Respond when a student asks a coach for mental health advice

A student may ask a familiar coach for mental health advice because the coach feels accessible. Careful support means listening without becoming a clinician. Follow your institution's urgent support process when safety is a concern, and make the handoff to qualified help direct and human.

Kai says, "I cannot sleep and I keep panicking before class. What should I do?" Coach Tessa answers, "I am sorry this has been so hard. Are you in immediate danger or thinking about hurting yourself?" Kai says no, but says the anxiety has grown. Tessa continues, "I am not a mental health professional, so I cannot give clinical advice. I can stay with you while we contact the counseling center, or I can help you choose another support option listed by the institution. Do you want to call now, or would you rather I send the same day contact information and check back tomorrow?" Kai asks Tessa to remain while he calls.

Tessa's calm, direct question addresses immediate safety without diagnosing Kai. Her offer is specific and voluntary. She does not use the moment to discuss grades or program choices, because the student has identified a more urgent need.

Practice the opening safety question and your institution's escalation steps until the language feels natural. Keep the counseling and crisis contacts current. After a roleplay, review whether you made a clear referral, avoided clinical interpretation, and documented the support action according to the appropriate policy.