Helping a Stressed Student
Between academic, extracurricular, work, social, and financial responsibilities, students can and do become stressed. This kind of stress is not unusual and can be managed through a variety of techniques and skills. Visit the Wellness and Self Care section of this site for resources at Yale and beyond that can help students find ways to live a balanced life. You might consider referring your family member to this site or recommending a resource you think they might find helpful based on their needs.
Helping a Student with Mental Health Concerns
Parents or spouses and partners are sometimes some of the first to sense that a student is struggling. If your family member is showing signs of a mental health concern, there are a number of ways that you can be supportive, depending on the situation.
- Recommend a Support Resource
There are a wide variety of resources that address mental health on campus. Visit the Mental Health section of this site to explore these resources, which range from peer counseling to yoga to professional counseling. Help refer your family member to these services, and recommend that they get help for whatever is troubling them. In your conversation, emphasize that seeking and wanting help takes courage and is a sign of strength. In all conversations, try to avoid judgment or critique; instead, listen, and encourage your loved one’s pursuit of treatment or self-care.
- Contact a Campus Resources
In some cases, your child, spouse, or partner may not be willing to seek out treatment on their own for a variety of reasons. If your family member is still displaying signs that they are in distress, you may contact their dean, head of college, dean of student affairs, or the department of Mental Health & Counseling. Any of these resources can provide counsel and help to monitor the student.
- Know What to Do in a Crisis
If you feel that a student poses an immediate threat or danger to themselves or others, call Mental Health & Counseling or 911 immediately.