Frequently asked questions

Why come for counselling?

Counselling offers you the opportunity to talk in private about anything that’s troubling you. It is a completely confidential process where the counsellor will listen carefully to what you have to say and will not judge you or tell you what to do. The aim is to help you understand things more clearly so that you can see for yourself how to deal with things more effectively.

When is counselling a good idea?

The Counselling Service aims to be welcoming and friendly and it is a good idea to make contact quickly if you feel you’re not coping very well. Counselling is often a last resort and can even be seen as a sign of failure, but it isn’t. Knowing how to look after yourself is an important life skill, part of which is to know when you need some extra support.

You can also use counselling for personal development, to increase awareness of who you are and how you relate to others, to build self-esteem, and to help resolve issues which might be preventing you fulfil your potential.

What do people talk about?

In counselling you talk about yourself and any issues which are affecting your wellbeing. These are common topics raised by students:

• Relationships
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Loss
• Low self-esteem
• Eating problems
• Sexual identity
• Abuse
• Self harm
• Academic concerns

You can get self-help information on these and other common problems at www.student.counselling.co.uk

Who are the counsellors?

The Student Counsellor is Frances Kelly, an experienced counsellor accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. Sometimes trainee counsellors have placements with the Counselling Service. All counsellors work within the Ethical Framework of BACP (http://www.bacp.co.uk/ethical_framework).