Counselling

Here at Sidney Stringer Academy we are lucky enough to have a learning mentor who specialises in student wellbeing. All learning mentors and year leads can signpost you to information on counselling. Want to know more? 

What is counselling?

It is a process where individuals meet with a trained professional counsellor to talk about issues and problems that they are facing in their lives. Counselling can provide people with the opportunity to share their views, be heard and gain new perspectives on their situation and experiences. Counselling can help people to gain clarity surrounding issues.

Counselling is used to deal with a broad range of issues and problems that you may be facing.

Counselling can provide you with the opportunity to reassess or set new goals in your life and help you to gain clarity and direction.

Professional counselling is always confidential and non-judgmental unless there is a safeguarding issue .

What can I bring into counselling?

Bereavement-Losing a loved one is a difficult event in anyone's life. The loss can bring up a wide range of emotions including guilt and anger. Some people benefit from speaking openly to a counsellor about their feelings to help ease the process and resolve any remaining issues they may have.

Bullying- Being the victim of any form of abuse - verbal, emotional or physical - can lead to issues that may affect you all of your life. Counselling can offer victims the chance to seek help from authorities (if appropriate) as well as addressing the psychological repercussions in a safe environment.

Ill health- Suffering from a long-term illness such as cancer or dementia can turn anyone's world upside down. Counselling can help sufferers come to terms with their illness while offering emotional support and coping mechanisms.

Mental health- Suffering from a mental health issue such as schizophrenia or depression can feel incredibly isolating. Counselling looks to discuss the feelings that arise in conjunction with these kinds of mental health issues, as well as overcome any personal challenges or frustrations.

Relationship problems- Covering all types of relationships, counselling can be used to discuss issues in families, friendships and couples. Problems could involve anything from a poor relationship with a parent, difficulties in a friendship or with a partner, or even your relationships at work.

Trauma- Whether you've been involved in an accident or you have been the victim of abuse, the psychological impact of trauma can last years after the event itself. In a counselling session, trauma victims are encouraged to explore their feelings regarding the incident and look into how these could be resolved or changed. Other- Feelings of stress, anxiety and low self-esteem are becoming all too common in today's society. Counselling can offer practical advice for overcoming these kinds of issues, as well as allowing you the space to vent your frustrations and feelings. 

How can counselling help?

The outcome of counselling depends on the person receiving the treatment. For many, the fact that counselling offers a safe and confidential environment to speak in is all it takes.

While counsellors do not tell you what to do, they help you uncover your own insight and understanding of your problems providing you with the tools which will help you to resolve them on your own.

Counselling can help you understand yourself better and the way you think, which will ultimately help you develop a clearer understanding of your problems. The more information you have, the easier it gradually becomes to navigate your way through any difficulties you are facing, so that eventually you can come out the other side feeling more positive. Counselling can also help you better understand other people's point of view, which can shed light onto the way you interpret words or actions

How can I get counselling?

There are many ways you can access counselling, speak to your class teacher, your house head or the safeguarding lead or a learning mentor. They will refer you to the counsellor.

What if I have any questions?

You are welcome to come to the Learning Mentor room (334) to speak with Miss Kaur, our Learning Mentor for wellbeing.