Jess Pinto, Immaculata Chapter Member, Class of 2028:

When someone comes to me for support, I feel truly honored. I know how difficult it can be to ask for help or confide in someone, so knowing that a person feels safe and comfortable with me makes me feel like I am doing something right to care for the people around me.

The ILEAP skills have helped me tremendously in these situations, especially in workplace settings. Sometimes it can be difficult for me to separate my own emotions from a conversation, so having this framework has helped me become a better listener. When someone comes to me with a problem, my first instinct is often to fix it. However, I have learned that many people simply want to be heard and understood before looking for a solution.

For example, at work, one of the counselors on my team came to me with a problem. My immediate response was to try to solve it, but after a few minutes, I paused, thought through the ILEAP skills, and approached the conversation differently. While the counselor did ultimately want help solving the problem, what she needed most in that moment was to feel seen, heard, and validated.

The ILEAP skills I find most challenging are asking questions before taking appropriate action. As I mentioned, I tend to jump straight to problem-solving, so slowing down, asking thoughtful questions, and gathering all the facts can be difficult. To improve, I remind myself to ask at least three questions before offering a solution or suggesting a course of action. This strategy has helped me tremendously, although it is still something I continue to work on.

These skills are incredibly valuable, and being able to support the people around me in a meaningful way is even more important.