Students in Emotional Distress
Recognizing and
Dealing with Students in Emotional Distress
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Tips for Recognizing Troubled Students
- What can you do?
- Dealing with Level 3
- Contact Information
Introduction
College students typically encounter a great deal of
stress (e.g. academic, social, family, work, financial) during their
educational experiences. While
most students can cope successfully with the demands of college, for some,
the pressures can feel overwhelming and difficult to manage.
Students experiencing difficulty have a number of resources available
to them. These include close
friends, family, and others they see on a regular basis.
As members of the
Your willingness to respond to students in distress will, of course, be influenced by your own personal style and your own philosophy about the limits of responsibility in assisting students. As well, a student’s openness to assistance, and such factors as class size, length and depth of your relationship, and the location of the contact, all have an impact on the type of interaction you can have with a student.
Counselling Services would like to assist you in recognizing and dealing with students in emotional distress. The following information may offer you some specific ideas about what you can do when faced with a student who is in distress. Of course, this information is not intended to transform you into a professional counsellor. However, the following guidelines, your knowledge of the services available, and your awareness of your personal attributes can help you become more comfortable with determining when and how you wish to get involved with students.
Tips for Recognizing Troubled Students
At one time or another, everyone feels depressed, frustrated or upset. This is normal. There are three general levels of distress however, which, when present over a period of time, suggest that the problems a person is facing, or how they are coping with these problems, go beyond what may be considered manageable.
What Can You Do?
Dealing with Levels 1 and 2 Behavior
In dealing with a student who shows
Level 1 or
Level 2 behavior, you have
several choices. (1) You can
choose to not deal with it at all;
(2) Deal directly with the request or disruptive behavior in a way that
limits your interaction to the classroom issue; or
(3) You can deal with the
situation on a more personal level.
If you choose to deal with a situation more personally, or if a student seeks you out for help with personal problems, here are some suggestions which might make the opportunity more comfortable for you and more helpful for the student:
- Talk to the student in private when both of you have time and are not rushed or preoccupied. Give the student your undivided attention. It is possible that just a few minutes of effective listening on your part may be enough to help the student feel confident about what to do next.
- If you have initiated the contact, express your concern in behavioral, nonjudgmental terms (e.g. “I’ve noticed you’ve been absent quite a bit lately and I’m concerned” rather than “Where have you been lately? Goofing off again?”)
- Listen to the student’s thoughts and feelings in a sensitive non-threatening way. Communicate that you are listening and understanding by repeating back the essence of what the student has told you. Allow the student to talk.
- Avoid judging, evaluating, criticizing even if the student asks your opinion. Responding in these ways will likely close the student off from you and from getting the help needed. It is important to show respect for the student’s value system, even if you don’t agree with it.
When Should You Make a Referral to Counselling Services?
Even though a student asks for help with a problem and you are willing to help, there are circumstances which may indicate that you should suggest that the student access other resources. Some examples of this are:
- you know the problem or request for information is one you can’t handle
- you believe that personality differences will interfere with your ability to help
- you know the student personally and think you would not be able to be objective enough
- the student acknowledges the problem but is reluctant to discuss it with you
- you are feeling overwhelmed, pressed for time, or experiencing a high level of stress yourself
In these types of situations, making a referral to counselling services would be in the best interests of both you and the student.
How Do I Make a Referral?
Some people accept a referral for professional help
more easily than others. It is
usually best to be frank with a student about the limits of your ability to
assist them – limits of time, energy, training, objectivity.
It is often reassuring to a student to hear that you respect their
willingness to talk to you and that you want to support them in getting the
assistance that they need.
Confused students may be comforted to know that they don’t necessarily have
to know what’s wrong before they can ask for help.
Assure the student that seeking help doesn’t necessarily mean that they have serious problems. There are several common reasons college students access help, such as feeling down or low on energy and motivation; experiencing difficulties in relationships with friends, parents, boy/girlfriends; feeling anxious or depressed; and having concerns about future goals or plans. It is possible that their concern is among these reasons.
Also, try to prepare the student for what they might expect if they take your suggestion. Tell them what you know about Counselling Services.
Counselling Services
Professional and confidential counselling is provided
free of charge in a private setting.
All counselling services are voluntary.
RRC counsellors work sensitively and respectfully with students to
assist them to identify and resolve their personal problems or concerns.
Academic Counselling is also provided to students who are
experiencing difficulties with their studies. When necessary,
counsellors will refer students to other services or agencies in the
community.
In addition to one on one counselling, we offer workshops regarding personal and academic concerns. Faculty and students can access the workshop schedule from the RRC website at http://www.rrc.mb.ca/index.php?pid=3120 or find this information on posters around the campuses.
Students should make their own appointments if possible.
They can visit or phone Counselling Services at Notre Dame,
When a student books a first appointment, they will fill out an intake form, which takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. During the first appointment the counsellor will begin by completing an assessment form with the student to gather relevant information so they can be most helpful. It is important for students to know that all information is confidential by law, unless there is a risk of suicide, harm to others, or abuse of children.
The first appointment lasts approximately 1 hour. During this time the student and the counsellor will make a plan which could include ongoing weekly meetings, referrals to other services within the college, and/or community resources. It is also possible that the student may leave the initial appointment feeling able to handle the problem on his/her own.
Additional Consultation
If you have chosen to initiate a conversation with a student, you may
still have some questions about how best to handle the situation.
Staff members in Counselling Services would be pleased to assist you
with:
- Assessing the situation, its seriousness, and the potential for referral.
- Learning about resources, both on and off campus, so you can suggest the most appropriate help available when talking with a student.
- Finding the best way to make a referral, if appropriate.
- Clarifying your own feelings about the student and consider ways you can be most effective.
Dealing with Level 3 Behaviors
In some ways, Level 3 behaviors are the easiest to identify because they can be the most obvious. If you encounter students that fit level 3 behaviors, try to stay as calm as possible. Remember, you always stand a better chance of calming down a student if you remain calm yourself. If any of these behaviors occur in the classroom, request that the student leave with you so that you may speak with them privately. Be respectful, clear and concrete in the words that you use.
If the student’s behavior continues to be volatile or strange, try to find someone to stay with student while you call the appropriate campus resource.
If a student is expressing a direct threat to themselves or others, or is acting in a bizarre, highly irrational or disruptive way, call Security Services. The Security Office is open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, however Security staff are on duty 24 hours a day.
If the student is in great emotional distress and
refers to suicide, Counselling
Services should be called for an emergency consultation and appointment.
Contact Information
Security Services
Princess Street
Or call Security by using any of the
Safewalk Phones located
throughout the College Campuses.
Counselling Services
Notre Dame Campus
Office: D102
Hours:
Mon-Thurs 8 a.m. – 5
p.m.;
Fri 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Phone: 632-3966
Princess Street Campus
Office: P210
Hours:
Mon-Fri 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Phone: 949-8375
Main Street
Campus
Phone: 945-8774
Community Crisis Services
Klinic 24 hour Crisis Line: Phone 786-8686
Mobile Crisis Unit
This page has been provided by Counselling and
Disability Services, Red River College, D102-2055 Notre Dame Avenue
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