REFS

MIT REFS

REFS (Resources for Easing Friction and Stress) programs are for peer support within the Institute. REFS students are trained to provide low barrier, confidential services to their peers in the form of support, coaching, listening, de-escalation, and informal mentoring and mediation.

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LIFE AT THE ORC

The MIT ORC is made up of a supportive community of creative and talented students and faculty who work together to positively impact the world.

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Resources for Easing Friction and Stress (REFS)

Welcome! We are a group of ORC graduate students providing confidential peer-to-peer support.  We’re here to help you think about issues including but not restricted to:

• Time-management
• Communication with advisor and other students
• Research
• Personal matters

We are trained by Conflict Management @ MIT in conflict resolution and are familiar with other resources offered at MIT. Our purpose is to listen to you, and facilitate a productive discussion about any concerns and potential ways to address them. If you would like us to explore options with you or simply have a chat about how things are going, we encourage you to contact us at or-refs “at” mit.edu or email us individually.

We keep all conversations in confidence and will share only with the permission of the visitor or party — except in the unusual situation of imminent risk of harm to self or others.

RESOURCES

In addition to the REFS, there are several other sources of support at MIT, such as:

• Ombuds Office – Provides confidential, neutral, independent and informal assistance to anyone at MIT who has concerns arising from or affecting their work and studies at MIT.
• Wellness at MIT Medical – Offers counseling services and workshops on stress reduction.

Other resources are available at resources.mit.edu.

CURRENT REFS (orc-refs@mit.edu)