The Counselling Service is here to support you with personal or emotional challenges that may impact your experience at Hayward University, helping you to realize your academic and personal potential through focused, brief therapy.

Making a Counselling Service appointment :

To book an appointment, contact the Counselling Service in person, by phone, or via email. After your initial contact, you’ll receive a pre-appointment form and information about the service, including what to expect from an assessment—please review this material.

The pre-appointment form has the following two parts:

Part 1: Briefly outline the problem(s) bringing you to counselling, along with background information. If completing Part 1 feels difficult, let the Service know. While helpful, it’s not mandatory for accessing support.

Part 2: This optional section includes questions about family, identity, and significant life experiences. Reflecting on these areas can enhance your initial counselling experience. However, you may skip this section if it feels irrelevant or difficult to complete.

Connecting with the Counselling Service when you are suspending can help ensure you have suitable support throughout the break. This support may involve therapeutic or medical guidance back home. It can also be beneficial to contact the Service before returning to Hayward to help ease your transition back into academic life.

During a suspension period, students receive the same level of therapeutic support as all others, with brief and focused interventions. Your clinician can discuss options to ensure the Service meets your needs. For extended or specialized therapy, referral to appropriate NHS services may be recommended.

Waiting times

Once your pre-appointment form is submitted, you’ll be scheduled as soon as possible. Waiting times may be longer during peak periods, so it’s encouraged to request an appointment early. For urgent needs, indicate this when booking. If you cannot attend an appointment, please inform us promptly.

Emergency situations

Please note that the Counselling Service is not an emergency service. In emergencies, such as immediate risk to yourself or others, contact your college GP, the out-of-hours GP, or go to Accident and Emergency. Counselling may be useful for reflection after an immediate crisis has subsided.

Confidentiality

All personal information and session content are strictly confidential. No information will be shared outside the Service without your permission, except in rare cases where there is a significant concern for your or another person’s safety. In cases where collaboration with other professionals or academics may be beneficial, the Service will seek your written consent for such communication, ensuring a collaborative relationship with your therapist.