Counselling

Counselling is a place where you can talk in confidence about anything that is on your mind.  Your counsellor will listen carefully to how you are feeling.  They will not judge you.  They will not offer you advice or tell you what they think is best.

In counselling sessions, you have time and space to understand yourself.  You and your counsellor can talk things through and see if there are changes you want to make.

We also offer well-being coaching sessions, these target specific common mental health issues such as anxiety, stress and procrastination.

The counselling service is based in the Wellbeing Centre on the ground floor of the Bagnall building. You can access the Wellbeing Centre directly from the car park or through the college at the end of the business corridor.

You can self refer to the counselling service which means you do not need to tell your tutors, family or GP.  The quickest and easiest way to get an appointment is to come to one of our daily drop-in sessions.  The times are Monday to Friday 9.00am - 9.30am and 12.30pm - 1.00pm.  Drop-in’s can be very busy.  Morning sessions are quieter and there is more chance of seeing a counsellor if you come at 9am.   Alternatively you can email us on counsellors@farnborough.ac.uk to arrange a time to come in if drop in has been difficult to access.

Within our service we offer two approaches to support students, the pathway you follow depends on your individual need. This is discussed at a drop in when you self refer.

Counselling is a place where you can talk in confidence about anything that is on your mind.  Your counsellor will listen carefully to how you are feeling.  They will not judge you.  They will not offer you advice or tell you what they think is best.

In counselling sessions, you have time and space to understand yourself.  You and your counsellor can talk things through and see if there are changes you want to make.

We also offer well-being coaching sessions, these target specific common mental health issues such as anxiety, stress and procrastination.

Coaching sessions are with a wellbeing coach (trained counsellor), they are hour long appointments focused to a common mental health problem. The student and coach agree the goal and then develop a coaching plan, this may include looking at blocks to change, action steps to implementing change, support available. This coaching plan is then revisited at a second and third appointment if needed.

All sessions are free.  There might be a wait until a counsellor becomes available at a time which fits with your timetable.

You can talk to your counsellor about anything in your life.  You might feel your problems are too big or too small to share.  You might not be sure what is wrong.  Counselling is a place where you can bring any issue and your counsellor will never feel you are wasting their time.  Some of the things students come to see us about include… 

• Worries about settling into college 

• Loneliness/making friends 

• Family problems 

• Low self esteem/confidence 

• Academic concerns 

• Anxiety 

• Abuse

• Depression

• Bereavement 

• Stress 

• Gender & identity

• Relationships/sexuality 

• Alcohol/drugs 

• Problems with food or eating

• Self harm

• Domestic violence

• Suicide

Whatever your problem, you are very welcome to come and talk to us. 

Yes, once you have regular appointments arranged, you will see the same counsellor at the same time each week during term time.  Regular appointments will be during one of your free periods and last for 50 minutes.  If you meet with the Wellbeing coach an appointment is an hour in length which is followed up by a second appointment a couple of weeks later.If you use the drop-in service, then you may not always see the same counsellor each time. 

What you tell your counsellor is confidential.  That means that they will not tell anyone what you say.  We do not report back what you tell us to your tutors, parents, friends or anyone else without your permission.  However, if you or someone else is in danger or significant harm then we cannot promise absolute confidentiality.  You will discuss this with your counsellor at your first appointment. 

You and your counsellor will agree what will happen if either of you cannot attend a session.  If you miss an appointment without letting us know in advance, you will need to contact your counsellor or the counselling service within 48 hours to rearrange the session.  If we do not hear from you within that 48 hour period we will assume you no longer wish to see a counsellor and your time will be allocated to another student.  If you decide at a later date that you want to see a counsellor again you can come and see us at drop-in or email counsellors@farnborough.ac.uk. 

It’s hard to tell exactly how many appointments you may need.  It may be you just want a one off session to talk through what is concerning you or you may require regular weekly appointments for a longer time.  This can be discussed when you first see a counsellor.  You can decide when you want to finish your counselling. 

The College has a Health and Wellbeing Co-ordinator/College Nurse, Kirsten Halvorsen, who can help with any medical, emotional or welfare needs.  Kirsten is also responsible for administering the Bursary Fund and can give advice and guidance about finances, benefits and housing issues.  Kirsten works closely with the counselling team and is based in the Health and Wellbeing Suite in Student Services, next to the counselling rooms. 

The College also has a Nurse, Catherine Hichens, who can help with any health issues.   She is based in the Medical Room in Student Services. 

Personal Tutors - you can always see your personal tutor about any difficulties you may be having. 

GP - you can also arrange an appointment at your local surgery to see your own doctor regarding medical or emotional issues.

Workshops - at various times throughout the College year, the counselling team run workshops and information about these will be posted in the College Newsletter and discussed in tutorials.  You can always email us at counsellors@farnborough.ac.uk for more information or ask one of the counsellors at a drop-in session.