Service Parameters
The Student Counselling Service is available free of charge to all undergraduate and taught postgraduate students of Plymouth University, excluding those from partner colleges with their own counselling provision. The Student Counselling Service will only work with those students who access the service on a voluntary basis.
The concerns of clients presenting for counselling within a diverse student population reflect the range of problems found in society as a whole. The Student Counselling Service works collaboratively with, and does not seek to replicate the work of other internal and external services. Following an initial consultation, where the range of options available, including time-limited counselling*, CBT or groups, is assessed to be inappropriate or insufficient, the service will assist the student in identifying alternative support, through signposting and referral to other services.
The service can support students with severe and enduring mental health issues and diagnosis of mental illness, in itself, is not a barrier to accessing the service. The decision to offer counselling will always be based on the student’s capacity for psychological engagement. If, however, students have established support from secondary services, it is rarely appropriate for the Student Counselling Service to become involved, except as a point of liaison with other services in the University.
The Student Counselling Service operates on an appointment-only basis and is not an emergency service.
*Counselling from a range of theoretical approaches is offered, including Psychodynamic, Person-Centred, Narrative, Mindfulness, CBT, Gestalt and Integrative. For further details of each approach, go to
www.bacp.co.uk.