Purpose

The Center for Counseling and Student Development (CCSD) was developed out of recognition by faculty, staff, and administrators that student learning and success are intricately related to healthy psychological development.

The CCSD, as an academic support service, provides developmental, remedial, and preventative psychological services aimed at maximizing students' intellectual development while promoting respect for self, others, property, and diversity within the RWU community.

Services

Individual, couple, and group counseling are provided in a confidential setting. Our orientation tends to be short-term and solution-focused with the goal of helping students cope with various personal and interpersonal problems that are impacting their academic performance. Full-time and residential undergraduate students are eligible to use all of our services free of charge.

 Limited services (i.e., crisis evaluation, consultation, referral) are available to part-time undergraduate students. In addition, the Center coordinates the P.E.E.R. Program (Peer Educator with Expertise in Referrals) which consists of students trained to provide referral services and educational workshops.

Location

The CCSD is located on the second floor of the Center for Student Development building directly across from Cedar Hall.

Consultation For Faculty and Staff

 If you have a particular student and want assistance with making a referral, call the CCSD (ext.3124) and request to speak with one of the counselors. Identify yourself as faculty or staff and tell the receptionist that you want help with a student concern. Indicate if the situation is an emergency and requires immediate attention. Students in crisis will be seen as soon as possible on the day of the call.

In addition, we can provide you with information about various mental health issues and/or connect you with community resources that may better serve your personal needs.

Indication of Need For Counseling

The following signs may indicate that a student could benefit from a referral to the Counseling Center. To prevent possible over-interpretation of single, isolated behaviors, it is useful for you to look for clusters of indicators. This list includes both sources and effects of stressful circumstances:

• Problems in academic performance.
• Dramatic drop in grades.
• Incapacitating test anxiety.
• Sporadic class attendance or protracted absences.
• Difficulty maintaining attention or concentration.
• Lack of alternative goals, especially when failing.
• Extreme dissatisfaction with academic major.
• Confusion with regard to vocational interests, abilities, or values.
• Procrastination.
• Chronic indecisiveness.

Unusual Behavior

• Withdrawal from an established pattern of social behavior.
• Marked seclusion or unwillingness to communicate.
• Profound shyness or lack of essential social skills.
• Consistent disturbance in sleeping patterns.
• Extreme loss of appetite or excessive eating.
• Unexplained crying or outbursts of anger.
• Acutely increased activity (e.g., incessant talking).
• Unusual irritability.
• Nonsensical conversation.
• Extreme suspicion or irrational feelings of persecution.
• Frequent expressions of fear or overwhelming anxiety .
• Marked lack of response to normally upsetting events.

Traumatic changes in personal relationships

• Death of family member or close friend.
• Difficulties in intimate relationships.
• Problems at home with family members.
• Problems with roommates or house mates.

Substance abuse

• Excessive alcohol consumption.
• Pattern of reliance or habitual use of drugs, legal or illegal.

References to suicide

• Statements indicating feelings of hopelessness.
• Statements indicating feelings of helplessness.

Note: Any reference to a personal consideration of suicide, threat of suicide, or attempt at suicide should be judged as extremely serious, and a referral to the Counseling Center is highly advised.

If the Reference includes the How, When, Where, or other specifics of suicide plans, immediate referral is critical.

Your Role in Assisting Distressed Students

Students having problems may often turn to you, the faculty and staff, while at the University. A student may be encountering academic or personal difficulties, or a combination of events affecting their functioning in and out of the classroom.

Many students experience extensive changes in their lives while at college. Students often leave their homes, communities, and their cultures to live independently, many for the first time. In college they must make key career and life decisions while developing the good judgment that marks their maturation from adolescents to young adults. Students must also manage the special challenges of academics. Under these difficult circumstances students may find their personal resources strained to the limit.

The University endeavors to assist students to make this transition successfully so that they can progress academically as well as develop as people. If distressing circumstances are significantly affecting a student's well being or ability to make satisfactory academic progress, a referral to counseling may be very helpful to the student.

Faculty and staff are not expected to provide counseling. To make a good referral, express clearly your willingness to help, provide the essential first supportive contact, and assist the student in locating resources.

How to Make a Referral

When you have decided that a student might benefit from professional counseling, inform the student directly in a straight-forward, matter-of-fact manner, showing simple and concrete concern. Make it clear that the recommendation represents your best judgment, based on observations of the student's behavior. Be specific regarding the behavior patterns that have raised your concerns, but avoid judging the individual's personality and character.

Except in emergencies, leave open the option for the student to accept or refuse counseling. If the student appears skeptical or reluctant for whatever reason, simply express acceptance of these reactions so that the student feels free to reject the referral without rejecting you. Give the student room to consider the alternatives by suggesting that the two of you can discuss the matter later after there has been some time to think it over.