You can make an appointment by filling out the counselling referral form online:
If you go to the Health Clinic you can also ask for a referral form to fill out there.
As soon as a counsellor is available to see they will send a slip to your class for an appointment.
It is really helpful if you indicate if you or the person being referred might be unsafe.
If you have a preference as to which counsellor you would like to see please tell us on the referral form.
If you have concerns about someone but not sure whether a referral is appropriate please email us at [email protected]
What you say to a counsellor is private and confidential, that means we won’t tell other people what we talk about in our sessions, However there are exceptions if someone is harming you or you want to harm yourself.
If there is any harm happening to you, it is our responsibility to support you to make sure you are safe. Sometimes this might mean contacting parents or another responsible adult in your life. We would always talk about this with you first.
The slips we use to call you from class are not just for the counsellors – they are used for the Deans, Pastoral Leaders and Health Clinic – so people will not know you are being called up to see a counsellor.
You are welcome to talk with your counsellor about anything and everything. There are no right or wrong things to talk about and no right or wrong way to talk about what is bothering you.
It’s okay to write some notes and bring them along to help you remember.
It can take time to build up trust to talk about difficult things and that is okay.
If you are really struggling to know where to start let your counsellor know this and they can start with asking you some questions to get the conversation going.
If you are unclear, either the Deans or the counsellors can point you in the right direction. Some of the common issues Deans deal with are class changes, problems with teachers, bullying, getting behind in school, uniform issues.
Can I change counsellors once I start counselling
Yes, there can be times when you don’t really feel like you connect with the counsellor you are seeing. If this is the case you are welcome to ask to see another counsellor. You won’t get in trouble and we won’t be offended if you ask for a change.
Can I bring someone else with me to the sessions?
Counselling usually happens on a one to one basis however if you are feeling particularly anxious or nervous about your first session you can bring a friend with you to support you. After that first session you should be feeling comfortable enough to meet by yourself.
How long and how often are the sessions?
Counselling sessions are generally 35-40 minutes long, occasionally they may go on longer if there are safety issues present. If this is the case and your counsellor’s door is shut, check in with Surrena. How often the sessions will happen is something that you will discuss with your counsellor.
