1. University Counselling Service
23 April 2017
University Counselling Service
Training Course for new Tutors and Directors of Studies
Tuesday 29 September 2015

2. UCS Senior Management Head of Service Géraldine Dufour
23 April 2017
UCS Senior Management
Head of Service
Géraldine Dufour
2 Senior Student Counsellors
Hanya Czepkowski– Groups & Outreach
Lisa Halpern – Individual Counselling & Associates

3. Today we will cover: The range of UCS work How to refer
23 April 2017
Today we will cover:
The range of UCS work
How to refer
Liaison & support for tutors and other staff
Student issues
Words of caution

4. Who can access counselling?
23 April 2017
Who can access counselling?
All registered undergraduate in residence and graduate students of Cambridge University who are members of a College may use the Service, including students at the Theological Colleges and part-time students.

5. 23 April 2017
Who funds counselling
Free service at the point of access for students.
UCS receives incomes from:
The Colleges for student counselling and MHA
The university for admin, building and mindfulness
Cranes benefaction for MHA and psychiatrist consultation.

6. UCS Team Established 1969 11 Student Counsellors/CBT therapists
23 April 2017
UCS Team
Established 1969
11 Student Counsellors/CBT therapists
5 Associate Counsellors on placement
2 Mental Health Advisors
1 Mindfulness Practitioner
Visiting psychiatrist (half-day)
Large admin support team
~ 10 FTE Counsellors

7. Mental Health Advisors
23 April 2017
Mental Health Advisors
Students in crisis, serious level of disturbance, suicidal, very chaotic…
Liaison, advice and referral
Assessment: risk or fitness to study
Can be one-off or ongoing
Recruiting for 2 new posts during Michaelmas

8. Professional Service Accredited Counsellors
23 April 2017
Professional Service
Accredited Counsellors
MHAs registered professional bodies
Quality Assurance
Number of counselling approach in the service
Different areas of expertise
Confidential

9. BUSY! Saw over 1500 students last year
23 April 2017
BUSY!
Saw over 1500 students last year
Offered ~ individual sessions / week during term
Ran ~ 8/10 groups/workshops each week
~ new students approached us each week in term seeking counselling

10. 23 April 2017
How do we compare?
High demand for counselling and mental health support (Royal College Psychiatrists Report 2011)
Cambridge specific – we see a higher proportion of students: 8.5%
Proportionally we see more Graduate students

11. What help is available at UCS?
23 April 2017
What help is available at UCS?
Direct students towards best source of help at time:
Accessing student-led support or a mindfulness course
Using selected self-help resources
Attending a guided CBT self-help group at the UCS
Coming to one of our workshops or groups
Attending a consultation with a counsellor, CBT therapist or mental health advisor

12. Groups & workshops One-off workshops
23 April 2017
Groups & workshops
One-off workshops
Procrastination, Food and Mood, Self-compassion, Exam Preparation
Short focused groups
Assertiveness, Self-esteem, Perfectionism
Returning from intermitting
Longer counselling groups
For under-graduate and graduate students

13. Mindfulness New programme
23 April 2017
Mindfulness
New programme
Mindfulness courses delivered at College Level
Pilot to see if we can improve resilience in students
Parallel research project Michaelmas & Lent 2015

14. How can you refer a student to the UCS?
23 April 2017
How can you refer a student to the UCS?
Online pre-counselling form
Contact MHAs directly
Can contact just for advice

15. Myths Waiting time Pre-counselling form Confidentiality
Weak to see a counsellor?

16. Different types of issues
23 April 2017
Different types of issues
Anxiety, depression, relationships, eating, self-harm…
On a continuum
Counselling in HE comparable to that of primary care in terms of severity (Wallace: 2012)

17. For staff: Wanting to help is good, right?
23 April 2017
For staff: Wanting to help is good, right?
Boundaries are important
Pause…is giving more help going to be helpful?
Be alert to patterns
Level of support?
Distressed students affect us
Impact of stress on our own boundaries
Encourage independence
Sign-post to other sources of support.

18. Sources of information for staff
23 April 2017
Sources of information for staff
Further information on practical ways to look after your mental health
For a range of self help resources including information on depression, anxiety, self harm and eating disorders

19. Further training available:
23 April 2017
Further training available:
Mental Health: Boundaries and Boomerangs
Lisa Halpern & Kirsty Wayland through PPD
Supporting PhD students with Mental Health Difficulties
Lisa Halpern through PPD
Colleagues can attend:
Introduction to the UCS for New Tutors & Welfare Staff 2015

20. Counselling Service 2-3 Bene’t Place
23 April 2017
Counselling Service
2-3 Bene’t Place
Part of Lensfield Road (across the Snug)
Open – Monday - Friday
Tuesday and Thursday to 19.30
Website