The role of an academic advisor and some of the demands and challenges are emphasized in this study. There are four advisors in the Computer Science department of the College of Engineering and Computing at George Mason University (GMU).  The advisors meet the advising needs of more than 2600 Students each year, some of which display behaviors related to mental illnesses such as depression, autism, anxiety and more. This population has a plethora of resources to support the needs of the student. However, there does not seem to be the same number of resources or training available to the advisor. The importance of professional advising, the need for additional information, and training on how to best work with this population of students is essential.  Student issues are documented based on advisor experience, and scenarios are shared. Key questions are asked of the advisors who will read this article. This article expresses the importance for advisors to self-educate and share their own experiences in lieu of the imbalance of training currently available to advisors.

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