114 DON’T PANIC
WELL BEING Lectures, Classes, Essays, Debt, Homesick-
WHAT HAPPENS IN COUNSELLING?
ensure that the counselling service is ap-
ness, Jobs, Late Nights, Early Mornings…
Counselling involves talking, thinking and
propriate and effective, the counsellor
sometimes at LSE it can seem like it’s just
doing. The counsellor may prompt you
meets regularly with a trained supervisor
one thing after another! Life as a student
by asking questions and making obser-
external to the institution. From time to
at LSE can be a difficult and stressful
vations that will help you to look at things
time it is necessary for students to be
experience. Just as it is important that
in different ways in order to help you to
referred to another agency either within
you work, it is just as important that you
find alternative ways to deal with your
or outside LSE. If this occurs, the counsel-
relax and take time out when necessary.
problems. You will be actively involved in
lor will ask for the student’s consent.
This year student welfare is a top priority
all aspects of the counselling. WHAT IF I FEEL EMBARRASSED?
so the Students’ Union will be providing regular enrichment activities to improve
WHAT IS A COUNSELLOR?
People sometimes feel embarrassed
your experience as a student here. The
A counsellor is a trained professional
talking about intimate matters. The
Students’ Union is always there to provide
experienced in dealing with a wide
counsellors are trained to respect your
help, support, information and advice or
range of emotional and personal
feelings and discuss any topic you may
just somebody to listen. What follows is
problems. Sheila Gill is a nationally ac-
raise without judging or criticising you.
some information and advice that may
credited counsellor and trainer. She has
make your time here a little less stressful.
co-authored a number of books on the
WHO SEEKS COUNSELLING?
theory and practice of counselling. She
Students, both undergraduates and
COUNSELLING
subscribes to the ethical code of The
postgraduates, from diverse national
People sometimes experience emotional
British Association for Counsellors and
groups and academic disciplines seek
or personal problems that they find hard
Psychotherapists.
counselling. Problems and difficulties
to cope with by themselves. These prob-
students in the past have sought help
lems may be to do with changed circum-
LENGTH OF COUNSELLING
with include:
stances (setting into university life), difficul-
Counselling may take less time than you
• Settling into LSE/London
ties in relationships, unexplained changes
think. This will depend on the nature of
• Loneliness and homesickness
in mood, such as feeling low, anxious or
your problem and will be discussed with
• Depression
stressed. When this happens, you may feel
you during the first session. Sometimes
• Unexplained change in mood such
it useful to see a professional counsel-
one session will be enough to restore
as feeling miserable/tense/tearful
lor. For students with deadlines to meet
your confidence in order to solve your
• Anxiety/panic
and the constraints of the examination
problem. At other times several sessions
• Exam stress
system, such difficulties can at times feel
may be needed up to a maximum of 6.
• Harassment
overwhelming and have a serious impact
A session lasts about 45/50 minutes. Stu-
• Issues about sex and sexuality
on their ability to sustain academic
dents will be invited to arrange a review
• Unplanned pregnancy
performance. Counselling can help by
date to ensure progress is maintained.
• Self harm
exploring with you the problems you ex-
• Suicide (If you have suicidal thoughts/
perience and your attempts to solve the
IS THE SERVICE CONFIDENTIAL?
thoughts of self harm/currently self harm,
problem. New ways of coping will also be
The service is absolutely confidential,
it is advisable to make contact directly
explored. The approach to counselling at
which means your identity and anything
with your doctor.
the Students’ Union is based on system-
you talk about with the counsellor will
• Acute concern on behalf of another
atic and cognitive behavioural therapies
not be shared with anyone. All docu-
student
and is focused on problem solving.
mentation will be kept locked away. To
• Disability