Counseling Center Services

1. Counseling Center Services • Individual Counseling • Adjustment to College • Friendship/Dating Difficulties • Depression • Sexual Assault/Rape • Stress/Anxiety • Sexuality/Sexual Identity • Self-Esteem/Self-Confidence • Family Conflicts • Childhood Abuse • Personal Growth • Alcohol/Drug Use • Grief/Loss • Eating Disorders • Anger Management • Thoughts of Harming Self/Other • Self-Harm/Cutting • Academic Performance • Roommate Conflicts • Crisis Intervention • Light Therapy for Seasonal Affective Disorder

2. WHAT DO COUNSELING CENTER DIRECTORS TELL US? • Reported from the National Survey of Counseling Center Directors (Gallagher, 2008, U. of Pittsburgh). • N = 284 Directors from public and private universities across the country.

3. DIRECTORS SAY… • 92% of clients are already on psychiatric medications • 49% of clients have serious psychological difficulties. • 95% of Directors report an increase in clients with severe psychological problems. • Up from 86% in 2004

4. WHAT DO COLLEGE STUDENTS TELL US? • American College Health Association, National College Health Assessment. Fall, 2008 • Random sampling survey - Broad representation of different sized student populations. • Public and private US colleges and universities. • Data set represents 26,685 completed assessment surveys.

5. ACHA-NCHA SELECTED RESULTS. • In the last 12 months have you felt like things were hopeless? Yes • Males: 39% • Females: 54% • In the last 12 months have you felt so depressed that it was difficult to function? • Males: 26% • Females: 33%

6. In the last 12 months have you seriously considered suicide? Yes • Males: 6.1% • Females: 6.4%

7. In the last 12 months have you felt overwhelming anger? Yes • Males: 36% • Females: 40% • In the last 12 months have you felt overwhelming anxiety? Yes • Males: 39% • Females: 54%

8. In the past 12 months have you intentionally cut, burned, bruised or otherwise injured yourself? Yes • Males: 4% • Females: 6%

9. AS A FACULTY MEMBER • You may be one of the first to recognize that a student is experiencing difficulty • Students may approach you directly with their problems

10. Warning Signs of a Student in Distress Academic Signs • Decline in quality of work • Declining grades • Reduced class participation • Incomplete or missing assignments • Repeated requests for extensions, incompletes, or withdraws • Recurring absence or tardiness • Disruptive class behavior • Cheating, rule breaking, or defiance • Difficulty concentrating • Poor organization skills • Bizarre, aggressive or morbid comments or in written content • Signs of anger, hopelessness, isolation, or depression in written assignments

11. Warning Signs of a Student in Distress Psychological/Physical Signs • Deterioration in physical condition or hygiene • Extreme sleepiness in class • Apathy • Evidence of alcohol or other drug dependence or abuse • Frequent irritability or anxiety • Emotional outbursts or crying • Expressions of feeling hopeless, helpless, guilty, and/or worthless • Self injury or other self-destructive behavior

12. ROLE PLAY

13. Guidelines for Interaction • Trust your insight and reactions. • Choose a place where you may talk privately, without interruption . • Be honest and focus on the specific signs that alerted you to a possible problem. • The goal is not to pry into student’s personal life but to confront his/her difficulties in a constructive fashion and encourage appropriate action • Remain calm, compassionate, and willing to listen. • Convey your willingness to help.

14. Guidelines for Interaction • Accept and respect what is said. • Do not swear secrecy or offer confidentiality to the person . • Avoid easy answers such as, “Everything will be all right.” • Keep communication open. • Don’t interpret negative, indifferent, or hostile responses as a wasted effort. • Document interactions with the student after they leave.

15. Making a Referral • Help identify resources needed to improve things. • After listening to what the student has to say, encourage the person to seek help. • Explain why you believe the referral is necessary. • Reassure the student that it is an act of strength to ask for help. • Be mindful that students may view referral as rejection. • Reiterate that the services are free and confidential. • Provide the student with the phone number to the counseling center.

16. Making a Referral • If appropriate, ask for an agreement to make an appointment by a certain date. • It may be necessary for you to make the first contact with the counseling center. • Keep communication open with the student. • Follow up with the student—show continued interest. • If the student resists help and you are worried, contact the Student Counseling Center to discuss your concerns with a counselor. • In emergency situations, call campus police at (434) 395-2091

17. Contacting the Counseling Center Phone: 434.395.2409 Monday – Friday 8:15am – 5:00pm Located in the Health & Fitness Center, Upper Level,

18. Longwood University Counseling Center Counselors & Staff Dr. Wayne O’Brien Director of the Counseling Center Dr. Maureen Walls-McKay Associate Director David Davino Counselor Matt Wagner Administrative Assistant

19. CARE TEAM Larry RobertsonAssociate Dean of Students Care Team addresses: behaviors that impair academic effectiveness when it is suspected that such behaviors are more than the result of irresponsible choices behavior that is so disruptive that it impacts the ability of the individual or others to successfully participate in campus life behavior that is dangerous to self and/or others

20. THE ULTIMATE GOAL Provide help to students who ask for it Reach out to those who need help but never ask