Parent & Family Resources
How to Talk About Wellness
Parents and families play a crucial role in promoting the wellness of students. Having open and honest conversations can allow for celebrating sucesses and providing encouragement, as well as identifying concerns and working through problems as they arise. If your student is struggling, or you have a concern about them, it is important to talk with them and find a plan for addressing the concern.
Here are some tips for having an effective conversation about wellness:
- Talk to your student as soon as you notice something unusual
- Express your concern in a caring manner, and indicate specific behaviors that you have observed
- Use “I” statements that focus on what you have noticed or what you are feeling
- Listen attentively and avoid being critical or judgmental
- Ask directly if they have had thoughts of suicide (if yes, reach out for additional support)
- Encourage positive action by helping your student define the problem and possible ways of handling it (avoid the temptation to solve the problem for them)
- Ask how you can best help support them
- Know your own limits and reach out for additional help when needed
If you believe your student is in imminent danger of harming themselves or someone else, call 9-1-1 and JU Campus Security (904-256-7585) immediately.
Support For Your Student
We know that you care about your student and their wellbeing. We care about them too! Just as you support your student from home, we are here to help support them as they journey through their time at Jacksonville University.
The Student Counseling Center offers the following free and confidential services:
- Individual Counseling
- Group Workshops
- Student-Athlete Support
- Online Mental Health Resources
- Biofeedback Training
- Accelerated Resolution Therapy
- Community Outreach
- Consultation & Referrals
- Crisis Intervention
Other JU resources available to your student:
Online Resources
Starting the Conversation: A guide to mental health during the college years.
Collegiate Parent: A collection of resources about supporting your child in and through college.
Confidentiality
Information shared at the Student Counseling Center is confidential per Florida law, kept separate from students’ academic records, and will not be disclosed to anyone outside of the SCC without their written permission first, except when: 1) The clinician suspects that the student is an imminent danger to themselves or others, 2) The clinician has reasonable suspicion of abuse, neglect, or threat of harm to a child, elderly person, or other vulnerable adult, 3) There is a threat to campus safety, or 4) A judge orders the release of the student's records, or their records are otherwise subject to a court order or other legal process requiring disclosure.
We encourage you to help empower your student to connect with us on their own terms so that they can practice autonomy and initiative. If at any point your student believes it would be helpful to involve you in their counseling, they may sign a release of information for the SCC to communicate with you.
If you have questions about our services or if you would like to consult with a staff member about concerns regarding your student, please call our office.