Counselling

Appointments

Counselling at UWS is provided through well-being appointments where you will have the opportunity to focus on what is troubling you and identify what you would like to get from the appointment.

Your counsellor may also suggest some additional forms of support for you to think about such as:

• Information and support on learning mindfulness
• Self-help
• The online self-help programme, SilverCloud (see below)
• Further wellbeing appointments
• Support in becoming physically active
• Referral to other university services
• Information about specialist help available outside the university

Request an appointment

You can request an appointment by contacting The Hub. You can do this in person, by phone or through the Hub Portal, hub@uws.ac.uk We will offer you an appointment as soon as possible after you get in touch, usually within one to two weeks. 

If you are booking by email, please include the following information in your message:

• Your banner ID
• Your campus
• A contact phone number

Preparing for your appointment

To get the most out of your appointment it would help if you prepared by thinking about how you would like to use the time and what you’d like to get from the session.  To assist you in preparing we will send you some questions, along with confirmation of your appointment, to consider prior to your appointment. 

If you are not sure about what you want to focus on but still think you could benefit from speaking to a counsellor that is okay too, as we know personal and emotional problems can sometimes be difficult to make sense of and articulate.

Cancelling an appointment

If you cannot attend your appointment please let us know as soon as possible. This allows us to use the slot for other students which keeps down waiting times, benefitting all students.

Further appointments

For many students one well-being appointment can be enough to begin to find a way forward and make changes for the better but if you need more you will have the opportunity to make further appointments on a session by session basis in a way that reflects your needs.

After each appointment, you will have a chance to reflect on how the session was for you and decide whether you would like to make another appointment. Any further appointments can be made by contacting The Hub. If you would like to see the same counsellor you saw before, please mention this when you book. If you can't remember the counsellor's name, The Hub can check this for you.

All appointments last a maximum of 60 minutes.

You can also contact the following free listening services:

• Breathing Space: 0800 83 85 87. They also have a webchat option. Their opening times are 6pm-2am Monday-Thursday and Friday 6pm - 6am Monday.
• Call 116 123 to talk to Samaritans 24/7, or email: jo@samaritans.org for a reply within 24 hours
• Text "STUDENT" to 85258 to contact the Shout Crisis Text Line, or text "YM" to the same number if you're under 19 for support from Young Minds.
• If you're under 19, you can also call 0800 1111 to talk to Childline on their 24 hours helpline. The number will not appear on your phone bill.
• Text THEMIX to 85258 to contact the Mix
• If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide, phone Hopeline UK on 0800 068 41 41, or text them on 07786 209 687 between 9am – 10pm weekdays, 2pm – 10pm weekends or email pat@papyrus-uk.org
• Call the CALM helpline on 0800 58 58 58 between 5pm and midnight.

OUT OF HOURS CONTACTS

To access urgent support when GP surgeries are closed please call NHS Scotland 111 Service (NHS 111 for students in England).  In Scotland the newly launched Mental Health Telephone Hub provides immediate phone access to clinically qualified staff who will assess callers and ensure the appropriate support is organised, based on the callers’ individual situation and needs. 

EMERGENCY CONTACTS

In the rare event, that you or someone you know needs help for a mental health crisis, or breakdown, you should get immediate expert advice and assessment. In an emergency, call 999. This could include attempted suicide, serious self-harm or harm to others, or situations where you feel you lack a sense of self-control, personal responsibility or safety.

Personal information may only be passed on in the following, exceptional circumstances:

• if you have given explicit consent for information to be disclosed to a specific person or organisation
• if you or someone else is in serious danger
• if the counsellor would be liable to civil or criminal proceedings if the information was not disclosed

Even in these circumstances we would normally try to speak to you first before contacting anyone else.

Please ask if you have any questions on this policy.