Referring Students for Counseling
Augustana faculty, staff and residence hall personnel often encounter distressed students, and can play a crucial role in identifying those who could benefit from counseling services. We offer these guidelines to assist you in recognizing students in distress, communicating effectively with them , and referring them for counseling:
Identifying "Distress Signals"
Students who exhibit a combination of these symptoms or behaviors over a sustained period of time should be of particular concern:
- sudden deterioration in academic work, frequent absences or tardiness, inappropriate or disruptive classroom behavior, papers with themes of distress
- dependency-the student hangs around you or makes excessive appointments to see you
- listlessness, lack of energy, falling asleep in class
- coming to class intoxicated or high
- references to death or suicide; expressions of hopelessness
- physical changes, especially sudden weight loss or deteriorating personal hygiene
- withdrawal, isolation from others
- inability to make decisions despite your attempts to clarify and encourage
- excessive somatic complaints
- high irritability, angry outbursts
- bizarre or strange behavior, such as unexplained crying, hearing voices, disorganized thinking, blatantly inappropriate comments or questions in class
- over-reaction to criticism or mistakes
- visible signs of depression or anxiety
Guidelines for Interaction
The following guidelines will help you communicate effectively with distressed students:
- speak to the student in private, at a time when you have adequate time talk (ex: after class, not right before)
- listen carefully and show genuine interest and concern
- reflect back to the student what you hear him/her saying
- refrain from critical or judgmental comments or questions
- offer specific, non-judgmental descriptions of behaviors that concern you (ex: "I'm concerned that you've slept through class 3 times this week")
- try to determine if student has a support system (friends, family) and if so, are they reaching out to those people
- involve yourself only as much as you feel comfortable; be careful about getting overly involved
- describe the resources available on campus (Dean of Students, Counseling Service, Campus Ministry, Reading-Writing Center, etc)
- give student a sense of hope that things can improve with a new plan of action
- if a student resists help and you are worried, contact either the Student Counseling Service (7357) or Dean of Students (7533) for a consultation
How to Make a Referral
Talking with faculty or staff can often help students work through minor problems or crises. However, if a student has a problem that seems outside your area of knowledge, if a student seems unimproved or worse after several meetings, or if a student is unwilling to discuss a problem with you consider a referral to the Student Counseling Service. Of course, if a student is a potential danger to him/herself or to others, he/she should see a professional counselor immediately. The following guidelines will help you in making a referral:
- suggest in a straightforward fashion that the student make an appointment at the SCS; explain that your referral is based on what the student has told you or what you have observed about their behavior
- reassure the student that it is normal to experience some problems during the college years and tell them that a large percentage of Augustana students seek help at the SCS during their time here
- ask the student to call the SCS at 794-7357
(Note: some students may feel more comfortable calling to make the appointment from your office or having you call to make the appointment for him/her-this is fine with us!)
- if the situation is an emergencyFounders Hall 206
- if you are concerned about a student but are uncertain about the appropriateness of a referral, feel free to call one of our staff for a confidential consultation at 794-7357
- after referring a student to the SCS, it is a good idea to have follow-up contact with that student to show that you continue to be interested in his/her welfare and to see if the student is doing better
How to Respond if a Student if Volatile
The following tips are provided in the event a student becomes agitated, seems out of control or acts out:
- if you feel unsafe or are concerned about the student's safety, contact Campus Security at 7711
- if you feel comfortable and safe, ask the student to meet with you outside the classroom so you may speak privately
- remain CALM during the interaction; your demeanor can prevent the situation from escalating and may actually help the student calm down
- be respectful in your interaction, but set clear and firm limits-"I can see you are upset and I want to help you, but in order to do that I first need you to . . ."
- be patient and listen carefully to both the verbal and non-verbal message the student is conveying; acknowledge that you understand their concerns and feelings
- be concrete in identifying the presenting issue and suggesting an immediate plan of action
- encourage the student to accompany you to the Counseling Service or to the Dean of Students Office to further discuss the situation
- respectfully inform the student of possible consequences should he/she continue to behave or act inappropriately (dismissal from class, contact security, etc)
