Confidential counsellor for PhD candidates: ‘Come as soon as possible if something’s bothering you’
Rikki Holtmaat has been our faculty’s confidential counsellor for PhD candidates since 2018. In this role, she listens, offers advice and supports PhD candidates dealing with various problems. ‘My approach is to find a solution together.’
What does your position as a confidential counsellor entail?
‘My role is first and foremost to offer a listening ear. PhD students come to me when they have a problem they can't figure out themselves, and sometimes it helps to talk about it. Together, we explore what the problem is exactly, what’s involved and what they’d ideally like to achieve. When someone’s really stuck, we first look at how to create calm. For example, with a time-out or by referring them to a psychologist.
Then I start looking at possible solutions. I don't take on the problem, but offer options and help the person find an approach that works for them. The path they take is always one the PhD candidate has chosen themselves. I aim to support them in finding a solution they can really work with, so that the tension they’re experiencing is relieved.
Besides individual counselling, I also play a role in identifying potential issues. In my annual report – which is entirely anonymised – I outline the kinds of problems PHD candidates come to me with. Sometimes, I make recommendations as to how the faculty could deal with certain matters. For example, there’s no faculty policy addressing extensions needed because of delays caused by illness. In addition, if there are many problems related to a certain department, I can raise this with the management. But, I’ll never do so without the permission of the PhD students who have brought this to my attention.
What does a confidential counsellor not do?
'What I categorically don’t do is act as a mediator. For example, I won’t talk to someone’s supervisor on their behalf, or any other people involved. Nor do I solve a person’s problems. My role is to help the person gain clarity themselves and to offer insights into the next steps they can take. It's not up to me to check whether everything the PhD candidate tells me is correct. I work entirely from the perspective of the person in front of me and don’t do any fact-finding.
Another thing I don’t do, is go into the content of a person’s PhD research. Sometimes, people talk about their research to provide some background, but I don't get involved in the actual content of their research.'
What kind of matters can you help PhD candidates with?
'PhD candidates can come to me with a wide range of questions and problems, both on a personal and professional level. It could be about practical matters, such as a supervisor who’s not responding or a lack of substantive feedback. But, it could also be about problems with motivation or doubts about the entire PhD process.
PhD candidates can also turn to me if they are experiencing stress, high work pressure or conflicts. I’m also contacted about questions related to career prospects, how team members treat each other, or hierarchical relationships within a department.'
How is the confidentiality of meetings guaranteed?
'This is done in several ways. There’s a GDPR protocol that sets out exactly how confidential information is dealt with. Notes of conversations are stored encrypted, contain no full names, and are destroyed after one year. The faculty has no right of access and is not allowed to request information.
In any consultations with colleagues, only the main issues are discussed with no mention of names, unless the person concerned gives explicit permission to do so. This can only be deviated from in the case of criminal offences and even then with utmost care. Everything is aimed at guaranteeing the safety of the person who has reported an issue.'
Doing PhD research can be a challenging process. What’s the most important advice you have for PhD candidates?
'Don't keep doubts or problems to yourself for too long. It doesn’t matter if you raise the alarm with your supervisor, a colleague, a PhD dean, or a psychologist – just make sure you talk to someone. Problems often get bigger in your head if you’re dealing with them on your own. My advice: come as soon as possible if something’s bothering you.
Not only that, you should make clear agreements with your supervisor from the very start and monitor these regularly. Be clear about what you need and don’t be afraid to express your expectations. And from a practical point of view: never feel you have to say 'yes' immediately when you’re asked to take on a certain task in a meeting. Take time to consider it. In the academic setting, where hierarchy plays a role, it’s even more important to be aware of your limits and to guard these.'
How can PhD candidates reach you?
‘Via my email address. I check my mailbox every day and will normally respond on the same day, or in any case within 24 hours. We can then arrange to meet at a location outside the university, so we can talk confidentially and in a quiet setting.’
Other confidential counsellors
Within the university and faculty, there are various confidential advisors for different situations. For example, besides the confidential counsellor for PhD candidates, there are counsellors for cases involving malpractice, unacceptable behaviour, personnel affairs and academic integrity. For a complete overview, visit the page on support from a confidential counsellor on the website.