Conditions of Service Use
Preamble:
The Student Counselling & Development Service is available to all registered students free of charge. Sessions are of 50 minutes duration.
Cancellations
Whilst we do not wish to discourage students availing of sessions we would ask you to be mindful you that the provision of Counselling Sessions to students is a limited resource within the University. If you are unable to attend your session please inform the service as soon as possible so that the vacant slot can be allocated to another student on the waiting list.
Late for Appointment
* On arrival for a scheduled appointment, please take a seat in the waiting room and wait until you are called to your appointment by a counsellor. * If you arrive late for your appointment please check in at the Counselling Reception, Room 6. * If you are 15 minutes late for an appointment and have not made contact with the service in this regard, the session will be automatically cancelled.
Confidentiality
The information that you provide within Student Counselling & Development is confidential to the Service. In keeping with codes of ethics for counsellors / psychotherapists, the information shared by a client with in the context of a counselling relationship is treated in a strictly confidential manner.
Information given to a counsellor by a client will not be divulged to others, without the client's consent, except in the following exceptional circumstances:
- If there is a serious concern that there may be a threat to the safety or life of the client or others.
- In the context of criminal behaviour and disclosures required by legal process.
In the above exceptional circumstances, it may become necessary to break confidentiality. This will be done with great sensitivity and on a need to know basis. Your counsellor will make every effort to discuss this with you before that step is taken.
Click here for our detailed Conditions of Service Use.
While you are waiting for your counselling appointment
We in Student Counselling & Development (SCD) appreciate that once you have made the decision to seek help that it is difficult to wait. We want you to know that we try to minimise waiting times as much as possible. Waiting times can vary at different times of the year. While you are waiting for your counselling appointment, please be aware of the following:
- If you consider yourself to be at risk of self-harm or sucide contact your GP, SouthDoc or nearest Accident and Emergency Unit.
- Student Counselling & Development and Student Health can be contacted between 9.15am and 1pm and 2.15pm and 5pm.
Online Self-Help Supports – 24/7, Confidential & Anonymous:
C.A.L.M (Computer Aided Lifestyle Management) is an online multimedia programme available to UCC students via the SCD website at any time. It offers self-help tools, which will inform and motivate you in coping with issues such as anxiety, depression,insomnia, stress and substance misuse. CALM can benefit anyone wishing to improve their well-being by developing skills and strategies to manage pressures of daily living.
mymindmatters.ie is an online mental health and wellbeing resource for college students.
Other support services within UCC:
uLink Peer Support: Student to student support by trained peer supporters. Contact Claire at 021 420 5188 | pass@ucc.ie www.ucc.ie/en/pass.
Niteline: A listening service for students provided by students. This service is available Monday – Thursday 9pm-1am. Freephone 1800 32 32 42.
Your Course Coordinator: If you are experiencing difficulty with your academic work, please approach either your course coordinator or another staff mentor/lecturer. They will advise and support you.
Chaplaincy: 021 490 2459 | www.uccchaplaincy.com
Student Health: 021 490 2311 | www.ucc.ie/services/health/
Disability Support Service: 021 490 2985 | www.ucc.ie/en/dss
Students’ Union: 021 490 3218 | www.collegeroad.ie |www.facebook.com/collegeroad.ie | twitter.com/UCCSU
Supports Outside UCC:
SouthDoc: 1850 335 999
Samaritans: 1850 60 90 90
