Dealing with a Student in Psychological Crisis
Staff, faculty and students may find themselves dealing with a situation where a student is in crisis. This situation often involves an event or accident that is so stressful that it affects the coping skills of an individual or group.
What is a Crisis?
As part of their academic life students can experience critical events that are so profound, significant and traumatic that they can be defined as "Crisis."
Some examples of critical events include a serious injury, a sudden death of a student, staff or faculty member, physical violence or threat of physical violence or other unanticipated traumatic event.
What are the Effects of a Crisis?
Emotions - numbness, fear, guilt, grief, depression, anger, uselessness, etc.
Physical Reactions - fatigue, tremors, headaches, sweating, pain, nausea, etc.
Behaviour - tears, hyperactivity, reactivity, withdrawal, emotional scenes, drinking, etc.
Thinking - worry, flashbacks, blaming, confusion, suspiciousness, doubt, dreams, etc.
What to do?
To determine if the situation is a crisis, the following questions are asked:
- Does the incident involve a threat of serious injury/potential danger to the individual or to others?
- Does the incident pose a threat of serious disruption?
- Are there potential legal liability issues involved?
- Are there other unique features which make this incident volatile?
Who to Call?
The crisis management response for students at the University of Guelph is co-ordinated by Counselling Services.
In the event of a crisis, Counselling Services should be contacted: (519) 824-4120, Ext. 53244
Depending on the crisis situation, a meeting will then be convened with all the appropriate services to address and resolve the crisis. This may include: Health Services, Student Housing, the Judicial Office and/or University of Guelph Police. The Associate Vice-President (Student Affairs) will be informed and consulted on the situation.
Responsibilities of Counselling Services
Counselling Services has three specific functions in the event of a crisis:
- Provide a sensitive and co-ordinated response to people personally impacted by the event and to the University community.
- Co-ordinate an accurate and efficient flow of information in an emergency situation. Counselling Services ensures that the University communication and the executive groups have been informed and that the response to concerns and questions from the media are answered.
- Review and debrief the situation with all the individuals involved to ensure the crisis response is effective.
On-Campus Resources for Counselling and Help with Crisis
- Counselling Services - Ext. 53244
- Student Health Services - Ext. 52131
- University of Guelph Police - Ext. 52000
- Student Support Network - Ext. 55002 or 767-5002