The UMKC Women’s Center held its first Donuts and Dating event on April 21, during which students discussed relationship red flags and how to handle sticky situations.
Host Gabby Jones, a psychological intern at the Roo Wellness Counseling Services, hosted the event as part of her internship.
“I’m really interested in couples counseling, so this semester I’ve been trying to dive into doing relationship-related outreach,” she said. “I think it’s important to destigmatize what we experience in our relationships and have conversations because it builds awareness and increases safety among our community members.”
Jones brought to the event several UMKC-themed goodies, along with worksheets on relationship check-in questions and how to navigate certain areas of life with your partner.
The focus was not only on the health of romantic relationships, but also on friendships and familial relationships.
Students discussed how to find balance in relationships, what starting difficult conversations might look like, identifying consent, and differentiating between red, yellow and green flags.
UMKC Counseling Services staff counselor T’Keaya Gaines attended the event alongside Jones. She said relationship counseling is one of her interests and a common concern among the students she sees.
“To me, I value being honest, actively listening and focusing on the problem without attacking the other person in relationships,” she said.
Freshman Jaylin Briscoe said he came mainly for the donuts, but as a psychology major, he was interested in the discussion too.
He said, “It’s crucial to build a healthy connection with you and your partner and look out for any challenges and know how to assess them properly.”
He most enjoyed learning about the avoidant versus anxious attachment styles.
The event was co-hosted with the Roo Wellness, Resources, Intervention, Support and Education (RISE) Office and Roo Partners in Prevention.
Check out the other upcoming UMKC Women’s Center events here, visit the UMKC Counseling Services for more information, or check out SAGA’s coinciding event on navigating healthy relationships.
