Counselling

Face-to-face, online and telephone appointments available

The Counselling Service offer in-person, online (via MS Teams) and telephone appointments for students and staff residing in the UK.  All appointments have to be booked in advance by email. We are closed to walk-ins and only those with an appointment are asked to enter the building.

There is no waiting list at the Counselling Service, so we will email you to offer you an appointment quite soon after you email us, therefore please do regularly check your university emails.

We will offer you one appointment at the time you need to talk, rather than a block of future appointments.  This does not mean you are limited to only one appointment; it just means that you book one appointment at a time. Many students and members of staff find that one appointment is all they need for now; others return to see us again – it is all about what works best for you.

When you first email us at counselling@abdn.ac.uk for an appointment from your university email account, please provide the following information;

• Confirm that you are currently living in the UK
• Your Student or Staff ID number
• Your availability within the next week

In our response, we will send you a PDF Counselling Agreement which we will ask you to read and complete. The agreement explains how we operate, mutual roles, responsibilities and expectations. Once you have completed and returned this to us at counselling@abdn.ac.uk we will offer you an appointment.

For further information on how to arrange an appointment please see the Appointment Information for Students and Staff section below.

We aim to offer a counselling appointment within 2-4 working days, so please do get in contact with us around the time you seek counselling, rather than too far in advance. Please do allow us time to respond to your email as there are times of the year when we can be busier but we will get back to you.  When we offer you an appointment, we ask you to confirm the offered date and time is okay for you, so please keep an eye on your emails. If you don’t confirm this within the time requested, your appointment will not be booked in.

As an appointment-based service, we do not have resources to offer an immediate or emergency response but if you are in Crisis, please find resources in the IN CRISIS section below. 

Face-to-face counselling appointments are now available in Foresterhill Campus (Wednedsay morning)

In addition to the Counselling Service offering in-person appointments in the Old Aberdeen campus and online appointments via MS Teams for students and staff residing in the UK; the Counselling Service now offer in-person appointments for students and staff based in the Foresterhill Campus on Wednesday mornings.

Ania will usually be in the Polwarth Building on Wednesdays from 10.15am, with her last appointment being at 12.15pm. 

Appointments can be booked in the the usual way, which is by emailing counselling@abdn.ac.uk specifying that you would like an in-person appointment at Foresterhill.

All appointments have to be booked in advance by email and we are closed to walk-ins. 

There is no waiting list at the Counselling Service, so we will be able to offer you an appointment quite soon after you email us, although please bear in mind that we are only in Foresterhill Campus on Wednesday mornings. 

We will offer you one appointment at the time you need to talk, rather than a block of future appointments.  This does not mean you are limited to only one appointment; it just means that you book one appointment at a time. Many students and members of staff find that one appointment is all they need for now; others return to see us again – it is all about what works best for you.

When you first email us at counselling@abdn.ac.uk for an appointment from your university email account, please provide the following information;

• Confirm that you are currently living in the UK
• Your Student or Staff ID number
• Your availability within the next week

In our responce, we will send you a PDF Counselling Agreement which we will ask you to read and complete. The agreement explains how we operate, mutual roles, responsibilities and expectations. Once you have completed and returned this to us at counselling@abdn.ac.uk we will offer you an appointment.

For further information on how to arrange an appointment please see the Appointment Information for Students and Staff section below.

We aim to offer a counselling appointment within 2-4 working days, so please do get in contact with us around the time you seek counselling, rather than too far in advance. Please do allow us time to respond to your email as there are times of the year when we can be busier but we will get back to you.  When we offer you an appointment, we ask you to confirm the offered date and time is okay for you, so please keep an eye on your emails. If you don’t confirm this within the time requested, your appointment will not be booked in.

As an appointment-based service, we do not have resources to offer an immediate or emergency response but if you are in Crisis, please find resources in the IN CRISIS section below. 

If you are feeling stressed, anxious or low, or are experiencing a difficult personal issue, we can arrange for you talk to one of our counsellors online via MS Teams.

There is no waiting list at the Counselling Service, so we will be able to offer you an appointment quite soon after you email us.  

We will offer you one appointment at the time you need to talk, rather than a block of future appointments.  This does not mean you are limited to only one appointment; it just means that you book one appointment at a time. Many students and members of staff find that one appointment is all they need for now; others return to see us again – it is all about what works best for you.

When you first email us at counselling@abdn.ac.uk for an appointment from your university email account, please provide the following information;

• Your Student or Staff ID number
• Your availability within the next week

In our response, we will send you a PDF Counselling Agreement which we will ask you to read and complete. The agreement explains how we operate, mutual roles, responsibilities and expectations. Once you have completed and returned this to us at counselling@abdn.ac.uk we will offer you an appointment.

For further information on how to arrange an appointment please see the Appointment Information for Students and Staff section below.

We aim to offer a counselling appointment within 2-4 working days, so please do get in contact with us around the time you seek counselling, rather than too far in advance. Please do allow us time to respond to your email as there are times of the year when we can be busier but we will get back to you. When we offer you an appointment, we ask you to confirm the offered date and time is okay for you, so please keep an eye on your emails. If you don’t confirm this within the time requested, your appointment will not be booked in.

As an appointment-based service, we do not have resources to offer an immediate or emergency response but if you are in Crisis, please find resources in the IN CRISIS section below. 

Regrettably we cannot offer counselling if you are residing beyond the legal jurisdiction of the UK because of the different rules and regulations regarding licensing, insurance, training and qualifications of counsellors and therapists.

If you are living outside of the UK, you can still access the Student Helpline provided through a specialist external provider called Spectrum Life. This is independent of and separate from the University. They offer free-of-charge immediate emotional support as well as information and advice on a range of ‘life’ and wellbeing matters. Their international contact number and further resources can be found on their website.

The Helpline is available 24/7.

• Outside of UK 00353 15 180 277
• Student Helpline WhatsApp - Text "Hi" to 00353 87 369 0010

The Spectrum Life service can be accessed by going to universityofaberdeen.spectrum.life. You can create an account and access the online chat facility where you can speak to a counsellor online 24 hours a day.

Please also check out the extensive range of specialist or online resources as well as our suite of self-help guides

We are here to help.

What is counselling?

Counselling is a talking therapy which gives you the opportunity to explore issues which are causing you concern or distress. We can give you the space to find a new perspective on a problem or think about options for change. We won’t tell you what to do but we will listen to you and help you find a way forward.

What happens BEFORE my counselling appointment?

When you first send us an email asking for an appointment, we will email you back as soon as we can, and ask you to complete and return our Counselling Agreement.  This agreement explains how we work, what you can expect from us as a Counselling Service, and what we'll ask of you, as a user of the service.  The agreement will also help you to understand the terms under which we offer our service, including confidentiality.

We will need you to fill in some contact information, and there is a space to explain a little (only if you want to) about why you would like to have some counselling.  Doing this can help you prepare for your session, but it is not essential.  Once you have completed the agreement and returned it to us at counselling@abdn.ac.uk, we will then offer you an appointment.

What happens DURING my counselling appointment?

If possible, we suggest that you identify one main issue that you’d like to talk about in the session with your counsellor.  Your counsellor will listen to you, and maybe ask some questions – and working together, the two of you will try to make sense of how you’ve been feeling.  Your counsellor may help you to come up with some practical ways to make a difference to your problem, if appropriate; or you might prefer just to talk, and know someone has really listened.  What we want from counselling can vary, so it could be useful to identify this before your session.

What happens AFTER my counselling appointment?

We encourage you to take some time to reflect on the work you and your counsellor have done together in your counselling session.  There could be some ideas or techniques for you to put into practice, which might help you to better manage your issue.  You may want to take some action regarding your situation (for example, speaking with your personal tutor, or contacting your GP).  You might realise you’re able to think about things differently, once a little time has passed.  After that, if you decide you want to talk to someone again, please do email us.

How to arrange an appointment

Email counselling@abdn.ac.uk from your University email address to arrange an appointment

When you contact us, please provide the following information, to help us to help you;

• The name you prefer to be called
• Your Student ID number
• Your availability over the next 5 working days
• Whether you have a preference for a particular counsellor

We will respond to your email as soon as possible but this may not be immediately. We are closed over the weekend.  

How many appointments are available?

We offer you one appointment at a time, which may be all you need.  We encourage you to take a bit of time to think things over after your session and see how you feel.  If you would like to talk with us again, please email us with your availability and counsellor preference, if you have one, and we’ll be happy to arrange another appointment for you.

Who are the counsellors?

We are a team of professionally trained and qualified counsellors who abide by the Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions from our professional body, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)

How long does an appointment last?

Each appointment lasts up to 50 minutes and has strict start and end points. If you arrive late, we will not be able to give you more than your allocated time slot. We offer appointments during our opening hours of Monday to Friday from 09.00 to 17.00 throughout the year, including the summer break.

Can I choose who I see?

You will normally be offered an appointment with the next available counsellor.  All of our counsellors are individuals, and they all have slightly different ways of working.  Not everyone will feel they connect well with the first counsellor they meet - so if you’re coming back to see us, and you want to meet a different counsellor, that’s okay.  Please let us know when you contact us if you would like to see a specific counsellor (though you may need to wait a little longer, depending on their availability).

Multilingual counselling

We can currently provide counselling in the following languages:  Doric, English, Hindi, Malay, Manglish, Polish, Scots, Singlish, Spanish and Urdu.

Female or male counsellor options

At the moment we only have female counsellors on our team; if it important to you to see a male counsellor we can help with signposting to other services.

Cancellation and 'No Show' Policy

Please give us at least 24 hours’ notice if you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment so we can offer the appointment to someone else and reduce our waiting times. If you don’t cancel your appointment and do not attend, you will need to contact us to re-schedule.

Confidentiality

The work with your counsellor is confidential. Your attendance at counselling will not show up in your academic records or your medical records with your GP. We do not share information with anyone unless we have your permission to do so.

Privacy

You can read our privacy notice here

Exceptions to confidentiality

All counsellors are required by their professional body to review their clinical work with an appropriately qualified external supervisor to ensure you are given the best possible service. You can read the Ethical Framework to which we subscribe at www.bacp.co.uk

If your counsellor believes you pose a significant risk of harm to yourself or others we will take action to minimise the risk. The same may apply to criminal intent. We will always try to talk with you about this first but your counsellor may be duty bound by their Ethical Framework to inform your GP and/or other professionals, if this situation arises, whether you give consent or not.

We are sometimes required by courts of law, the police or clients themselves to provide information. This may include requests for client notes and files. We would try to involve you in any decisions and act in accordance with your wishes. Without client consent, we only release information in these circumstances if required to do so by a court of law. This applies even after you have left University.

We offer workshops to students and members of staff throughout the year.  These are facilitated by experienced qualified counsellors from the University Counselling Service.

ANXIETY  

As a student do you struggle with anxiety regarding your studies, your research, or in general? 

Are you a staff member who experiences general anxiety to do with work or your personal life?

Then join us for an informative 90-minute workshop, where you will learn the biology behind anxiety and the tools to help deal with it.

SELF ESTEEM

Do you struggle to believe in yourself?  Do you beat yourself up with a negative mindset towards self?

Then join us for this interactive workshop as we talk through the negative pitfalls of this way of being and offer tools and strategies of challenging the critical narrative.

PROCRASTINATION

Do you struggle with procrastination with your studies or in the workplace?

Do you put things off and find it hard to prioritise the jobs you need to do? 

Then join us as we offer a step by step approach, which will empower you in helping yourself.

UNIREADY WORKSHOP

As a new or already existing student do you feel Ready to start or maintain your university journey?

For most people, the new-found level of independence that university brings is a whole new experience. Surprisingly, one of the most challenging parts of university life is mastering the basic real-life skills of day-to-day living to be able to perform well at the academic level.

Would you like a safe confidential space to explore these skills, so that you can prepare yourself for the challenges of this new learning environment?

If you do not feel UniReady yet, then join us for a 90-minute UniReady Workshop, which will offer you some practical tools and strategies to enable yourself to be better prepared to pursue your goals!

Please click on the link below for dates and to book your place on any of our workshops or if you have any questions please email counselling@abdn.ac.uk

Our appointment-based protocol means we have very limited scope to attend to any Crisis or Emergency.

If you are in Crisis or in an Emergency, please go to the Accident and Emergency Department of your local Hospital OR dial 999 and ask for an Ambulance.

Alternatively, please contact your GP Practice and ask for an Emergency Appointment.

When your GP Practice is closed, please telephone NHS 24 on 111.  NHS out-of-hours

Helplines include:

• University of Aberdeen Student Helpline - available 24 hours a day and offers free-of-charge and immediate emotional support.
   
• Prevent Suicide - App

• SHOUT provides free, 24/7 crisis support across the UK. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis and need support, you can text SHOUT to 85258

• HopeLine UK  Tel: 0800 068 4141 or Text: 07786209697 or Email: pat@papyrus-uk.org (10am - 10pm weekdays; 2pm - 10pm weekends; 2pm - 10pm bank holidays)

• Samaritans   Tel: 116 123 (freephone 24 hours) or Email: jo@samaritans.org  (response time: 24 hours)

• Breathing Space   Tel: 0800 838587 (freephone Mon - Thurs 6pm - 2am & Fri 6pm - Mon 6am)  Breathing Space webchat pilot is open Mon - Fri 6pm to 10pm

• Nightline  Instant Messaging only (8pm - Midnight term time)

• Rape Crisis Grampian  Tel: 01224 590932 (local number, Mon - Thurs 9am - 5pm) 

• Rape Crisis Scotland    Tel: 08088 010302 (freephone daily 6pm - midnight)

University of Aberdeen Security (24/7) can be contacted using the SafeZone free app if you ever need Urgent Help, First Aid or if you have an Emergency while on Campus.

 Our Team 

All our counsellors are professionally trained, attend external supervision and work to the Ethical Framework of their professional body.

Head of Counselling & Specialist Support:  Anna Shea

Administration Coordinator:  Nicky Mann

Administration Assistant:  Ashleylouise Craig

Counsellors:  Ania Perlinski

                Felicity Dutton (term-time)

                Gaby Valecillos (term-time)

                Jacquie Simpson

               Janie Keddie (term-time)

               Namrata Labroo (term-time)

               Rhona Gough (term-time)

                          Sha'yo Lai

How much does it cost?

The service is free of charge.

Confidentiality

Everything you talk about with your counsellor stays within the Counselling Service.

The Counselling Service works closely as a team, and share tasks and collaborate with each other to ensure smooth operations. We may consult with each other about your engagement with us so we can offer you the best possible support. This means the confidentiality loop covers the whole counselling team but, importantly, does not extend outside this team, without your consent or unless we have serious concerns about your wellbeing.

Our professional body, the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy, requires all counsellors to have regular supervision with a qualified external supervisor. This may mean that the work between you and your counsellor may be discussed, in confidence, between your counsellor and their supervisor.

We do not pass any information to anyone else, including other University Departments, unless we have your permission to do so. This means we will not even confirm or deny your visit to a counsellor, without your consent.

However, rarely, there may be exceptional circumstances when the counsellor, or the Counselling Service, feels it is necessary to act without your permission, although we would seek to explain this with you first, if this was feasible or appropriate.  At such times, the importance of preserving client trust and autonomy will be weighed against the importance of reducing the risk to you or to other people.  

Privacy Notice

This explains how the Counselling Service collects and uses personal information. PDF format

BACP Ethical Framework

All members of the University Counselling Service adhere to the Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions established by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).

Feedback

The Counselling Service welcomes feedback.

If you would like to tell us about something what we have done well or suggest how we can improve our service, please email: counselling@abdn.ac.uk

We have produced some 2-minute videos which provide information on how we work, some ways to cope with life and life events.

• Introduction to the Counselling Service
• 20 Ways to Improve Your Daily Wellbeing
• Tips for developing resilience     
• Looking After Your Mental Health
• Coming to your Senses             

To watch the videos please click below.

Our Student Helpline is available 24 hours a day and offers free-of-charge and immediate emotional support.

The Helpline is provided by Spectrum Life, an independent organisation, offering in the moment counselling, as well as information and advice on a range of ‘life’ and wellbeing matters.

If you are feeling stressed, anxious or low, or are experiencing a difficult personal issue, you can speak directly to a counsellor at any time by phone or text. No appointment necessary.

• Student Helpline freephone number (UK) 0808 196 2707
• Outside of UK 00353 1518 0277
• Student Helpline WhatsApp - Text "Hi" to 00353 87 369 0010

The Spectrum Life service can be accessed by visiting universityofaberdeen.spectrum.life. You can create an account, using institutional code ABERDEEN and access the online chat facility where you can speak to a counsellor online 24 hours a day. 

In some instances we can write a ‘letter of support’ for students who may be experiencing emotional or psychological difficulties where these might be adversely affecting their studies.

Who should I speak to about my difficulties?

The Counselling Service always encourages you to get in touch with the appropriate Academic personnel as soon as difficulties are impacting on your studies; this may include Personal Tutors, Regents, Course Coordinators, Programme Coordinators, School Administrators.  Making contact early allows for more potential flexibility and options regarding how best to resolve the situation.

What can the Counselling Service write in a letter and what is not possible?

We can verify the dates when you attended counselling and, if you are happy to do so, include the main presenting issue that you brought to counselling. But you are under no obligation to verify the nature or purpose of counselling – that is your choice.

We cannot make or confirm any medical diagnosis, which can only come from your GP, Doctor or other medical healthcare professional.  As counselling is subjective, and based on what you discuss with your Counsellor, we cannot provide evidence of what you have or have not experienced. We can only refer to what you have told us.

Do I need to see a Counsellor?

We cannot provide a letter of support if you are not known to the Counselling Service. Counselling is rarely appropriate if you are only seeking a ‘letter’.  However, students often find counselling can help to explore options and coping resources. The fact that you are seeing a Counsellor does not necessarily mean your circumstances are unusually distressing or extreme.

How long does a letter take to write?

We aim to draft this for you within a week. However, at peak times it may take longer. 

How do I receive my letter?

We will email you a draft copy for your approval. Once you have confirmed approval, we will email you a signed PDF copy. You may wish to upload the letter to ‘My Aberdeen’, as appropriate. For security reasons, we only email letters to your University email address.

Who will read the letter?

We email you the signed PDF copy so that you can choose who you want to receive the letter. Once we have sent you the PDF signed copy, the onus for distributing the letter rests with you.  The Counselling Service is not responsible for who reads the letter after we have sent it to you or any consequences of so doing.

If you are looking for some support outwith the university, you will find a selection of external resources on the Your Wellbeing webpage

We have produced a number of Self-Help Guides which you can view here.

NHS Grampian also have a selection of self-help leaflets which you can view here.

Consider whether any of the following might offer you a suitable way to address your issue - either as an alternative or in addition to the Counselling Service.

• For academic issues – please go to Registry or Pastoral Study Support or Student Support Advisers
• For Halls of Residence issues –  Student Resident Assistants
• For medical matters – please contact your GP
• For peer-to-peer support (in 1st year) –  Peer Support
• For support and guidance on your studies –  Personal Tutor/Regent
• For career-related matters –  Careers or Alumni Office
• For international students – International Centre or International Student Advisers
• For disability support -  Disability Advisers
• For advice on academic learning support and study plans – Student Learning Service
• For pastoral support - Multi-Faith Chaplaincy Centre
• For self-help guides – please see Self-help Matters
• For sport and exercise – try Aberdeen Sports Village