Dangerous Behavior: How Should One Proceed if a Concern Arises Regarding Danger
to Self or Others?
It would be reasonable that occasionally a student will demonstrate words and/or actions that
raise a concern regarding danger to self or others. Ideally, the school should develop policies and
procedures for such situations to adequately protect both group counseling participants as well as
practitioners. Although there may be situations in which suicidal risk may seem so eminent that an
emergency room visit may be required, or a risk to safety so evident that police must be contacted
immediately, more commonly a student may simply make a comment worthy of concern but not
evidenced by behavior necessarily supportive of a concurrent threat. How can one proceed? An
immediate consultation and interview by another school mental health professional is one viable
option with a consensus guiding decision making.