Counselling
What is Counselling?
Sometimes we have problems that are worrying us. Think of a confusing jigsaw when all the pieces are difficult to match together. Talking about a problem in counselling is like sorting out all the pieces so we can begin to build a picture that makes more sense to us.
Sometimes it’s difficult to talk to parents, friends or teachers about things that are making us anxious.
A counsellor is someone who you can talk to in a different way, someone who will listen to you very carefully, who will not judge you or tell you what to do.
Counselling is about helping you to work things out for yourself, making decisions and choices and helping you to look at things differently. It can help you to feel better about yourself and with things like relationships, low mood and depression, anxiety and panic attacks, self-harming, anger and frustration, body image and self-esteem, bullying, suicidal thoughts, sexual health, addiction, stress, trauma, eating issues, bereavement, sexuality.
What kind of things do people talk about in counselling?
It could be about lots of different things. Here are some examples :
How will I know if counselling is right for me?
You can always drop-in for a chat and meet Yann, the school counsellor. His room is in the same corridor as the Guidance Base, in the B block, on the ground floor (BG10). You are very welcome to come in at any time when the door is opened! You can meet him for one or more sessions to find out for yourself. You can also ask questions, see how you feel. Counselling is voluntary. You have the choice to come or not. Whatever you decide will be OK.
My problems and worries are private. Will other people know what I have talked about?
What you talk about is confidential. That means it’s between you and Yann. Obviously, if you want to talk to anyone else about what you have discussed in the counselling session, that is up to you. Yann will also make some notes about you but those will be kept confidential and safely locked in a cabinet. He will keep confidentiality unless you are at risk of harm; he may then need to talk to someone else to help keep you safe, but will always aim to talk with you about this first.
How do I get to see Yann?
Someone may have suggested it to you, or you can begin by talking to a member of staff that you trust. This may be your Guidance Teacher, who can then refer you. You can also obtain a self-referral form (found by the Counselling Room) and refer yourself without discussing your worries with a teacher.
A request for counselling form will be completed and given to Yann, who will see you when he has a space and discuss your wishes with you. The school will always seek your permission and may contact your parents/carers for consent for you to attend counselling. Your opinion on this will be taken into consideration and is important.
"Supporting positive mental wellbeing is an important priority in our school and I strongly believe that looking after our mental health is as important as looking after our physical health, possibly even more. Just remember: asking for help is really a sign of strength, not a weakness!" Yann
Sometimes we have problems that are worrying us. Think of a confusing jigsaw when all the pieces are difficult to match together. Talking about a problem in counselling is like sorting out all the pieces so we can begin to build a picture that makes more sense to us.
Sometimes it’s difficult to talk to parents, friends or teachers about things that are making us anxious.
A counsellor is someone who you can talk to in a different way, someone who will listen to you very carefully, who will not judge you or tell you what to do.
Counselling is about helping you to work things out for yourself, making decisions and choices and helping you to look at things differently. It can help you to feel better about yourself and with things like relationships, low mood and depression, anxiety and panic attacks, self-harming, anger and frustration, body image and self-esteem, bullying, suicidal thoughts, sexual health, addiction, stress, trauma, eating issues, bereavement, sexuality.
What kind of things do people talk about in counselling?
It could be about lots of different things. Here are some examples :
- “My parents are separating.”
- “I feel anxious all the time.”
- “I struggle to make friends.”
- “I’m feeling angry but I don’t know why.”
- “I’m having a tough time at school.”
- “Someone special died and I can’t stop thinking about him.”
- “I have difficult feelings about myself.”
How will I know if counselling is right for me?
You can always drop-in for a chat and meet Yann, the school counsellor. His room is in the same corridor as the Guidance Base, in the B block, on the ground floor (BG10). You are very welcome to come in at any time when the door is opened! You can meet him for one or more sessions to find out for yourself. You can also ask questions, see how you feel. Counselling is voluntary. You have the choice to come or not. Whatever you decide will be OK.
My problems and worries are private. Will other people know what I have talked about?
What you talk about is confidential. That means it’s between you and Yann. Obviously, if you want to talk to anyone else about what you have discussed in the counselling session, that is up to you. Yann will also make some notes about you but those will be kept confidential and safely locked in a cabinet. He will keep confidentiality unless you are at risk of harm; he may then need to talk to someone else to help keep you safe, but will always aim to talk with you about this first.
How do I get to see Yann?
Someone may have suggested it to you, or you can begin by talking to a member of staff that you trust. This may be your Guidance Teacher, who can then refer you. You can also obtain a self-referral form (found by the Counselling Room) and refer yourself without discussing your worries with a teacher.
A request for counselling form will be completed and given to Yann, who will see you when he has a space and discuss your wishes with you. The school will always seek your permission and may contact your parents/carers for consent for you to attend counselling. Your opinion on this will be taken into consideration and is important.
"Supporting positive mental wellbeing is an important priority in our school and I strongly believe that looking after our mental health is as important as looking after our physical health, possibly even more. Just remember: asking for help is really a sign of strength, not a weakness!" Yann