Counseling Services

Couseling Services is made up of a team of licensed mental health practitioners that work collaboratively with students to help them explore their feelings and thoughts and learn helpful ways to improve their mental and emotional health when issues arise through short term counseling.

During your first appointment, your counselor will focus on learning about your mental health goals and meeting your immediate needs. Your counselor may suggest additional appointments with them or connect you to other resources off campus that better fit your needs.

Services are offered in person on our Norfolk campus or via telehealth.

Counseling services also offers a variety of activities and outreach throughout the academic year. They host a monthly Coffee with the Counselors event that focuses on an activity related to positive mental health and treats students to a free coffee drink of their choice. They advise the Active Minds student club on campus that strives to break the stigma surrounding mental health.

The therapeutic relationship between our counselors and students is considered private and protected under the law. We adhere to professional, legal, and ethical guidelines established by the State of Nebraska and the American Psychological Association. Information about any aspect of a student's counseling relationship, including appointments and records, will not be disclosed to anyone outside of the Counseling professional staff without the student's written permission. Please note that clinical records are separate from educational records and cannot be accessed by parents, faculty, staff, administrators or others without the student's written permission or court order.

However, Nebraska law establishes that to protect the client and/or the public, disclosures without the permission of the client may apply under the following circumstances:

• The student is considered at immediate risk of harming yourself
• The student is considered at immediate risk for harming others
• Previous or current child abuse
• Abuse of elderly persons or persons with disabilities
• A court order

To make an appointment, call the Counseling Services Office at (402) 844-7641, email counseling@northeast.edu, or feel free to stop by Union 73, Student Health and Counseling lobby Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm

Counseling Services are free and available to all Northeast Community College and University of Nebraska Medical Center students who are currently enrolled in classes. Online students, or students at other sites can utilize these services via telehealth.

What to expect:

• All appointments are confidential.
• The initial appointment will take approximately 45-60 minutes.
• At the first appointment you will:
  1. Meet with the counselor to discuss your concerns and collect some preliminary information about yourself
  2. You and the counselor will decide on the best way to address your concerns. This may involve individual counseling; referral to a physician; student health services; or, perhaps, a referral to a clinician in the community.
• Anyone arriving more than 15 minutes late for any appointment will be asked to reschedule
• When you arrive in the lobby, you will check in with the front desk and then wait until your therapist comes out to get your for your appointment

If you need to cancel your appointment call (402) 844-7641 as soon as possible. You can leave a message if you are calling outside of business hours.

For all safety and medical emergencies, call 911, Click for more Emergency Information

For students who are in crisis and need immediate assistance or information on emergency resources, can call:

• 988, the Suicide and Crisis Hotline, available 24/7.
• (888) 370-7003,CARE LINE (Crisis Care and Referral Experts), after hours, which includes weekends and holidays.

The mission of Northeast Community College Counseling Services is to provide mental health services from a holistic approach; educating, empowering, and supporting the students of Northeast in order to promote personal, interpersonal, professional, and academic growth.

We strive for all served to feel welcomed, respected, safe, and helped. A place where students are assisted in reaching their full capacity to learn, love, work, connect, and give as responsible citizens of the world.

Effective counseling requires an atmosphere of privacy and mutual trust. We feel it is important to discuss these issues of privacy and confidentiality at the outset of counseling so that there are no misunderstandings regarding them and so that you know what to expect from us. If you have any questions regarding any of this, your counselor will be glad to discuss them with you and answer them to the best of his or her ability.

In accord with professional, legal, and ethical guidelines established for providers by the American Counseling Association Code of Ethics, Northeast Community College Counseling Services maintains records of all counseling services. All Counseling records are kept separate from other records and are accessible only to the Student Services staff. Information regarding your involvement in Counseling Services is released to outside agencies only with your written permission and only to specific and clearly identified individuals or in the event of a court order.

Counseling Services crisis supports during normal campus College hours

• Please call (402) 844-7641 and say it's a crisis or come to Union 73 and tell someone it's a crisis.
• Any student in a crisis that involves suicidal or homicidal thoughts is helped throughout the day, no appointment necessary.

• Call 911 or go to the nearest hospital
• Faith Regional Health Services Emergency Room: 2700 W Norfolk Ave., Norfolk, NE 68701

• 24/7: Call Bright Horizons (Resources for Survivors of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault) at (402) 379-2026 or (877) 379-3798 for confidential support and assistance.
• Schedule an appointment with the Northeast Campus Advocate when calling Campus Advocate
• Make an appointment with Northeast Student Health and Counseling 402-844-7641
• Nebraska Domestic Violence Hotline: (800) 876-6238.

• Bring it up. Give the student your specific reason(s) for making a referral. It helps to present counseling as a positive experience that can reduce stress and pressure and enhance academic performance. You can de-stigmatize the counseling process by assuring the individual that many students use the services of the Student Health and Counseling Office over the course of their college years and that this is an appropriate way to take care of oneself. In conversation, bring up the possibility of referral by saying something like, "Have you thought about seeing the counselor on campus about this?" Let them know that counseling is a free and confidential service.
• Make the call. Offer support in making an appointment. Some students may want you to make the initial call for them (402-844-7641) or accompany them to the Student Health and Counseling Office in Union 73 office 215. Assure the student of confidentiality and say something like: "John Doe is here with me and would like to come over and talk with the counselor."
• Follow up. We recommend that you follow up with the student within a day or two to see whether they kept their appointment with the Counselor. If necessary, a "Release of Information" may be obtained to allow you and the counselor to discuss other ways in which you might be helpful.

What do you do in case of an emergency?

If you become aware that a student is an imminent threat to him/herself or to others, contact Campus Security at (402) 841-5163 immediately. Call 911 if the student is violent or out of control.

For After-Hour Emergencies, Contact:

CARE LINE 24/7 toll free crisis care line (888) 370-7003 https://www.4bhs.org/community-services

Consultation

If you are unsure about whether or not to refer a student for counseling, or if you would find it helpful to discuss the behavior of a student that concerns you, please feel free to consult with a counselor.

Academic Problems

• Excessive procrastination
• Change in performance
• Repeated requests for special consideration or accommodations
• Excessive absence or tardiness
• Excessively anxious when called upon in class
• Unusual or change interaction patterns
• Inability to stay awake in class
• Disruptive or threatening behavior
• Written work with reference to self-harm or content that appears strange

Behavioral Problems

• Change in appearance and hygiene
• Dramatic weight gain or loss
• Swollen or red eyes
• Change in mood
• Impaired speech
• Inappropriate or exaggerated emotional reactions
• Smell of alcohol/marijuana or evidence of excessive alcohol/drug use
• Difficulty concentrating
• Disrupted sleep or appetite

Parents should be aware that the professional staff at Counseling Services are ethically and legally obligated to maintain client confidentiality. This means that we cannot share information with you about your student's attendance or progress in counseling, Northeast Community College, or any other party without their expressed written consent. However, there are some special cases where we are legally and ethically obligated to disclose client information to protect public welfare. They are:

1. If there is a risk of imminent harm to your student or another person (e.g., a serious intent to commit suicide or homicide), counselors have a legal and ethical duty to protect life. Counselors may contact police and psychiatric hospitalization services to protect your student and others from suicidal or homicidal intent. Please note that counselors will collaborate with your student to implement safety plans other than police intervention or psychiatric hospitalization if possible. Police intervention and psychiatric hospitalization are used only when absolutely necessary.
2. If counselors are provided evidence that a child, elderly person, cognitively disabled, or physically disabled person is being abused or neglected, it will be reported to appropriate authorities.
3. Counselors must release information when a court of law orders them to do so. Counselors take steps to ensure that the information released to a court of law is absolutely necessary for the legal process, and whenever possible, avoid releasing information that a client deems personally damaging.
4. If your student experiences a medical crisis while at Counseling Services, counselors may provide necessary medical information (e.g., about medications) to medical personnel as appropriate for your student's safety.

Although we strictly maintain client confidentiality within these guidelines, parents and family members of students may want to call us to share important information about a particular student, or ask general questions about our services. We are more than willing to receive information about a particular student, or provide general information about our services. Please note, however, that we can neither confirm or deny whether a particular student is  a client at Counseling Services.

As young adults make the developmental step of leaving home for school, parents/caregivers often remain concerned about their student's welfare and safety. Their transition to college marks a shift in family roles and responsibilities, and often adds stressors such as geographic distance and added financial responsibilities. Each student is a unique individual with unique needs they must learn to manage as a member of the Northeast Community College.

There may be times when students will benefit from seeking mental health services. Feel free to encourage your student to seek counseling at Counseling Services if you feel they may benefit from discussion of, or simply more information about, any of the following concerns:

• Feelings of depression including bi-polar symptoms and suicidality
• Symptoms of anxiety, including social anxiety, and panic attacks
• Feelings of short-term or chronic stress due to academic, work, or social commitments
• Motivation, time Management, and procrastination
• The effects of traumatic experiences such as loss of a loved one, child or domestic abuse, sexual assault, or involvement in an accident or natural disaster
• Interpersonal concerns such as isolation, homesickness, interpersonal conflicts, and feeling socially over-committed
• Effects of discrimination based on race, class, gender, ability, or sexual orientation
• Effects of stress and trauma due to family conflict
• Alcohol and Drug use
• Overeating, binge-eating, purging behaviors, or excessive restriction of eating
• Anxiety such as test anxiety, performance anxiety or anxiety over public speaking
• Bizarre experiences, thinking, and confusion
• Concentration and focusing attention

In addition, know that we encourage students to contact us for referrals to area providers of psychological assessment, psychiatric evaluation, inpatient mental health hospitalization, intensive outpatient mental health care, and substance abuse recovery resources if and when needed. We strive to use our expertise to help Northeast students navigate the mental health service delivery system.

You may notice changes in your student's mood or personality during the transition to college. While some changes in interests, mood, and personality are a normal part of transitioning to college, other changes represent signs of a mental health concern that warrant a referral to Counseling Services or another mental health provider such as:

• Disorganized or confused thinking, including difficulty maintaining typical social interactions
• Marked changes in grades or class attendance
• Threatening, violent or disruptive behavior
• Marked weight loss, gain or extreme changes in dietary habits
• Appearance of chronic fatigue
• Marked changes in grooming or hygiene
• Marked changes in alcohol and drug use
• Discussion of suicide, self-harm, or harm to others
• Racing thoughts, rapid speech, sleeplessness
• Oversleeping, lack of interest in activities, excessive sadness or tearfulness
• Experience of a recent trauma or loss
• Sudden engaging in risky or dangerous behaviors

You know your student best, so you are probably in the best position to determine what behavior is abnormal for them. However, you should be especially listening for indications that your student is:

• Eating too much or too little
• Sleeping too much or too little
• Withdrawing socially (e.g., not leaving his or her room, not going to class)
• Losing motivation to work
• Feeling too low or too high-energy
• Inappropriate or exaggerated emotional reactions
• Using alcohol/marijuana
• Difficulty concentrating
• Is tearful or agitated on the phone

When might counseling services be needed?

• A sudden drop in academic performance, especially for students who generally perform well
• Difficulty sleeping or getting out of bed nearly every day
• Feeling sad or appearing tearful nearly every day
• Social isolation or increased lethargy
• Expressions of hopelessness, e.g., "What's the point of trying?"
• Direct or indirect statements about death or suicide, e.g., "What's the point of living?" or "I wish I were dead"
• Avoidance of certain places or situations, or fear of being alone
• Increased irritability or restlessness
• Paranoid thinking or incoherent speech

Minor Consent Form