Faculty resources

How faculty can identify and help a student exhibiting mental health symptoms.

Identifying and helping a student in distress

The following guidelines may help you assess what can sometimes be a difficult situation and give you some specific ideas about what you can do when confronted with students who are distressed:

Overview

College students typically encounter a great deal of stress — academic, social, family, work, financial, spiritual — during the course of the educational experience. While most students cope successfully with demands of college life, for some, the pressures can become overwhelming and unmanageable. The inability to cope effectively with emotional stress poses a serious threat to students’ learning ability.

Your expression of interest and concern may be a critical factor in helping a struggling student reestablish the emotional equilibrium necessary for a fulfilling college experience. Your willingness to respond to students in distress will undoubtedly be influenced by your personal style and your particular philosophy about the boundaries of your responsibility for helping students.

How do I recognize a student in distress?

Serious academic trouble: falling grades, multiple unexplained class absences, loss of motivation or investment in school.
Exaggerated emotional responses: angry outbursts, sudden or excessive tearfulness or giddiness.
Changed social relationships: withdrawal from friends or other sources of support, or sudden over-dependence on people.
Disruptive behavior: aggressiveness, violating others’ rights with little provocation.
Persistent depression: crying, low energy, irritability, decline in personal appearance, helplessness/hopelessness, loss of control, emotional flatness.
Increased physical complaints: headaches, indigestion, nausea, stomach pains, loss or gain in weight.
Increased alcohol or drug use.

How can I help a distressed student?

Listen: Support begins with listening.
Empathize: Try to understand the student from his or her perspective.
Normalize: Reassure the student that many college students feel overwhelmed and stressed out.
Set limits on your role: When the support you are comfortable providing doesn’t feel like enough, it is time to refer the student to other resources.
De-stigmatize counseling: Take the anxiety out of seeking help. Counseling is here for the students because college is a time for growth and development, which can sometimes be difficult.

When should I refer a student to counseling?

Sometimes, professional assistance can best help the student to manage the demands and developmental challenges of college. The Counseling Office is here to help. It is time to refer the student to counseling when:

You don’t know how to help the student.
You feel unable to provide all of the support the student needs.
You feel that you have reached your limit or have exhausted your ideas on how to help.
The student’s struggles leave you feeling helpless or anxious.
You feel angry or intimidated by the student’s comments or behavior.
You are spending large amounts of time on the student’s problems.
The student’s issues are too close to home for you, making it hard to keep perspective.

How do I refer a student to counseling?

Here are some pointers:

Share with the student your interest in his or her well-being.
Emphasize that the choice to seek professional guidance is up to the student
Refer to a specific person and location (“The campus counselor’s office is located on the first floor of Wyse Hall.”)
Remember that referring to the Counseling Office can help the student begin to help himself or herself.
Place an Early Alert to be sure that Student Life is informed about your referral

What should I tell the student about the counseling office?

Information the student shares with the counselor is confidential except when the student discloses past or potential harm to self or others.
There is no cost to you for counseling. It is a benefit provided to students when enrolled at Goshen College.
Individual or group counseling sessions are short-term and may include referral to professionals outside the college.

Typical issues discussed with the counselor include anxiety, depression or sadness, relationships break-ups or problems, sexual abuse or assault, sexuality concerns, stress, eating disorders, family problems, and personal growth.

What do I do in an emergency?

If a student is violent, out of control, or in immediate danger of physically harming himself or herself:

Call 911:
Contact Campus Safety (574) 535-7599 and the On-Call Resident Director (574) 535-7273