Counselling sessions

Never been to a counsellor? The first step is the hardest part. Once you connect with our free counselling service, you're on the right track to move forward positively.

We can help with...

  • difficulties adjusting to university life, including homesickness
  • exam stress and/or difficulties managing your time and priorities
  • procrastination
  • perfectionism
  • workplace learning concerns
  • academic performance/allegations of misconduct
  • feeling overwhelmed, and stressed\mild to moderate mental health issues, including anxiety and depression
  • difficulties with family and relationship issues
  • grief or loss
  • sexuality and gender identity questions
  • or anything which impacts upon your life or general well-being.

Special Consideration: Support Letters are only provided to students when unforeseen events have occurred. Please see what evidence you'll need when submitting an application.

What to expect during a counselling session

Charles Sturt has qualified counsellors on hand for free and confidential counselling.

Counselling is:

  • voluntary
  • confidential within ethical and legal constraints
  • independent of faculty/ other university staff
  • non-judgemental.

Counselling is not:

  • an indication you are ‘crazy’, ‘weak’, or ‘stupid’
  • two friends chatting
  • a means of discipline or punishment
  • telling you what you should or shouldn’t do

Appointments

There are counselling options to suit everyone, including phone or online sessions if that's your preference. These appointments are usually booked for one hour.

Options

Face-to-face

offers a strong foundation to help develop a deeper relationship with you at selected campuses. In-person sessions let counsellors have a greater understanding of your situation.

Phone

lets you connect with your counsellor wherever you are. This is a great option If you feel more comfortable talking from the privacy of your own home.

Zoom/Video

is a convenient alternative to traditional face-to-face counselling.  Counsellors can see and listen to your situation. You'll benefit from seeing how your counsellor is responding to you. You don't have to have your video on when talking to a counsellor.

For phone or zoom sessions, your counsellor explains what will happen if you disconnect or there are technical issues. We recommend you find a private place where you will not be overheard to ensure your counselling session is private and confidential.

Your first session with a Triage and Intake Counsellor may take up to 60 minutes.This session is all about finding out information, getting to know you, and building a trusting relationship.

We'll work with you to assess your situation and make an action plan based on your individual needs.

We cover:

  • Your confidentiality and privacy
  • How you are coping with university life
  • Your relationship with family and friends
  • What feelings and thoughts you have been experiencing, and more.

Answers to these questions will help our counsellors develop a support plan to move forward.

These sessions usually run from 20 to 50 minutes.

  • You may be offered more appointments based on your initial meeting.
  • Short-term outcomes (approximately 2 to 3 weeks) are set. Goals are defined to help you put in place agreed strategies and test their effectiveness.

As we can only provide short-term counselling support, students that require long-term specialist services will be linked to external support services such as your local G.P., a dietician, or another local service within your regional town.

In these cases, counsellors will try to recommend free or low-cost services.

All information discussed and collected by the Charles Sturt Counselling services is protected with NSW privacy laws and as outlined in the Charles Sturt Privacy Management Plan. Personal information is protected in accordance with NSW privacy laws and as outlined in the Charles Sturt Privacy Management Plan.

Student counsellors regard the confidence and privacy of each individual student.

Counsellors will explain all aspects of confidentiality for students. Students should also make themselves familiar with these Charles Sturt University policies:

We also value and show respect. This includes the way we record notes from conversations and consultations with individuals. Students can be confident their personal information will remain strictly confidential except when:

  • you (or someone with legal authority to do so) have given consent for their information to be shared.
  • the disclosure is necessary to prevent a serious or imminent risk to the life or health of a student or another person.
  • there is a threat to public health or public safety.
  • it is a legal requirement to disclose information (e.g., mandatory reporting of a serious crime or in response to a subpoena/court order).

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