Counselling at SIS

What is counselling?

Counselling is a chance for you to talk to an adult at school who can support you in how to deal with personal challenges.

Talking to a counsellor is a good option for students who do not feel like talking to a teacher.

Personal challenges can include a recent difficulty, or a problem that has been going on for a while. It can be related to school, home, peers, or life in general.

Students of all year groups, genders and backgrounds use of the counselling services at SIS.

A counsellor will:

listen to you in a neutral and non-judgmental manner
help you work through challenges and explore your own strengths
respect your values, lifestyle and culture
will work to help you make your own decisions, so that you feel stronger and more in control of your life.

What issues do students see counsellors about?

You can talk to our counsellors about any personal problem or difficulty. Many students at SIS attend counselling because they are stressed about grades and academic pressure. Others seek counselling to learn how to deal with issues related to home, friendship or life in general.

Some reasons that students at SIS seek counselling:

challenges with family, or difficult changes at home
concerns about friends or relationships
stress (incl. fear of failure, academic pressure)
worry and anxiety (incl. panic attacks)
questions about identity
difficulties concentrating or staying motivated
tiredness and/or problems with sleep
low self-esteem
feeling down

If you have questions about higher education, you may also want to drop by the Career Centre at SIS and talk to our Higher Education counsellors. They offer students practical support regarding career options and university applications.

Who are the counsellors at SIS?

At SIS, we have four, friendly and professionally trained counsellors: Our School Counsellor Ms. Kate Tse and Ms. Lorna Wong and our School Social Workers Ms. Kamy Yeung and Ms. Stephanie Wan. They offer supportive, non-judgmental and confidential support to any student who wants help with difficulties they may be experiencing.

How might counselling help me?

3 reasons why counselling can help:

Students who try counselling at SIS say that talking openly about how they feel gave them enormous relief. They say that getting things off their chest is really helpful. In fact, research shows that talking about problems (instead of keeping them inside) can help improve your wellbeing and impact positively on studying and relationships.
Students say that it sometimes helps to talk to someone who is not a teacher. It can be easier to speak to someone outside your immediate group of friends, family, and teachers.
Our counsellors and social workers are trained in how to listen and how to help students find their own solutions to their challenges. Counsellors show empathy, do not make judgments, and are here to help you make positive changes in your life. This can be really supportive and helpful.

Counselling can help you to:

Learn more about yourself
Discover new solutions to your challenges
Develop and practice healthy coping strategies
Strengthen useful life skills (social skills, study skills)
Build your resilience
Recognize and manage your emotions better
Learn how to solve your problems more effectively
Make positive changes in your life

How do I book an appointment?

There are several ways you can book a session with our counsellors:

Speak with your Tutor, Head of House, or Ms. Lucie Purves (Vice-Principal), who will help you to arrange an appointment
Email one of counsellors directly (click to see their email addresses)
Drop by one of our counsellors' office during their normal school hours
Ask a parent to help contact Ms. Purves, your Tutor, Head of House, or a member of the counselling team
Ask a friend to help you. They can contact one of our counsellors or a Tutor/Head of House, or Ms. Purves