• Anxiety and Depression Association of America
• NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness
• National Eating Disorders Association

Appointments

Nazareth College Counseling Services is located in the Student Wellness Center. Appointments can be made during business hours by calling extension 2887 on-campus, calling 585-389-2887 off-campus, or going to the Student Wellness Center reception area.

When might a student benefit from an appointment?

Some signs and symptoms of student distress:

• Chronic procrastination
• Poorly prepared work, especially if this is not consistent with previous functioning
  
• Infrequent class attendance, especially if this is not consistent with previous attendance record
  
• Disruptive classroom or residence hall behavior
• Significant changes in relationships that feel overwhelming
  
• Repeated requests for special considerations
• Increased dependence on faculty or staff members
  
• Personal hygiene changes
• Lack of energy or falling asleep in class
  
• Unexplained, dramatic weight loss or weight gain
  
• Marked changes in mood or inappropriate and/or prolonged  display of emotions
• Hyperactivity, irritability, grandiosity, or heightened anxiety
• Helplessness/hopelessness/prolonged unhappiness/pessimism about the future
• Use of mood-altering chemicals
  
• Bizarre or strange behavior, including impaired or garbled speech, disjointed thoughts, loss of contact with reality, or a stark lack of emotionality
  
• Overt or veiled references to suicide (verbal or written)
  
• Homicidal threats (verbal or written)
  
  If you are concerned about a student:

• Speak with the student in private, specifically stating your reasons for concern. Mention concrete behaviors and observations rather than speculations about what the student might be thinking or feeling.
  
• Listen carefully, avoiding criticism, sounding judgmental, or labeling the student's difficulties. Offer support by expressing interest in the student's experiences and feelings. For guidance about how to approach the conversation, click here.
  
• If you feel the student would benefit from coming to Counseling Services, convey this to the student. When you do so, normalize help-seeking by letting them know that seeking help is courageous and that many students come to Counseling Services. Tell them what you know about our services and staff. Make sure to mention that counseling is both free and confidential.

Unsure? Call us for a consult!

• If you are concerned about mentioning counseling or want to brainstorm ways to approach this topic with the student, you are welcome to call us at 585-389-2887. We are happy to talk to you about your concerns, empower you to encourage the student to seek help, provide guidance on how to frame the referral, and support you through the process. Due to ethical guidelines, the Counseling Services staff does not directly reach out to students in distress unless they are in imminent danger of hurting themselves or someone else- but we can support you as you support the student! And of course once the student walks into our office, we’ll take it from there.
  
• Please note that we are required by NYS law and professional ethics to maintain confidentiality, so we are unable to provide you with any information about contacts we have had with the student, including whether or not they attended an appointment. These confidentiality regulations are in place in order to create a sense of safety so that students can genuinely and fully engage in the therapeutic process.
  
• If there is a clinical emergency outside of business hours, call Campus Safety at ext.3333 or 585-389-2850. If necessary, Campus Safety will contact the Counseling Services on-call clinician for consultation.