There are many reasons why you may want to see a counselor. These include:

Relationships	Time Management
Self-Esteem	Suicidal Thoughts
Stress	Sexuality
Anxiety	Social Isolation
Depression	Grief
Eating Disorders	Sexual Orientation
Anger	Couples Counseling
Assertiveness	Alcohol/Drugs
Sexual Abuse	Sexual Assault/Date Rape

Services are provided to employees of NSU and their family members if there is time available after meeting the counseling needs of the students.

Eligible persons can make an appointment with a counselor by calling 357-5621 or by walk-in to room 305, of the Student Union building. Your first appointment will be an intake interview which is conducted by a counselor or by a master's-level counseling intern.

You will then be scheduled to see the professional most appropriate for you. If you have a request to see a specific counselor, please let the secretary know when you schedule your appointment. We will do what we can to accommodate you.

The course of counseling usually lasts for eight sessions. At that time, the counselor and student will assess if the agreed upon counseling goals have been reached or if additional sessions are desirable.

Students are requested to arrive on time for appointments and to call to cancel or reschedule appointments when necessary. Repeated failure (3 occurences) to call, cancel or reschedule appointments will result in the cancellation of counseling services.

Suicide Hot Line: 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2453)

Signs and Symptoms of Distress in Students, Guidelines for Responding, Consultation and Referral

Faculty, staff, parents and friends of students are often among the first to notice students who are encountering overwhelming amounts of stress in their lives. This stress can seriously disrupt academic progress, personal relationships and daily behavior. Below are some guidelines to follow if you are concerned about a student.

Signs and symptoms of distress in students:

Your Observations
• Poor academic or work performance
• Social isolation, withdrawal, lethargy
• Increasing dependence on you (making excessive appointments, hanging around your office or after class) or others.
• Inability to focus on a specific topic in conversation or activity
• Disorganized thinking and speech, feelings that are inappropriate to the situation, lack of affect, or other evidence that the student is " out of touch" with reality.
• Depressed mood
• Anxiety and excessive worry
• Agitated, irritable, aggressive
• Signs of excessive alcohol or drug use
• Loss of interest in self-care
• Expressions of general unhappiness over a period of several weeks
• Apparent "change" in personality
• Inability to deal effectively with the present and preoccupation with the past
• Talk of hurting self or others
• Violent outbursts
Student's Complaints
• Marked anxiety, extreme restlessness, inability to relax or concentrate.
• Marked increase or decrease in appetite or sleep.
• Loss of interest in formerly pleasurable or meaningful acitivities.
• Expression of irrational fears
• Physical complaints without a medical cause, such as headache, stomach pains, etc.
• Unusual ritualistic or repetitive behavior
• Chronic fatigue
• Suicidal thoughts, plans, threats
• Concern about overwhelming financial obligations
Student's Background
• History of emotional disturbance (depression, alcohol or drug abuse, eating disorder, anxiety, suicide attempts).
• Traumatic family event(s) such as recent separation or divorce of parents, serious illness or death of a family member, physical, emotional or sexual abuse.
• Recent loss of an important person (either by death, separation/break-up)
• Recent loss of esteem
• Previous period of poor functioning

Guidelines for Responding

If you are concerned about a student's behavior and need to address your concern with the student there are several points to keep in mind.

• Remain calm.
• Maintain the student's privacy. Offer a quiet , private place to talk and listen.
• Do not promise confidentiality. Rather, inform the student that you will use discretion if seeking outside assistance.
• Be firm. Set clear limits.
• Share your interest and concern openly, directly and with care. Be specific about his/her behaviors.
• Convey understanding and respond honestly.
• Inquire how the student is attempting to respond to the problem. Develop response options together.
• Consider with the student the consequences of "doing more of the same".
• Consult with colleagues, Student Affairs staff or others if you feel you need additional perspectives, before or after approaching the student.
• Suggest a referral to the office of Counseling and Career Services or other campus or community resource.
• Follow up. Offer and be open to further contact.

Consultation and Referral

It is always a good idea to consult with colleagues, deans, counselors or others who might be able to give you feedback or suggestions for working with a distressed student. Often referral is not necessary and approaching the student with your concerns can make an immediate impact on his/her behavior in your class or residence hall. Occasionally a student or resident may appear extremely upset or distraught. Crisis situations may involve a student threatening or attempting suicide, posing a threat to self or others, or being the victim of a violent crime such as assault or rape or a natural disaster. No one has the expertise to handle everything an individual may present to them, so it is necessary to become familiar with the process of asking for help or referring the problem to someone who is trained and has the position and experience to do the best job.

When to Refer

• The problems or requests made are beyond your level of training and expertise.
• There are personality differences, which interfere with your ability to work with a student.
• The boundaries of your role make it unwise to work with students on personal issues.
• The student expresses a preference to speak with someone else about his/her concerns.
• After some time and effort, you feel like you are not making progress in helping the student.

How to Refer

• Consider helping the student make an appointment and/or walk with the student to the office where the referral is being made.
• Afrer the referral, communicate your continued interest, concern, and support to the student.
• Be aware of the requirements of confidentiality in the counseling process, but if appropriate, communicate your continued availability.
• Continue to set healthy boundaries and expectations.
• Do not expect Immediate improvement. Behaviors, attitudes and feelings take time to change, and the student may show slow progress.

Students or faculty/staff wanting to schedule an initial meeting are advised to call 357-5621 or stop by Room 305 Student Union Bldg. In case of an emergency after hours, University Police should be contacted at 357-5431. The counselor on call will then be contacted.