Staff and Faculty Resources

Signs and behaviors listed under the following categories are often indicative of psychological distress.

Expressions of concern about a student by other students

Marked Changes in Academic Performance

• Excessive class absences or tardiness
• Avoidance of classroom participation
• Inappropriate disruption or monopolization of class time
• Significant deterioration in quality of work
• Frequent requests for special considerations, especially when this represents a change from previous functioning
• Consistently missed appointments and assignments

Unusual Behavior, Attitudes, or Appearance

• Depressed mood, lethargy, excessive fatigue
• Hyperactivity, very rapid speech, grandiosity
• Unprovoked irritability, angry outbursts, any form of physical aggression or violence
• Unexplained crying
• Visible anxiety, marked negativity, or obsessive thoughts
• Marked change in personal hygiene or dress
• Noticeable weight loss or gain
• Strange or bizarre behavior possibly indicating loss of contact with reality. (Rambling thoughts, laughing to self, disorganized thinking, suspiciousness, or prolonged vacant staring.)

Direct or Indirect References to Significant Distress, Suicide, or Homicide

• Expressed thoughts of helplessness or hopelessness
• Comments suggesting family problems or marked isolation from family or friends
• Reference to “voices” telling the student what to do
• Overt or indirect references to suicide (may appear in written assignments)
• Sharing of homicidal threats

Clark University faculty and staff are neither expected nor encouraged to provide psychotherapy or clinical assessment services to students. Having said that, it is also evident that faculty and staff are often in an optimal position to notice students in distress, to engage them in conversations about their situations, and, ultimately, to refer them to appropriate resources for assistance.

If you are having difficulty deciding if, when, or how you should approach a student in apparent distress, individuals at the Center for Counseling and Personal Growth and Dean of Students office are available for consultation. If you feel that a student is in imminent danger or crisis, please alert the Dean of Students office immediately at (508)793-7423. If you believe a student may be experiencing psychological distress, the following guidelines will help facilitate effective communication:

• Speaking with a student out of genuine concern will usually be perceived as a kind and thoughtful gesture rather than an intrusion.
• When you address the student, offer non–judgmental descriptions of the behaviors/signs that have provoked your concern. Be as specific and concrete as possible (e.g. “I’m concerned that you’ve missed so many classes recently”).
• Listen openly to the student’s description of what’s happening in his or her life. Acknowledge (validate) how the student is seeing things at this time so that he or she may know that you understand.
• If you have questions, ask them directly and non–judgmentally.
• Allow for silences.
• If you are concerned about the possibility of self–injury or suicide, ask directly if the student is considering hurting him/herself. Bringing up this subject will not “put ideas in the person’s head”. Often a student will be relieved to hear that someone is “tuned in” well enough to ask.
• Avoid making promises of confidentiality. If it turns out that the student is a potential danger to self or others, such promises cannot be kept.
• Try to determine the nature and extent of the student’s friendships, family connections, and other sources of social support. Determine if he or she is reaching out for help from support systems.
• Be clear with the student (and yourself) about what support you can and cannot provide.
• Describe resources available on campus (e.g. Center for Counseling and Personal Growth, Dean of Students Office, Residential Life and Housing Office, Disability Services). Explain the potential benefits of professional support.
• Volunteer to help the student make an appointment with a counselor (if desired).
• Instill hope in the student that things can improve with a new course of action.

• While a student often feels much better after talking with an interested adult, you might sense that his or her problems are beyond the scope of your expertise. In such cases, it is helpful to encourage a student to seek assistance at the Center for Counseling and Personal Growth (CPG). Reassuring the student that it is normal to have some problems during the college years, stating the fact that a large number of Clark students seek contact with the CPG during their time here, and stressing that the CPG staff enjoy working with students and have a great deal of compassion for the student’s experience (whatever it may be) can also help a student to feel more relaxed about asking for help.
• Scheduling an Appointment (508–793–7678)
• If you feel there is no immediate emergency and that counseling might be helpful, providing a student with information about accessing our services can facilitate the process. To schedule an appointment, a student should either email our general counseling inbox at counseling@clarku.edu or call us at (508)793-7678. In most cases, students can be seen within a week of scheduling their appointment, however it may be longer during our peak times of use (April and November). If you feel that the student is hesitant to schedule an appointment, a good approach is to encourage the student to call to make the appointment from your office. It is often helpful for a counselor to have information about a student’s situation before the counselor sees the student. Students are usually willing, even relieved, for an initial conversation between the faculty or staff member and a counselor to take place. If you would like to speak with a counselor, ask the student’s permission to do so when referring him or her.