What is Counselling?

All of us have to deal with difficult experiences at various times in our lives, they might be emotional, physical, psychological or social. Talking things through with a counsellor can really help.

Counselling provides an opportunity for you to think and talk in confidence about any personal or emotional difficulties that may be concerning you. It is time and space to examine, clarify and understand your concerns, and explore and develop more effective ways of dealing with them. The role of the counsellor is to provide support and help in this process of exploration, understanding and change.



Some Common Issues

Counsellors work with a variety of difficulties and issues including: growth and development, problems with studies and exams, personal relationships, identity, loneliness, anxiety, depression, suicidal feelings, homesickness, family problems, sex and sexuality, cultural issues, trauma, life changes, bereavement and loss, eating difficulties, drug or alcohol problems, life crises, mental health issues, experiences of abuse or discrimination. The Service also works with with international students, who who may be troubled by events happening in their homeland, such as unrest, war and economic crisis.



How do I arrange an appointment?

To see a counselor, you would first come to an Initial Appointment at your campus. These sessions take place daily and can be booked in advance, for the week in which you are booking. Thesession lasts about 25-50 minutes. Further counselling sessions will normally last about 50 minutes.



Confidentiality

The content of sessions is confidential to the Counselling and Wellbeing Service. In the course of professional supervision (a requirement for all counsellors), the content of sessions may be discussed, but this is done without revealing your identity. Counsellors reserve the right to break confidentiality in some very rare cases, for example, if they believe a student may cause serious physical harm to him/her self or to someone else. Such a break in confidentiality would usually only be done after consultation with the student (where possible).

If you want to see a counselor, you should come first of all to an Initial Appointment (see schedule below). You can book one of these by telephoning the Counseling Service 020 7856 9933 or by calling at Student Services. To avoid disappointment, you should book early in the day.