Student Wellbeing Services
Counselling and Mental Health Service
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Counselling Menu
Why come to Counselling?
What is Counselling?
Counselling offers an opportunity to think and talk about your concerns, through conversation with a trained counsellor. In time this may help you develop an increased knowledge of yourself whilst helping you to create appropriate coping mechanisms and possible changes in your behaviour. The Counselling Service is here to help you to look at problems of a personal and emotional nature so that you can begin to explore your alternatives.
Who are the Counsellors?
Each of the counsellors hold at least a Diploma in Counselling and work to the standards set the in Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy. Prior to working for the Counselling Service members of the core team have worked in many different settings. The professional experiences gained in these settings provide a wide range of experiences that inform their work within the Counselling Service.
Why Is Counselling Useful?
Coping with academic or personal difficulites can be exhausting and may affect your ability to function during your time at university. Counselling can offer a space to explore and gain awareness about your difficulites. It can help you to understand what is happening and identify different choices and/or coping strategies.
How do I make an appointment to see a Counsellor?
In order to book an appointment it is necessary to fill out a self-referral form. This should only take around 5 minutes to complete. During busy times, we operate a waiting list, which can mean a longer waiting time before an appointment can be offered. This is simply because of the amount of people wanting to see us.
What if I can't attend an appointment?
If you want to change or cancel your appointment, please ring extension 92690 as soon as you can to let us know. Cancelled appointment times can then be offered to other people who are waiting and in need of an appointment. If you do not turn up for an appointment without letting us know, it will count as one of your allocated number of sessions.
What happens during the Counselling session?
In the first session we will ask you fill out a short questionnaire. This tells us something about how you have been feeling over the previous week. Then there is time for you to talk over whatever is causing you concern. Each counselling session lasts for 50 minutes.
During the session we can discuss whether counselling is right for you and also consider the option of returning for further sessions. We can offer up to 6 sessions but some people attend just once or twice to talk over something that is troubling them. Arrangements can be made for further sessions when appropriate and when resources allow. This is by agreement with the counsellor. In your final session we will ask you to fill out another short questionnaire. This will indicate if there any changes in how you are feeling.
Who can use the counselling service?
Counselling is available to all members of the Lancaster University.
Where is the counselling service located?
Staff are based on A-Floor, University House. For information on how to make an appointment see appoints from the menu. For location, opening times and contact information, please click here.
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