By Vikki McHallam, Client Services Administrator at The Eaves
As September comes around again, it seems an appropriate time to discuss our university students and, more specifically, their mental wellbeing.
For every parent with a child at university, it can be a worry in general. However, being separated from your child when they are having a mental health crisis can be a real cause for concern and a significant source of stress for you both. It is important that your child knows they are not alone, and to have the knowledge to get the help they need.
At The Eaves, we have put together some ideas for helping your teen access help when they need it:
Campus – Does their university campus have resources such as access to counselling? Are there any support groups or Well-being centres? Do you and your child know who to contact before they leave the family home?
Internet – There are many websites to support students with their mental health, we have listed a few below. There are also many chatrooms and forums attached to these websites for students to chat to other students in a similar position. This way, they will know they are not alone.
NHS – Is your child registered to their new doctors surgery? The NHS can provide a free counselling service without needing a GP referral. www.mind.org.uk has detailed step-by-step instructions on how to apply for free NHS counselling.
Private Counselling – If the university campus does not provide counselling or they would prefer not to visit their GP, they can find your own counsellor through websites such as www.counselling-directory.org.uk or www.bacp.co.uk
Charities – there are many mental health charities that specifically support students at university, with a variety of different ways to get in touch, i.e. phone, email, chat room, private live messenger services, local ‘Hub of Hope’ where you can meet other people going through similar situations, etc. These are all listed within the useful websites below.
Useful websites
Mind www.mind.org.uk
Student Minds www.studentminds.org.uk
The Mix (Essential Support for Under 25s) www.themix.org.uk
The Counselling Directory www.counselling-directory.org.uk
The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy www.bacp.co.uk
Hub of Hope www.hubofhope.co.uk
The Black, African and Asian Network www.baatn.org.uk/find-a-psych-therapist/#!directory/ord=rnd
Anxiety UK www.anxietyuk.org.uk/get-help/access-therapy/
Mental Health Matters www.mhm.org.uk
Cruse Bereavement Support www.cruse.org.uk
Rape Crisis Centre www.rapecrisis.org.uk
The Eaves
We have highly trained Counsellors, Psychologists and Psychotherapists available across Surrey in Guildford, Godalming, Haslemere, Farnham and online. Support is available to individuals of all ages, Monday to Saturday between 9am and 9pm.