Distressed Students
Guidelines for talking with a Distressed Student:
- Listen, accept & respect what is said.
- Attempt to address the person's needs & seek appropriate resources.
- Try to focus on an aspect of the problem that is manageable & help identify resources needed to improve things.
- Avoid giving advice, judging, evaluating, and criticizing or easy answers such as, "Everything will be all right."
- Trust your insight and reactions & let others know your concerns.
- Avoid contributing unnecessarily to the person's guilt or sense of failure.
- Do not swear secrecy or offer confidentiality to the person.
- Encourage the person to seek help.
- Respect the student's value system, even if you don't agree.
- When called for, let the person know you are worried about their safety.
- After the interaction with the student, make some notes documenting what was took place.
- Consult with others on about your concerns and/or interaction with the distressed student.
IMPORTANT TO NOTE:
If a student expresses a direct threat to themselves or others, or acts in a bizarre, highly irrational or disruptive way, it is important to call the Campus Police at (815)836-5911 immediately.
