Frequently asked questions about counselling
Here are some answers to common questions about counselling.
Counselling enables you to explore issues that are causing you concern and impacting on your university studies. Together with the counsellor or psychologist, you can clarify goals and develop new skills, insights and strategies to deal with difficulties that you are currently facing.
Counselling draws on your existing strengths and knowledge of what works for you, as well as offering a fresh perspective, as appropriate.
All issues are important. If whatever is worrying or distressing you is preventing you from achieving your academic goals and enjoying your life, then it is important. Addressing a problem before it gets too big is often a more effective way of dealing with difficulties.
The practice of speaking about your experience is a powerful tool in helping you to make sense of what you feel.
Holding things inside can increase feelings of isolation, shame or blame. Having your experiences heard and understood by someone who has had the privilege of talking with others who have had similar experiences, can help you feel less alone and hold hope for making positive changes in your life.
Sometimes, it is a relief to realise that you are not alone and that what you are experiencing may be similar to others.
Counselling is completely confidential. Ethically, the only situation when counsellors may break confidentiality is when your safety or someone else’s safety is seriously at risk. If this was the case, it would be fully discussed with you first.
All counsellors are required to attend professional supervision. During supervision the content of counselling sessions may be discussed, but this is done without revealing your identity.
Nothing that is discussed within the counselling session goes outside the counselling room, unless you and your counsellor agree that it may be helpful for your lecturer to have some understanding of your situation. You and your counsellor would then decide together, exactly what information you would feel comfortable passing on.
The University Counselling Service is bound by professional ethics which prevent us giving any information about who is attending the counselling service. This includes parents. If parents do ring us in regard to their son or daughter, we explain that although we appreciate their concern, we are unable to give them any information without your permission.
All counsellors keep written records. These are kept in a locked filing cabinet that is only accessible to the student’s counsellor or any other university counsellor who has contact with you. At the end of each year these files are transferred to secure storage and are held for 10 years from the point of last contact.
The University provides up to eight free counselling sessions per year. The initial 30-minute appointment is in addition to the eight sessions.
You are not able to pay for additional sessions. Given the numbers of students trying to access the Counselling Service, we felt that a limited number of sessions was the only way to ensure equal availability for all students wishing to attend counselling.
We are able to see couples when both people in the relationship are students. If your partner is not a student, we can suggest skilled couple counsellors who practice privately in the community or counsellors who provide counselling through the Family Court.
You are welcome to bring a support person along with you for the initial counselling session.
