Center for Counseling & Mental Health How to Help a Student

Amherst is a small, tightly knit community which facilitates close relationships. Whether you are a friend, college staff, or an instructor, your familiarity with a student might mean that you notice concerning changes in mood or behavior. You can play an important role in helping the student get support by recognizing signs that they may be in distress, listening when they choose to disclose personal difficulties, and helping connect them to appropriate resources.

Amherst has a wealth of resources to support and assist students with a wide range of issues. Students may not be aware of these resources, or may be hesitant to take advantage of them for a number of reasons: they don’t know how; they assume that their problems are too big or too small; they’re intimidated or embarrassed; etc. Sometimes having a conversation with a student about a specific resource can encourage them to take the next steps.

Look below to learn more about specific mental health issues and ways of starting a conversation with someone about whom you are concerned.