English teachers are usually well situated to hear the gravest concerns of their students. Because of this, English teachers must be prepared to deal with students who come to them about catastrophic events, ongoing trauma, or deep hurts and frustrations. During the initial encounter, it is important to keep the student talking, to accept all feelings and statements made by the student, and to avoid asking "why." In a crisis situation, if a teacher decides to stay with the student instead of going immediately for professional help, it is important to find out about the student's immediate future plans by asking low-level, factual questions to elicit specific details. With the exception of abuse of any kind (physical, sexual, or psychological), a prior understanding of confidentiality between the teacher and student must be honored. If a student alleges abuse, teachers have a duty to report (by state law) all such allegations. In addition, any overt mention of threat of suicide must be taken seriously and dealt with immediately. In these situations, it is important to make a contract, insisting that the student agree to call someone if at any time he or she feels suicidal. It is also important to realize that there are no guarantees, and that teachers can only do what they can. (MM)