Information for Faculty and Staff

University students often encounter a great deal of stress as a result of the academic demands placed upon them. They may feel as if these pressures exceed their current capacity to cope, which may lead to sleep problems, an urge to isolate, feelings of anxiety, or even panic. It’s also not uncommon to experience stressors which are brief in nature, often resolving on their own. Other times, stressors are ongoing and can be difficulty to manage, in which case, it would be appropriate to seek the services of the behavioral health center in FSC 114. Reaching out is confidential, and making an appointment is easy.   

How to Make a Referral to Counseling Services

1. E-mail is preferred, and is typically the quickest way to schedule. Please contact Ty Thornton, LPC, at tthornton003@drury.edu. Give the Burrell on Campus phone number (873-7418) and location (FSC 114).
2. If you wish to be certain the student has an appointment, call Counseling Services while the student is in your office. Due to client confidentiality, we cannot inform you as to whether or not a student has made or kept an appointment. Write down the appointment info, including time, date and location for student.
3. If the situation is an emergency, follow #2 above, but state that the student needs an “emergency appointment.” Except on rare occasions, the student can be seen shortly after your call.
4. Sometimes it may be useful or necessary for you to walk the student over to Counseling Services.
5. Follow up with the student by inquiring as to whether he/she kept their appointment and how they felt their session went.
6. If you are concerned about a student but are uncertain of the appropriateness of the referral, or a student resists a referral, feel free to call Counseling Services for a consultation. You and the counselor can speak frankly about the student and the situation. Should you wish for the counselor to intervene with the student, the counselor will ask for your permission to reveal your name as the source of concern.

Signs & Symptoms of Student Distress

• Excessive procrastination and very poorly prepared work, especially if this is inconsistent with previous work.
• Dependency. For example, the student who hangs around you or makes excessive appointments to see you during office hours.
• Listlessness, lack of energy, or frequently falling asleep in class.
• Marked changes in personal hygiene.
• Impaired speech or garbled, disjointed thoughts.
• Homicidal threats.
• Behavior which regularly interferes with the decorum or effective management of your class.
• Overtly suicidal thoughts–i.e., referring to suicide as a current option.
• High levels of irritability, including unruly, aggressive, violent, or abrasive behavior.
• Inability to make decisions despite your repeated attempts to clarify and to encourage.
• Dramatic weight loss or weight gain.
• Bizarre or strange behavior which is obviously inappropriate to the situation, like talking to “invisible” people.
• Normal emotions that are displayed to an extreme degree for a prolonged period of time–i.e., fearfulness, tearfulness, nervousness, etc.