What services do counselors provide?
Counselors can help with a variety of issues, such as:
- Academic counseling
- Personal counseling
- Counseling on disability issues
- Study skills and strategies, including learning styles
- Adjustment to life crises
- Issues around anxiety and depression
What are some of the reasons for referring a student to Counseling Services?
There are many reasons why you might suggest a student see a counselor, including:
- Declining interest in activities or in socializing with others
- Inability to concentrate; reduced ability to cope with stress
- Behavior that is troublesome to self or others, such as increased use of alcohol or other substances
- Relationship problems
- Excessive fears or unusual anxiety
- Excessive absences from classes or failing grades
- Inability to organize and prepare assignments
- Issues related to a disability that are creating barriers in the educational experience
- Desire to make positive life changes
How should I approach a student about seeing a counselor?
- Always address your concerns with the student in private.
- Let the student know that your intent is to help her/him achieve success in college
- Show genuine interest while sharing your specific concerns about the student’s actions or reactions in class.
- Contact Melissa Manzi, ahead of time, if desired, to discuss a strategy for approaching a student.
- You may be able to facilitate the referral by encouraging the student to call for an appointment while in your office. Sometimes it is less intimidating for the student if the instructor calls to see if a counselor is available, and then walks over to the counselor’s office with the student.
- The student can call one of the counselors directly to make an appointment.
- Walk-in services are usually available for situations that require immediate attention. Otherwise, encourage the student to make an appointment.
- The student may not act immediately on your suggestion. She/he may need time to think about making an appointment. If the situation does not appear critical, gently inquire about the situation later.
What should I do when a student’s behavior disrupts the class?
- Inappropriate behavior can be distracting for the instructor and students. It is advisable for faculty members to clearly inform students of behavioral expectations at the beginning of the semester and include them in the syllabus.
- If you are not sure if a problem is a disciplinary or a counseling issue, please contact Melissa Manzi to discuss the situation. There are students on campus, who have inappropriate behavior related to a disability. Although they must also abide by behavioral expectations, this can sometimes be more easily facilitated by a team approach with a counselor.
- If a problem arises, speak to the student privately after class.
- If the problem persists, refer to the student discipline policy in the MWCC Student Handbook.
- In cases requiring immediate action for safety, request assistance from Campus Police, by using the emergency telephone in the hallway.