Health and Wellness

Prescriptions can be filled at the local pharmacy, conveniently located in Henniker.

Henniker Pharmacy: 603.428.3456

There are two ways to schedule appointments with a counselor or psychiatrist:

By Phone
Please call 603.428.2253 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from Monday–Friday to speak with the Administrative Assistant or leave a voicemail at any time.

Please note that we are closed on the weekends.

By Email
Please email counseling@nec.edu any time during our business hours. If you need care during the hours the Wellness Center is closed, you can seek care at an urgent care center in Concord or call Riverbend Mobil Crisis Services at 844.743.5748.

We accommodate requests for initial appointments as soon as possible, usually within five–seven days, depending on staff and student schedules. Please note that while we will do our best to honor a student’s wish to meet with a specific staff member, this is not always possible.

Referrals
Generally, an initial appointment with a counselor is necessary to determine appropriate referrals to off-campus services. As requested, or when otherwise appropriate, Counseling Service staff will make referrals to other mental health professionals, usually for specialized psychological testing, individual psychotherapy, group psychotherapy, or private psychiatric medication management. Please call to discuss referrals to an off-campus clinician, or email counseling@nec.edu. Information about referrals is considered confidential.

Our Wellness Center nurses are available to discuss health concerns and provide self-care tips over the phone. If an appointment is needed, the staff is able to schedule this.

New England College and the surrounding communities have a wealth of resources to address students’ needs in the event of a crisis or emergency.

During regular business hours, please seek immediate help from:

The Wellness Center on Union Street (across from the Quad) at 603.428.2253 or Campus Safety at 603.428.2323 for both medical and mental health emergencies or 911

After business hours, please seek immediate help from:

Campus Safety at 603.428.2323 or 911 for both medical and mental health emergencies

Riverbend Emergency Mental Health Services: 603.226.0817

Riverbend Mobile Crisis Unit: 1.844.7.HELP4U (1.844.743.5748) *mental health only

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:
For 24-hour support, call 800.273.8255 or Text 741741.

Veteran’s Crisis Line:
Free 24-hour confidential support for Military Veterans in crisis and their families and friends. Call the Veterans Crisis Line at 1.800.273.8255 and Press 1 or text 838255.

Click here for a downloadable list of after-hours contacts.

How to Help a Friend

It is difficult to watch a friend in distress; it can be even more difficult deciding what to do to help them. If and when you find yourself in this situation, Counselors are available for brief consultations to help you better understand your concerns about your friend, the dynamics of the situation, community resources, and possible plans of action

Whether or not you choose to seek support in person, the following outline is offered to help you think about how to most effectively identify and engage with a friend in need of added support.

If you ever become concerned about a roommate, teammate, or friend, you may hesitate to do anything for fear of making things worse or simply because you don’t know what to do.
Below are some guidelines about what to do if and when that situation arises. We’ll discuss what observable behaviors may signal concern, how to engage with a friend in distress, and how to connect both them and yourself with supportive resources on campus. In our experience, after having weathered a crisis, clients often identify a friend’s genuine expressions of concern as having been pivotal in helping them to get the help that they needed.

Signs of Distress
Everyone experiences distress. It can be difficult to manage academic and athletic challenges, interpersonal relationships, and changing family dynamics. More often than not, the distress we experience is temporary and circumscribed. At times, we all exhibit one or more of the behaviors listed below. However, when several of these behaviors occur at once, if they become debilitating, or if they persist over time they may signal more severe difficulties that warrant professional help.

• Deterioration of physical appearance or personal hygiene
• Excessive fatigue or sleep difficulties
• Skipping class or absence from other activities
• Difficulty completing schoolwork or other obligations
• Avoidance of friends or uncharacteristic social isolation
• Marked decrease in concentration, motivation or energy
• Visible increase or decrease in weight
• Looking sad, worried or preoccupied
• Irritability or temper outbursts
• Impulsive behavior or acting with poor judgement
• Direct statements about problems with family or friends
• Statements of hopelessness or comments about death, self-harm or suicide

Approaching a Friend
It can be uncomfortable to approach a friend about their wellbeing. You may worry about invading their privacy, making things worse, or you may simply not know what to say. If you are genuinely concerned about somebody, it is okay to express interest or concern—they can always decline to talk with you if they are uncomfortable. Whatever the case, your expression of genuine concern may be what your friend needs to seek help, if not from you, from someone else. Below are some pointers for initially approaching a friend about whom you are concerned.

• Choose a time and a place that is most likely to ensure privacy.
• Let your friend know you are concerned in terms of their own worries or needs.
• For example, if they have expressed sadness or worry, reflect that back to them, let them know that they have been heard, validate their feelings, and offer sincere empathy.
• If you have noticed any of the behaviors listed above, share what you have observed and explain why this worries you.
• Avoid labeling your friend or their behavior. Whether accurate or inaccurate, telling someone that they have a disorder or “are” a certain way may trigger defenses that keep them from getting help.
• If your friend isn’t interested in talking, explain that you are open to talking at another time if and when they are interested.
• Remind your friend of supportive resources available on campus including counseling services.
• If your friend has doubts or questions, looking at this website can be a good first step to learning more about supportive services and to seeking help.
• Offering to walk your friend to the Counseling Service may help them with the initial step of seeking support
• Reassure your friend (and yourself) that a referral to counseling services is not a refusal of your help; it is an offer for increased support from impartial professionals that have added knowledge and experience.
• Avoid making promises of absolute confidentiality. If your friend is a risk to themselves or others, it is important that you seek professional help right away. Student safety is a primary concern. You can:
• Promise that you care about their well-being, respect their autonomy, and won’t divulge their confidence unless you are afraid for their safety.
• Promise that if they want to share something personal with you, you will do everything you can to safeguard it and help them to deal with whatever it is.

Talk of Suicide or Violence
You should never ignore someone’s comments or behavior regarding suicide or violence. Don’t assume that these are only jokes, ploys for attention, or that they are just passing moods. If you are not comfortable talking directly to your friend or you feel he/she is not responding, bring your concerns to someone at counseling services, your dean, or your residence hall supervisor. While students who talk or behave in suicidal or in violent ways certainly need your sympathy and support, don’t assume that this is all they need. Individuals who have difficulty managing their feelings and impulses may require professional counseling and/or medication.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Call the lifeline anytime at 800.273.8255 or text to 741741.

Veteran’s Crisis Line
Free, confidential support for Veterans in crisis and their families and friends. Call the Veterans Crisis Line at 800.273.8255 and Press 1 or text to 838255.

Taking care of yourself
Engaging with someone in distress, whether as their confidant or simply as their friend, can be stressful. In addition to feelings of sympathy and a desire to help, you may also feel stressed, helpless, fatigued and even angry or resentful. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed by a situation, you can call the Wellness Center and receive a confidential consultation regarding your friend. Remember, while you may play a very special role in your friend’s life, there are other caring individuals on campus who may be able to offer them support that you can’t. It is not your role to solve your friend’s problem, but to help them access resources that enable them to solve it themselves.

A Guide for New England College Faculty, Administrators, and Staff

Faculty and staff are often the first contact for students in distress.  This guide outlines steps to respond compassionately and effectively to our students.  Counselors at the Wellness and Counseling Centers are available to faculty and staff for consultation and guidance in responding to students in distress.

Occasionally you are presented with a situation where you have an opportunity to work with a student who is displaying emotional behaviors ranging from minor to significant. This guide will assist you in how to respond to students displaying different types of significant emotional  behaviors.

Remember, your personal safety and those around you is of utmost importance. Follow your protocols.

Contact Campus Safety
603.428.2323 and/or #911 if needed.

Students displaying significant emotional behavior

• Display calm body language; sitting with the student is appropriate when possible.
• Role model calming actions: deep breathes, speak slowly and in a quieter tone; be patient.
• When gathering basic information, keep questions brief.
• Validate where students are; we are all human and are not perfect—do not dismiss or make light of what’s going on; this is often very scary for the individual experiencing this.
• Check with the student to see what has worked in the past? Provide suggestions for relief: deep breathing, meditation, exercise, going outside, listening to music, reading, watching comedies, ice packs.
• Attempt to distract with questions such as asking details about music choices or comedies; use grounding technique (feet on the floor butt in the chair); use non-judgmental language.

Recognizing Signs of Distress

Academic Indicators

• Missed assignments or repeated absences
• Deterioration in work quality
• Written work with disturbing content (e.g., suicidal thoughts, violent thoughts)
• Disorganized or erratic performance

Personal/Physical Indicators

• Lack of personal hygiene
• Coming to class bleary-eyed or hung over
• Sleeping in class or excessive fatigue
• Inappropriate or exaggerated behavior (e.g., aggressiveness, emotional outbursts, crying)
• Withdrawal from interactions with faculty and peers

Other Factors

• Peers expressing concern about a student
• Direct knowledge that a student has experienced a trauma or a loss
• References to harming oneself or others
• Online postings that seem threatening or concerning

Is it OK to Ask?
One of the biggest barriers to reaching out is the worry that it’s none of our business or that students will be embarrassed. But students actually feel cared for and recognized when asked how they’re doing. Asking about suicide is difficult but potentially life-saving. If you hear or see signs of hopelessness or depression, you might say: “Sometimes when people are feeling bad they have thoughts of suicide. Have you had any thoughts about hurting or killing yourself?” Asking about suicide will not give someone the idea or make things worse. In fact, it may be a relief for the student to know you’re open to hearing about whatever they’re feeling. If a student is having thoughts of suicide, continue talking. Find out if they’ve acted on or plan to act on the thoughts. Express concern and say that you want to make sure they get connected to further help. Call CPS with the student, or walk them over to McCosh Health Center. If the student refuses, call the student’s director of student life with the student, in order to make a plan to keep them safe.

DO

• Speak with the student privately
•  Listen carefully, ask open ended questions, and reflect what you hear
• Focus concerns on behaviors that you have observed that concern you
• Ask how the student has tried to cope, and what else the student thinks might help Express willingness to help
• Help him/her explore options for help and sources of support If able, offer to follow up with the student, plan a time to check in
• Give the student time to talk; know that you don’t have to fill silence

DON’T

• Don’t promise your confidentiality
• Don’t leave the student alone if you have concerns about their safety
• Don’t offer reassurance before you’ve heard the student out
• Don’t rush into problem solving
• Don’t underestimate the power of listening and validating
• Don’t involve yourself beyond your limits
• Don’t debate with an angry student; often after having a chance to vent, students will be more open to help
• Don’t meet in an isolated place if you have any concern for your or the student’s safety

We use Medicat electronic health record for all NEC full-time undergraduate students. Health forms are due by July 15 for Fall entrance and January 2 for Spring entrance.

Prior to entering your health information, we highly recommend that you view the step-by-step Medicat Health Portal tutorial video.

Access the Medicat patient portal.

If you are a new portal user, you must register first, so please click the Registration button. Your username and password for Medicat will be the same as your NEC username and password (if your name is John Smith, your username for Medicat would be JSmith_UG and your password is the same as your NEC email password).

Please note you must use your NEC username and password to access the health portal. Your home email and password will not work.

If you are already a registered user, you may login using your NEC username and password. Once logged in you will have access to online services such as:

• Secure communication with the Wellness Center
• Immunization records
• Complete or update your health history form, TB Risk and informed consent.
• Upload all required forms: Immunization record, Informed Consent for under 18 years of age

Instructions for Completing Wellness Center Health Information Forms

• Medical Information Release form: Use this form to authorize release of your medical information.
• Health History Form: This form is for new incoming students only. Please answer all questions; you will have 60 minutes to complete the form.
• Informed Consent: Please read the form and sign electronically.
• If you are under the age of 18, print the informed consent (available to download). You must sign, a parent/guardian must sign and a witness over the age of 18 must also sign the form.
• TB Risk Assessment: Please answer all questions. If you are directed to contact the Wellness Center, please call 603.428.2253. Be sure to read each question carefully. **NOTE: the BCG vaccine is not given in the United States.
• Immunization Record: Your health care provider can give you a copy of your immunization record. The immunization record MUST be an official copy from your provider’s office!
• Enter your immunization dates into the immunization section on the portal. Once completed, be sure to upload your immunization record into the portal. Only scanned copies of the immunization record are accepted. We do not accept pictures taken with cell phones. You can download a free PDF scanning app on your phone such as Genius Scan or CamScanner.
• Insurance Information: Please enter your insurance information. You may upload a copy of the front and back of your insurance card.

** DO NOT UPLOAD MULTIPLE DOCUMENTS IN THE SAME FILE. The informed consent and immunization record must be entered into its own section. We will ask you to redo the upload if this happens.

ATHLETES ONLY: Please submit all required athletics paperwork to this link.

Please note: Per the NCAA, your physical exam must be done within six months of the first day of your team’s practice. The athletic health information is in addition to the Wellness Center health requirements.

NEC’s Wellness Center and counseling services staff includes three mental health counselors, a nurse and nurse practitioner, and support staff members.

Jessi Hull, Medical Director
APRN
Jessi joined NEC in 2022, after 17 years working for the Elliot Hospital Health System. Jessi worked as a nurse on the inpatient pediatric unit for 13 years, then spent the next four years as a nurse practitioner in a busy family practice. Besides her ASN from Manchester Community College and an MSN from Rivier University, Jessi has a bachelor’s degree in Outdoor Education. Working in college health is Jessi’s dream job, and she loves having the opportunity to influence the development of lifelong positive health practices in young adults. Jessi also loves hiking, paddleboarding, rescuing animals, and just generally spending time outdoors with her husband, son, and dogs.

Kim Malo, Medical Assistant
LNA
Kim is a New Hampshire local. She went to Florida for the first time in 2021 and absolutely loved it. Before coming to NEC in 2021, she worked at Concord Hospital for 18 years in OBGYN/Labor and delivery as a LNA scrub tech. She enjoys family time, summers at the beach, walking her Shiba Inu pup, good movies, and shopping. She has three adult children, and she married her high school sweetheart. She has recently begun to travel, which has been a wonderful experience for her.

Isaac Hirschfeld, Registered Nurse
Isaac joined NEC in the fall of 2022. He earned a Bachelor of Science in nursing from the University of New Hampshire. For nine years, he worked for the Elliot Healthcare System in a medical unit and an urgent care. Having experience caring for people of all ages, he is excited to work with college students in promoting lifelong wellness. Overall, Isaac is a fan of geek and nerd culture, dabbling in tabletop gaming, movies, digital art, and cosplaying. His focal passion is for hobby board games, and on the side works on designing his own board games. Conversely, he enjoys the outdoors by hiking, skiing, traveling around the world, and lying in a hammock.

Chris Kouroyen, Director of Mental Health Counseling
LCMHC, LMHC
Chris joined NEC in the spring of 2024. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, minor in Addictions from Keene State College and a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from William James College. Prior to NEC, he worked as an in-home therapist in the greater Boston area, was the director of a hardware secure juvenile treatment facility, and as a college counselor. He holds licenses in the states of New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Chris has strong clinical experience in case management while working with children, adolescents, and young adults. He has expertise with neurodivergent populations and co-occurring diagnoses, including but not limited to, adjustment disorders, learning disabilities, anxiety, depression, trauma, substance abuse, and autism spectrum disorders. Chris’s theoretical orientation takes influence from, but is not limited to, wholistic and person-centered approaches, narrative therapy, expressive arts, play therapy, motivational interviewing, cognitive behavior therapy, and collaborative problem solving. Chris is an avid skier and basketball player and enjoys spending time with his family, friends, and animals.

Katie Jones, Mental Health Counselor
Katie joined NEC in the spring of 2022.  She has a bachelor’s in psychology from Salve Regina University and her master’s in counseling from Plymouth State University. Prior to NEC, she worked at a trauma-focused community mental health agency and Colby-Sawyer College. Katie has a background in being a former collegiate student-athlete and in sports psychology. Katie enjoys her time going on walks with her German Shepherd and watching Disney movies.

Aaron Pivo, Mental health Counselor
Aaron joined NEC in October of 2024. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology along with a Master of Arts in Administrative Studies in Leadership and Interpersonal Skills from Boston College and a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from William James College. Prior to joining NEC, Aaron worked at a hardware-secure treatment program in coordination with the Department of Youth Services in Massachusetts. Aaron also worked as an in-home therapist in the Lowell, Massachusetts, area for a community service agency. Aaron has experience working with children, adolescents, and adults in supporting anxiety, depression, trauma, attention deficit hyperactivity struggles, addiction, decision-making struggles, communication struggles, obsessive compulsive disorders, phobias, autism spectrum disorders, and more. Furthermore, Aaron has expertise in: TF-CBT, DBT, Social Justice, Addiction Counseling, Positive Psychology, Motivational Interviewing, Group Therapy, and Narrative Therapy. In his free time Aaron is a disc jockey, drummer, car enthusiast, video game player, and nature lover who enjoys spending time with his family and friends.

Carolyn Valiquet, Administrative Assistant to the Wellness Center
Carolyn has been employed with NEC since 2016. She came to NEC after 18 years with New London Hospital in primary care and specialty services experience. Carolyn is a 1984 graduate of the University of New Hampshire with a BA in Political Science and a minor in criminal justice. She and her husband, Jim, have five children and six grandchildren. Carolyn and Jim love camping, big-band music and the doo-wop singing groups of the 1950s. She enjoys reading; needlepoint; American history, especially the lives of the First Ladies of the United States; and gardening.

Full-Time Domestic Undergraduate and International Undergraduate Students
All incoming full-time undergraduate commuter, and residential, students must submit health information prior to July 15 as required by the New England College Wellness Center and the State of New Hampshire.

Student Health Portal: Medicat
Do not mail any paperwork. The Wellness Center is now using the convenient Medicat Electronic Health Record (EHR) system. All required health information will be submitted electronically through the Medicat Portal at https://nec.medicatconnect.com.

The username and password used for your New England College Email account will allow you access to Medicat EHR System. You must log into your NEC Email before attempting to login into Medicat EHR System.

Once logged in, you will have access to online services such as:

• Secure communication with the New England College Wellness Center
• Immunization records
• Complete/update your Health History Form, TB Risk Assessment and Informed Consent
• Upload your immunization record. If indicated, will need to upload any TB testing that is done. If you are under the age of 18, you will also need to sign and upload the Informed Consent as outlined in the portal instructions.

Intercollegiate Student-Athletes
All incoming student-athletes must also submit the following information to the Athletics Department. Forms can be accessed through the Athletics Sports Medicine site. This information is in addition to all of the medical paperwork requirements for all new students.

• Physical Exam
• Sickle Cell Disclosure Form

All athletes are required to submit documentation of sickle cell screening results. All athletes must have a sports physical examination (PE) within six (6) months from date of first sports practice.

If athletes have any questions please contact the Head Athletic Trainer, Heather Jones at hjones@nec.edu or 603.428.2260.

July 15 for fall semester entrance

We are personally, professionally, and ethically committed to a student’s right to privacy, and we take this very seriously. What is discussed in the Wellness Center and in counseling remains confidential and cannot be disclosed without your prior written consent. Should you desire a parent or other person to receive your personal, protected healthcare information, please be sure to include that person on the Medical Release Form.

There are exceptions to confidentiality:

• Medical providers and mental health counselors
• May notify appropriate authorities (e.g., emergency services, police, campus safety, residential life, the dean of students) if it is a matter of saving a student’s life or keeping them from hurting themselves
• Are required to warn the victim and/or police as well as the possibility of the aforementioned college personnel if they know a student’s significant threat to harm another person and/or property
• May be required to disclose certain information if a student is under the age of 18 and their parent/guardian requests access to the records
• Are required under NH state law to report current child abuse, elder abuse or abuse of an incapacitated adult
• Are required under NH state law to report episodes of hazing involving students or others
• Must respond accordingly in instances where a student’s records may be subpoenaed

• Use this form to authorize release of your medical information.