The idea of counselling can be a bit scary to some people at first but it gets easier. These days many successful people (both students and adults) use counselling to reduce stress and find ways to be more satisfied with life.

Confidentiality
The things that students talk about in counselling are normally confidential to the student and the counsellor unless the student agrees that others should know. On very rare occasions, the counsellor may have to make a decision to tell others but if the counsellor can, he or she will ask the student's permission first.

To make an appointment
It's easy. Come down to Student Support, and collect an appointment form from the wooden box in the waiting area. Fill it out and place it back in the box - the counsellor who you request to see will send an appointment notice to you so that you may leave class. If your appointment request is urgent and your counsellor has not spoken to you yet, go and see him or her in person.

Parents
Parenting is a hard job and sometimes parents and caregivers want some advice or ideas about how to best support their children. Please give one of the counsellors a call - even if they can't help directly, they will probably have some useful ideas or contacts in the community.

Help on the Internet
The internet has some very useful information about counselling/mental health issues. Sometimes, it is easier for people to research these issues from the privacy of their computer rather than talk with someone, face-to-face.

Here is a good site that students or parents may wish to consult - it has links to many good Australasian youth health sites on matters from mental health to sexual health.       www.headspace.org.nz

Topics discussed are:

Depression
Stress and Anxiety
Self Harming
Suicide
ADHD
Psychosis
Bipolar Disorder
Sex and Sexuality
Drugs and Alcohol
Eating Problems
Other Stuff