Responding to Students in Distress

Jill Barber, Ph.D.

Georgia Tech Counseling Center

On the Front Line As faculty members interacting daily with students

you are in an excellent position to recognize problems.

You may be the first person a student reaches out to for help.

We realize you may not have time, nor feel qualified to deal with some of the issues you hear from students and we would like to help.

Common warning signs Behavioral Problems: excessive

absences, sleeping in class, not completing assignments, sending emails that sound troubled, arguing frequently with classmates or instructors

Change in Personal Hygiene Irritability Tearfulness or Aggression Withdrawal

Interpersonal Problems

Romantic Relationship Issues Avoidance of others Dependency Excessive Anger Conflicts with classmates or instructors Family problems

How to facilitate conversation

Talk with the student privately Express your concern in empathic terms Point out objective reasons for your concern Listen – avoid the temptation to give advice

immediately or to pass judgment Let the student know that the counseling center is

free and confidential.

Crisis Times Call for Backup/Get help Slow everything down Encourage conversation Attempt to make a

connection Find common ground

How to make a referral Normalize the referral (There

is a reason that the majority of universities have counseling centers)

Be supportive and offer to help Remember that the concept of

counseling may be culturally unfamiliar to many Tech students.

Encourage student to take responsibility for making the appointment

How to make a referral

During regular business hours (8:00 – 5:00) students came come into the center and schedule an appointment.

If there is an emergency with a student, one of our staff will meet with him or her that day.

The Counseling Center is located in the Student Services Building on the second floor.

Emergency Services

The Counseling Center staff provides emergency coverage 24 hours a day through a pager system.

Call the main number (404 894 2575) and follow the prompts, or have the police dispatcher page the counselor on call.

Questions