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Counseling Services
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Faculty/ Staff Assessment and Referral Faculty, staff, and alumni are eligible for assessment and referral. If you have any concerns about yourself or someone else, we are available to meet with you to discuss the situation and make recommendations. We are familiar with community resources and can guide people through this process, if needed. Our services are confidential. There may be instances where you are concerned about a student, or a student is disruptive to the rest of the class. We are available to discuss ways to handle these situations. Even if it’s just a hunch or sense that something could develop, it can be very helpful to discuss it and have an idea of how to best approach the person. In fact, it is better to attend to a concern sooner rather than later, in order to potentially prevent a problem from developing, or to avoid reaching a crisis point, so don’t hesitate to call us at 312-341-3548. While we try to allay the concerns of faculty and staff, be aware that due to federal and state laws and guidelines and ethical codes of professional conduct, we will be unable to disclose information about a student, including whether or not they came to see us. We do encourage students to follow up with those who referred them, and encourage you to also ask the student whether s/he made contact with us or not. We are available to come into your classrooms, departmental meetings, or organized groups. One of The Counseling Center staff can briefly present information on the Counseling Center—or present on any topic related to well-being. Requests for Counseling Center brochures are also encouraged. We welcome the opportunity to work together with you on behalf of our students. Request a workshop/presentation for your class or group. In the course of your contact with students, whether as staff or faculty, you may become aware of your students having some difficulties—either academic or personal. A student may confide in you as they explain about coming to class late, or about their work not being at its usual level of performance, or perhaps there are repeated misunderstandings of how your office can help them. When choosing to try to help a distressed student, or if a student approaches you to talk about personal problems, you may find that the following tips will help you make that interaction more beneficial to both of you.Arrange to talk to the student at a time when both of you can focus on the problem. It is not necessary that you set aside a large portion of your time, but it is important that you give the student your undivided attention. State the reasons for your concern gently, honestly and specifically, while avoiding assumptions. Listen very carefully and be nonjudgmental. Remember: if you were in the student’s shoes, you might be doing the same things or feeling the same way. Do not expect that the student will immediately reveal issues of concern or will necessarily reveal them at all. However, your expressions of concern will let the student know that others are noticing there is a problem and that you are a person who is willing to help. Instill hopefulness and positive attitudes in resolving the problem. Refrain from offering solutions or being critical of the student’s past actions. Inform the student of available resources. Advise the student that The Counseling Center is one such resource available to them—not all students are aware of the Center. This also helps to convey the message that it is perfectly acceptable to seek help when having difficulties. This is an important message, as some students may feel they should be able to work things out on their own, and they may react as though you are implying that they are "crazy" or "sick" if you suggest counseling. Your approach to the student and your personal attitude about counseling are extremely important at this point. It will help if you are familiar with the services of The Counseling Center and can describe them matter of factly and with confidence.Maintain clear interpersonal boundaries as appropriate to your professional relationship with the student. Once you know details of the student’s personal life, realize that it may be more difficult but still necessary to maintain academic requirements and institutional policies. Of course, any appropriate flexibility that can be brought to bear in the circumstances may be very much appreciated by the student. As a general rule, if you feel that more than one discussion with you will be necessary in order to resolve the situation, you should consider making a referral to The Counseling Center or other resources. Consult as necessary. It can be helpful to relay pertinent information about the student to The Counseling Center. Or, if a student is not interested in a referral and you remain concerned about the person, contact The Counseling Center for a consultation to discuss your concern. If it is an emergency, such as a situation when you are dealing with a student who is disoriented, out of control, or engaging in bizarre behavior, they are several things to consider:
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