By Jess Jolly, Director of Counseling
College breaks (Thanksgiving and Winter) are upon us! This time of year college students make their way back home for an extended visit. Perhaps your student has been visiting during the semester or this upcoming break is the first time that you’ve seen them since drop-offs back in August. If either situation applies to you, it may be helpful to check in with your student – not only in regards to their academic progress, but also their mental health. Here are a few tips for checking in on your student’s wellness.
- If talking about mental health is not something you often discuss, please know that you are not alone. Even a brief check-in can be useful and promote a sense of support and a bond between you and your student. It may be hard to talk about this topic, but that’s okay. Sharing that this topic is new for you can help your student to understand where you are coming from and that you care. Comments like “ I know we don’t talk about this, but I want to make sure you know I’m here for you if you need me. How are things going for you?” can help start the conversation regarding your student’s well-being. Doing activities together while talking can help to promote a sense of connection and break the ice. Try talking during a shared activity such as walking, cooking, or a game.
- Sometimes conversations don’t go as planned. Moments of silence can be ok. Allow your student some time to think or come back to the conversation when they are ready. Try asking open-ended questions such as “Tell me about how this semester has been for you so far?” This may open up more discussion. If you do have concerns about your student, also consider asking questions such as “I noticed you seem more tired than you have before. I’m wondering if this is due to your workload, stress, or something else?”
- Listening can be a powerful tool. It’s ok if you don’t have all the answers, the act of simply listening can serve as a way to connect if your student is in need of help in the future. It’s ok if you may need a moment during a conversation. Try taking some deep breaths during stressful or emotional topics.
- Get to know the resources that your student can use. If your student admits that they are struggling with classes, classwork, or feeling high levels of stress, depression, and anxiety – suggest that they use on-campus services such as The Wellness Center or the Office of Student Success Services (OS3). Ask if your student has friend groups, advisors, or other students or staff that they consider to be supportive and suggest that they make a plan to connect. Take what they say seriously. If you are worried about your student’s well being or they mention topics such as self-harm or thoughts of suicide, it can be hard to hear. Encourage your student to work with a therapist. If your student tells you that they are thinking about hurting themselves, contact a crisis hotline such as dialing “988” to get quickly get advice and help for your student. Your student can also dial 988 to talk to a trained counselor. The 988 crisis hotline is available in Spanish and can also be texted.
The Wellness Center provides mental health assistance including walk-in counseling hours, peer support, short term counseling, and psychiatric medication management services.
To access our 24/7 helpline students may dial 240-895-4200. For more information please visit our website at www.smcm.edu/wellness
The Wellness Center has a full list of local off-campus referrals. Please visit: https://www.smcm.edu/wellness/off-campus-resources/mental-health-referral-list-2023-2/
To see our list of mental health providers within Maryland and across the country please visit Welltrack Connect, a referral system for college students seeking off campus mental health support. Search for a provider by speciality, geographic location, insurances accepted, and demographics of the provider: https://welltrack-connect.com//