#320 Mental Health in College | Alexis Redding, PhD

Host Dr. Adam Dorsay interviews developmental psychologist Dr. Alexis Redding, faculty co-chair of higher education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and editor of Mental Health in College, about supporting college student mental health. Redding explains the book emerged from connecting experts who cared about students but weren’t in conversation, and argues mental health support matters for student engagement, belonging, retention, and the broader developmental work colleges can foster. Drawing on archival interviews from the 1940s and 1970s and contemporary studies of the classes of 2025–2026, she finds core emotions like loneliness and insecurity during transitions remain consistent across generations, despite changes like COVID and social media. She recommends avoiding a constant crisis narrative, training staff to ask clarifying questions about clinical language, and replacing “kids these days” and “best four years” stories with more nuance and vulnerability. 00:00 Welcome to SuperPsyched 00:49 Meet Alexis Redding 02:16 Why This Book Exists 04:56 Mental Health Pays Off 07:55 Loneliness Then and Now 10:37 Roommate Mirror Effect 13:45 Transitions Shape Wellbeing 16:46 Are Kids Really Different 20:33 TikTok Therapy Language 26:18 Stop the Crisis Narrative 29:29 Ditch Kids These Days 35:26 Archeology and Connection 38:43 Vulnerability as the Skill 43:16 Closing Thanks and Subscribe Helpful Links: Dr. Alexis Redding Mental Health in College - What Research Tells Us About Supporting Students Book Dr. Alexis Redding Instagram