Frequently asked questions

The SCU Counselling Service supports you with any personal issues that are impacting your ability to study. Our Counsellors offer short-term support to help you problem-solve and find strategies to improve your mental health and wellbeing. The Counsellors have experience in assessing personal issues or circumstances that may prevent you from studying successfully. We will work with you to find the best way forward, navigate your studies and connect with ongoing support as needed.

Our commitment to SCU students:

Our counsellors are highly trained and committed to providing high-quality support.

If you access our services, we aim to:

• Provide a professional and respectful service that values diversity of culture, beliefs, gender, and sexuality 
• Listen to you, and treat you with respect
• Utilise evidence-based psychological interventions to improve your coping skills
• Assist you in developing skills to help with your studies (for example, ways to manage exam anxiety)
• Gain a clearer understanding of your situation, which can include an assessment of your mental health
• Prioritise your safety and the safety of others
• Refer you to appropriate services when specialised or ongoing intervention is required

Information on booking an individual counselling appointment is available on our appointments page. 

The SCU counselling service is open for bookable appointments via Zoom, phone, email or in-person, between 9am and 3pm on weekdays.

All SCU main campus and online students can call (02) 6626 9300 or email [email protected]

Coffs Harbour campus students can call (02) 6659 3263.

If you are running late or can't attend your appointment, please let us know as soon as possible.  Our service often has a waiting list, and we may be able to help another student.

We understand that sometimes things come up unexpectedly, and we will help you reschedule wherever possible.

However, should you repeatedly miss your appointments without contacting us, we will need to discuss your access to the service. You may be restricted from booking a counselling appointment for a period of time.

If you need help outside of University operating hours, you can call or SMS the Crisis Counselling Support line.

It operates between 5pm and 9am on weekdays and offers a 24-hour service on the weekends and public holidays.

You may have a feeling that someone you know isn't OK, and you are concerned about them. 

The person you're worried about may be facing challenges at university or in their personal life. They may also be distressed or simply not seem like themselves.

What you can do to support someone

• Approach the person with your observations, and express your care and concern.
• Listen to the person - try your best to set aside judgement, and don't rush to fix or advise.
• Ask the person "How can I help?".
• Encourage them to link in with other people in their support network, consider helpful ways they have coped in the past, and what actions they could take now.
• Encourage them to seek professional help if necessary.
• Be realistic about what you can offer - don't get involved beyond your boundaries or role.
• Remember to look after yourself.

Referring someone to Counselling Services

Please be aware that we are unable to contact a student without their consent. If you think someone could benefit from counselling, it can be helpful to gently raise the idea of seeing a counsellor with them.

You could say: "One option in your situation could be to talk to someone at the Counselling Service. It's free and confidential. Have you considered that idea?"

You can direct them to this website for information and/or to book an appointment.

What if the person doesn't want help?

Taking the step to seek help can be challenging for some people. While it can be difficult to watch someone you care about struggling, counselling is generally not effective unless a person is willing and ready to get help. 

If the person is reluctant, try to find out why they feel that way. Unless there are immediate risks, it is important to respect the person's wishes. Let the person know that you are open to talking again with them, and check in at a later time. Continue to be supportive and patient with the person in the meantime.

While it's generally a good idea to give someone time and space to come around to getting help, if you are concerned that someone is in danger or at risk of harm, it's important to seek help immediately.

The SCU Counselling Service also offers:

• Workshops and therapy groups
• Recommended self-help resources
• Referral to other professional support if required
• Advice and consultancy to SCU staff

There are many helpful things you can do to support yourself while you are waiting for your appointment.

• Read our counsellor endorsed self-care strategies below
• Explore our Self-Help resources Hub for recommended mental health information, online self-help programs, and apps.
• Attend a workshop or therapy group. These run throughout the year to support your study and wellbeing.

To be able to minimise wait times for everyone, we ask you to notify us as soon as possible if you are unable to attend a scheduled appointment so that this time can be offered to another student.

Strategies for self-care:

Physical self-care: Eat regular and healthy meals, exercise, do something that you enjoy, get medical care if needed, get enough sleep, take a mini break, reduce alcohol and drug use.

Psychological self-care:  Write in a journal, make time for relaxation and reflection, be curious, say no to extra responsibilities, try something new, decrease stress in your life. If you feel you are unable to be alone ask a friend to stay with you.

Emotional self-care: Spend time with others who make you feel good, stay in touch with important people in your life, give yourself praise and affirmations, express your feeling in a safe way, find things that make you laugh and don’t be afraid of feelings and emotions-experience them as waves that come and go.

Spiritual self-care: Spend time in nature, be open to inspirations, pray, meditate, sing, be open to not knowing, read inspirational books, reduce the influence of material things, take a tech detox (turn off mobile, TV, internet).

Study/Work self-care: Take regular breaks, temporarily reduce workload, identify projects or goals that are exciting and rewarding, balance and plan workload so it doesn’t feel too much, talk with others about what you need at the moment.