Counselling Services
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How do you know if you need counselling?

  • Not sure where you are going with your life.
  • Mixing with the wrong crowd
  • Not knowing how to study.
  • Do not know how to manage your time.
  • Failing tests during the semester.
  • Not getting along well with others.
  • Experienced sexual harassment, date rape, rape, sexual abuse.
  • Chosen the wrong course of study or considering a change of direction.
  • Feeling stressed out or anxious.
  • Feeling sad or depressed most of the time.
  • Not being able to make friends.
  • Drinking or using drugs.
  • Having conflicts within yourself, friends, family, boyfriend/girlfriend
  • Having physical or learning disability.
  • Lacking in self-confidence.
  • Either eating too much or too little.
  • Feeling afraid to speak in front of the class.
  • Something you have never told anybody, but feel like you should.

Important Considerations

One of the most difficult step in counselling occurs before you even see a counsellor for the first time. Deciding to seek counselling is the first step in change. Once this decision is made, the mechanics for change is set in motion. In the process of changing the way you think, feel or behave, you may have to try out new ways of doing things. In the process, you may realise that things you once thought of only in a positive or negative way, may be different later on.

What you can expect from your counsellor

You can expect someone who is interested in listening to your concerns and in helping you to develop a better understanding so that you can deal with it more easily and effectively. Your counsellor will take you seriously and be willing to openly discuss anything you wish. Your counsellor will want to work with you, but won't do for you things you are capable of doing for yourself.

Confidentiality is a vital part of counselling so you need not worry about your information being disclosed to other parties. Counsellor will only disclose information with or without client's consent under special circumstances e.g child abuse, suicide, court orders to relevant parties for the sake of the client and others.

Your responsibility in counselling

Your main responsibilities in counselling are to:

  • Attend your regularly scheduled sessions.
  • Talk about what is bothering you as openly and honestly as you can.
  • Complete tasks or "homework" assignments you may be asked to do.
  • Let your counsellor know if you are unable to make it to an appointment preferably four hours before the appointment time.
  • Take risks to try something new or facing a new approach.
  • Give feedback to your counsellor about your progress.