The University Counseling Center is available free of charge for students suffering from stress or trauma related to Monday’s Virginia Tech shooting in which a gunman killed 32 people and himself on the Blacksburg, Va., campus. The counseling center has drop-in hours and a crisis hotline to help University students.
“When incidents such as this occur, it naturally raises concerns for everyone about the safety of students in our own schools and educational institutions,” said George Pernsteiner, chancellor for the Oregon University System, in a statement.
The counseling center hasn’t received an influx of calls related to the shooting, but has received more media attention, said Shelly Kerr, assistant director for the University Counseling and Testing Center. Kerr addressed the media, including three local television stations, Tuesday afternoon.
“I don’t think we’ll have hundreds of hundreds calls,” Kerr said. “If this were to happen in Oregon or the Pacific Northwest, it’d have more of an impact on the numbers.”
Kerr said counselors will typically try to help students understand why they’re feeling a certain way.
“What we can do is make sense of what they’re feeling,” Kerr said. “They’re usually normal feelings, but they just feel out of control.”
Those who suffered trauma before may be more affected because the incident could trigger past thoughts, Kerr said. Those who know someone in Virginia or are Iraq War veterans are particularly vulnerable.
Kerr recommends students talk to friends, faculty and family members to share feelings and experiences.
Those who experience overwhelming nervousness or lingering sadness that adversely affects school or job performance and personal relationships should seek professional help immediately, according to the American Psychological Association.
Drop-in hours at the counseling center are from 1 to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and the crisis phone line is (541) 346-4488. Contact the counseling center during regular hours at (541) 346-3227 or evenings and weekends at (541) 346-4488.
– Trevor Davis