The
college years mark an important period of personal and psychological
growth that can be stressful for students. On occasion students
may experience difficulty coping. You, as a faculty or staff member,
may be one of the first to become aware of personal difficulties
affecting a student. The information that appears below is drawn
from the Counseling Center’s brochure, A Referral Guide for
Faculty and Staff. You may also contact someone at the Counseling Center for hard copies of this brochure (ext. 3388).
The Counseling Center is committed to providing comprehensive, quality services for all students dealing with developmental concerns or psychological problems. The staff of the Center is available to assist students with their personal and social concerns in hopes of helping them achieve satisfying educational and life experiences. Services offered include:
Free, confidential counseling for students
Consultation for faculty and staff
Psycho-educational programming
24-hour crisis assessment and intervention
Consider referring a student to the Counseling Center if you notice any of these warning signs:
You find yourself doing more personal counseling than academic advising with a student
A student seems excessively tired, anxious, depressed, irritable, angry, or sad
You notice marked changes in a student’s appearance or habits (e.g., deterioration in grooming, hygiene, weight loss, interpersonal withdrawal, acceleration in activity or speech, or change in academic performance
A student seems hopeless or helpless
A student’s use of alcohol or other substances interferes with her/his relationships or work
A student's thoughts or actions appear bizarre or unusual
If you notice any of these warning signs, inform the student of your concern in a straight-forward, matter-of-fact manner. Be specific regarding the behavior patterns you have observed. At this point, suggest that he/she consider personal counseling and refer the student to the Counseling Center. Encourage the student to come to the Counseling Center during our walk-in hours (3:30 – 4:30 p.m., Monday - Friday), or to call for an appointment. Except in emergencies, the student should be allowed the option of declining a referral for counseling.
Alternative referral resources on campus are also available. They include:
An emergency can occur anytime and may require immediate action. The Counseling Center provides 24-hour emergency crisis assessment and intervention throughout the academic year. The following are examples of emergency situations:
Suicidal gesture, stated intention, or attempt to commit suicide
Behavior posing an imminent threat to the student or others.
Demonstrated inability to care for oneself.
Any reference to suicide should be taken very seriously, and a referral to the Counseling Center is strongly advised. If the reference includes any mention of details of a suicide plan, immediate response is critical.
If possible, offer a quiet place for the individual to talk.
Listen to the person, while maintaining a straightforward, considerate, and helpful attitude.
Do not leave the individual alone, unless you feel concerned for your own safety.
Secure help as soon as possible.
When faced with a mental health emergency, please contact the Counseling Center’s “Counselor-on-call.” During business hours call the center directly (781-3388); after business hours call the Department of Campus Safety (781-3333) and ask the dispatcher to page the Counselor-on-call. If you are concerned about imminent danger to the student or others, ask the dispatcher to send a security officer right away. Be prepared to provide as much information as possible, including:
Your name and department, and the name of the student in question
Description of the situation and necessary assistance
Exact location and description of the person in need of help
As required by law and professional codes of ethics, all communication
between a counselor and a client is confidential. Once a student becomes
a Counseling Center client, we cannot discuss his/her situation, or even
acknowledge the fact that counseling is being provided, without the consent
of the student. However, the Center’s staff typically requests students’
permission to acknowledge referrals; if you do not hear from us, it is
likely that permission has been denied.
The limits of confidentiality notwithstanding, the staff at the center
can always listen to your concerns. Don’t hesitate to contact us
to discuss your concerns and explore possible courses of action.
Sometimes troubling events from outside the classroom have a way of intruding on classroom and one-on-one discussions with students. Follow this link for some suggestions on managing emotionally difficult discussions.
The staff at the center looks forward to working with you to promote the academic success and personal development of all Hobart and William Smith students.
Sometimes troubling events from outside the classroom have a way of intruding on classroom and one-on-one discussions with students. After all, students often look to faculty for guidance in understanding the world around them, and course topics often focus or touch on troubling world events. What follows are some general guidelines that may prove helpful in managing emotionally-laden classroom and one-on-one discussions.
The goal of active listening is to understand and be able to reflect back the unique experiences of your students. This is critical to any helping relationship because:
Resilience is “the process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences, especially highly stressful or traumatic events” (Butler, Hobfoll, & Keane, 2003, p. 1). Steps in promoting resilience include:
Assure the students that their reactions to distressing events, although unpleasant, are normal (i.e., it is normal to experience sleep problems, changes in appetite, sadness, low energy, irritability, anger, fear, inability to focus, difficulty making decisions, bouts of crying, and nightmares for a short time after a traumatic event). It is of concern, however, if symptoms last for several weeks or have a significant impact on day-to-day functioning.
Listen for and correct misconceptions, misinterpretations, and misinformation.
Help re-establish a sense of control—reinforce the ways that students can keep safe and the proactive things they can do to effect positive changes.
Learn more about resilience by reading this “Road to Resilience” brochure from the American Psychological Association.
While some group discussion can be very helpful, people sometimes also need a break from thinking and talking about a traumatic event, and can feel distressed when it seems like the event is inescapable. Go with the flow of your class.
Hearing about someone else’s struggles can be difficult and can leave you feeling emotionally drained. Remember to find your own discussion outlets for dealing with your own emotions.
The information that appears below is drawn from the Counseling Center’s brochure, A Referral Guide for Faculty and Staff. You may also contact someone at the Counseling Center for hard copies of this brochure (ext. 3388).