Counselling is a “talking” therapy which seeks to provide a safe environment which enables you to explore and understand your issues in order for you to be able to explore all your options and move towards decision making and change.

Counselling is based on trust and honesty where the counsellor offers you unconditional respect and regard without being judgemental.

Not everyone finds it easy to come to counselling to talk about themselves and their concerns but for many students it can be very valuable.

Our counsellors are fully qualified and experienced and have substantial knowledge of working with the feelings, thoughts and behaviours which create psychological distress.

Examples of Problems

The following are examples of the type of problems the counsellors’ work with:

Academic, Personal, Relationships, Past, Recent or Current Experiences, Difficult Thoughts, Bereavement, Anger Management, Stress, Home Issues, Difficulty Coping, Eating

Disorders, Mental Health Issues, Trauma, Drugs/Alcohol, Rape & Other Abuse Issues, Sexuality, Depression, Divorce & Separation, Bullying, Anxiety & Panic etc.

Appointments

On contacting the Counselling Service you would normally be offered an initial assessment session. This time enables you to meet your counsellor and discuss whether or not counselling would be helpful for you. This session also enables the counsellor to assess if counselling is appropriate for your needs. Thereafter you would normally be offered a series of regular meetings depending on your needs.

How to contact us?

You can book an appointment directly with one of the counsellor’s. Posters, with contact details are, on all main notice boards throughout the College or numbers are available at all Student Services offices.

Student Services

You can call in person to the Student Services Centre on each sites where the staff can arrange an appointment for you.

Confidentiality

Confidentiality is maintained within the Counselling Service and this includes:

The Supervisor’s of the Counsellor's case-work who are external to the College.

Consultation and liaison case-work between the Counsellors’ within the Counselling Service.

The keeping of case notes which are coded and kept in a locked cabinet.

The collation and publication of counselling anonymous statistical data about the use of the service   for College managers. In exceptional circumstances confidentiality may be broken where there is deemed to be a serious risk of harm to the client or others.