Student Counselling Student Counselling ServiceService

Being a student is a time of Being a student is a time of change...change...

Often it’s great, but there can be tough Often it’s great, but there can be tough times too …times too …

•finding friendsfinding friends•settling into a new environmentsettling into a new environment•difficulties with concentrationdifficulties with concentration•new subjects, approaches, skills new subjects, approaches, skills ……

•family difficultiesfamily difficulties•traumatic experiencestraumatic experiences

Tough times can leadTough times can leadto different reactionsto different reactions

• anxiety anxiety

• difficulty difficulty concentratingconcentrating

• family tensionsfamily tensions

• lack of motivationlack of motivation

• obsessive behaviourobsessive behaviour

• difficulty sleepingdifficulty sleeping

• phobiasphobias

• relationship problemsrelationship problems

• depressiondepression

• social anxietysocial anxiety

• problem alcohol useproblem alcohol use

• eating disorderseating disorders

• perfectionismperfectionism

• addictionaddiction

• self-harmself-harm

• suicidal thoughtssuicidal thoughts

The question is:The question is:

•how severe?how severe?

•how persistent?how persistent?

•impact on daily life?impact on daily life?

We can all experience different We can all experience different aspects of these reactions at aspects of these reactions at timestimes

Why talk to a counsellor?Why talk to a counsellor?

Counsellors are differentCounsellors are different

from friends and familyfrom friends and family

• they are outside your daily lifethey are outside your daily life• will not judge, criticise or make assumptionswill not judge, criticise or make assumptions• neutralneutral• only source of information about you is youonly source of information about you is you

Why talk to a counsellor?Why talk to a counsellor?

You might need:You might need:

•space to talkspace to talk

•no pressureno pressure

•professional adviceprofessional advice

Counselling can help you Counselling can help you to ...to ...

• understand yourselfunderstand yourself

• think things throughthink things through

• acknowledge feelingsacknowledge feelings

• work through themwork through them

• change negative patternschange negative patterns

• consider optionsconsider options

• make choicesmake choices

concerns when thinking about

counselling

Does going to a Does going to a counsellor mean counsellor mean

I’m a failure?I’m a failure?

I don’t want to I don’t want to be reminded of be reminded of how bad I feelhow bad I feel

I can sort I can sort my my

problems on problems on my ownmy own

No-one can No-one can understand understand how I feelhow I feelI really I really

must be in must be in a bad waya bad way

I don’t want I don’t want to talk to a to talk to a strangerstranger

Maybe I Maybe I won’t won’t

like the like the counsellcounsell

oror

It might It might make me make me

worseworse

It’s like It’s like saying I’m saying I’m

weakweak

Once you Once you start start

counselling counselling it never it never

endsends

Suppose I Suppose I won’t know won’t know

what to what to say?say?

What What would would

my my friends friends think?think?

I might I might get get

upsetupset

CounsellinCounselling could g could

get in the get in the way of my way of my

studiesstudies

If I go to If I go to counselling counselling will it all be will it all be

sorted?sorted?

I feel I feel ashamed of ashamed of

my my problemsproblems

Coming to counsellingComing to counsellingtakes courage -takes courage -

it involves facing yourselfit involves facing yourself

Counselling is a commitment Counselling is a commitment of time and energyof time and energy

Counselling is an investment inCounselling is an investment inyouyou

Student Counselling ServiceStudent Counselling Service

• AssessmentAssessment

• Drop-in service (2.15 to 4.15 Monday - Drop-in service (2.15 to 4.15 Monday - Friday)Friday)

• One-to-one counsellingOne-to-one counselling

• Group therapyGroup therapy

• WorkshopsWorkshops

• Referral to other servicesReferral to other services

• Consultation for staff who are concerned Consultation for staff who are concerned about how to deal with students in distressabout how to deal with students in distress

The Student Counselling The Student Counselling Service isService is

•freefree

•confidentialconfidential

Student Counselling ServiceStudent Counselling Service• 5 Distillery Road (5 Distillery Road (near AIB bank, Newcastle near AIB bank, Newcastle

RoadRoad))• 091 492484091 492484• counselling@nuigalway.iecounselling@nuigalway.ie• http://www.nuigalway.ie/student_servhttp://www.nuigalway.ie/student_serv

ices/counsellors/ices/counsellors/HEAD OF COUNSELLING

Bea Gavin

COUNSELLORS

Geraldine Emer Éamonn Mark Connolly Casey Ó Dochartaigh Campbell

ADMINISTRATO

R

Fíona Kennedynew

Alcoholand

AddictionCounsellor

Suicide Risk FactorsSuicide Risk Factors

• Current/past difficultiesCurrent/past difficulties• Changes in sleeping/ eating/ energy patternsChanges in sleeping/ eating/ energy patterns• IsolationIsolation• AddictionsAddictions• Previous attempts Previous attempts • Suicide by friend/family memberSuicide by friend/family member• Suicidal IdeationSuicidal Ideation• Suicide PlanSuicide Plan• Depressed MoodDepressed Mood• DissociationDissociation