the most common stress factors affecting millennials? R: It’ s important to remember that millennials are an extremely diverse group, so their experiences are wideranging. Emerging adults, those between the ages of 18 to 29, have high-rates of unemployment and tend to earn low wages, so many face significant financial challenges. For those pursuing higher education, there is the stress of achieving academically, trying to get into graduate school and, of course, paying for their education. For emerging adults in general, there are unique stressors of the developmental stage. Most are facing multiple transitions— changing homes, jobs, lovers— and transitions are stressful, be they good or bad.

P: What are some of the common misconceptions young individuals have about the practice and idea of mindfulness? R: Most common misconception is that the goal of meditation is to stop their thoughts and make them feel calm. This misconception often gets in the way of sticking with the practice and

64 PULSE ■ March / April 2017