Counselling provides the opportunity and space for you to talk about things that may be difficult to share with anyone else. It enables you to become more effective in your life within and outside of the University. It helps you identify and overcome barriers to achieving your potential, promoting and developing self-awareness and empowering you to make informed choices in your academic, personal and social lives. It is not about giving advice or telling you what to do. 

For more information go to /counselling.service/students/

For students wishing to make an appointment please email: counsel.service@durham.ac.uk

Staff wishing to access counselling should contact the Employee Assistance Programme EAP 

When you are unable to keep an appointment we ask that you inform us 24 hours prior to the appointment by emailing counsel.service@durham.ac.uk. This will enable us to offer your appointment to someone who is waiting.

/counselling.service/aboutus/

The Counselling team is located in the Counselling & Mental Health Service, which is situated in the Palatine Centre next door to the Bill Bryson library. We offer a mixed service of face-to-face and remote sessions (via Teams or telephone). For full details please see /counselling.service/aboutus

Counselling sessions are 50 minutes. A telephone review or an appointment with the Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner may be 25 or 50 minutes.

You can bring a variety of issues to counselling, anything that is impacting your capacity to study or to engage in wider University Life. These might include concerns about academic work or relationships at University or at home. You may be experiencing symptoms of distress, for example anxiety or depression, and not have a clear sense of why are are feeling that .

You do not need to be having a major crisis in order to access the Counselling team. It is better if you come along to see us when you are first beginning to experience problems to avoid them getting worse.

We recognise how important it is to remain with the same practitioner. After we have received your Self-Referral Questionnaire and assigned you to a practitioner, you will likely continue to work with that practitioner. However, if your needs change or if it would be more helpful for you to receive support from an alternative practitioner, it may be possible to change.

Yes. If you feel you are not connecting with the practitioner you have been allocated you can request a change of practitioner. To do so you can either discuss with your current Practitioner or contact the Senior Counsellor by emailing cmh.service@durham.ac.uk

We have a team of qualified and accredited counsellors and psychological wellbeing practitioners. In addition we work with counsellors on placement, who are in the latter stages of their counselling training. They are capable practitioners working under close supervision.

If you are feeling very anxious or depressed and finding that this affecting your daily living, ability to sleep and/or eat it is vital you discuss your symptoms with your GP.

If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or are self-harming it is imperative that you speak to your GP immediately to access help or call 999

Counselling provides the opportunity for you to explore issues that are causing you problems, in a safe environment with someone who has no other role in your life. The Counsellor helps you to focus on and understand more clearly the issues that concern you. For more information go to our website /counselling.service/students/

Counselling is not about giving advice or telling you what to do. Counselling is unable to make changes for you but can empower you to make the necessary changes yourself. Counselling does not provide answers in respect to academic work, housing, financial difficulties as there are specific departments to help you with these issues.

Strict confidentiality is maintained for counselling sessions. No personal information, verbal or written will be disclosed to anyone outside of the service without your consent unless we believe you or someone else is in danger. 

However, if you have been formally referred to the Service by your College or Department, we will notify them if you do not attend an initial appointment. 

More information at /counselling.service/aboutus/

No information will be passed to anyone outside of the service (in the University or externally) unless requested by yourself, or unless you are at immediate risk.

Letters of support can only be provided by our Service if you currently attending sessions or have previously sought support from us. For more information /counselling.service/aboutus/ 

We require student’s to contact the Counselling & Mental Health Service themselves to make an appointment. We find that if appointments are made on someone's behalf it is less likely that they will arrive for their session. If your friend is reluctant to secure support, speak to their College Student Support staff about your concerns in the first instance. You can also call the Counselling & Mental Health Service to register your concerns, but we will not be able to share any information with you. 

Please go to: Counselling & Mental Health Service : Concerned about someone?

If you are not satisfied with the service you have received please discuss this with your practitioner. If this does not resolve the matter you can request to speak to one of our Heads of Service who will endeavour to resolve your concerns.