Did you know Deakin counsellors provide free and confidential advice online?
Studying at uni can be full of ups and downs at the best of times – whether it’s to do with assignments, personal problems or your mental health.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, anxious or unhappy, the first thing to remember is that you’re not alone. Many of your peers are likely feeling the same way and they too are wondering how to cope. You may appreciate checking out all the questions other students have asked as you may just find one that relates to what you are currently experiencing.
We also want you to know that we’re here to support you and that a range of help is available. Deakin provides personal student counselling for all currently enrolled students who are located in Australia via a team of mental health experts from Counselling and Psychological Support (CAPS). We understand that it can feel a little daunting to talk with a Deakin counsellor one on one. We know some students don’t make counselling appointments because they think that things are ‘not bad enough’ to see a counsellor or they want to find a way of solving it themselves.
As a first step, we recommend you ask a question through Ask Counselling, which allows you to receive a response from one of our Deakin counsellors. The posts are anonymously published, so no one will know it’s from you. Hopefully, you will get some quick advice and it may help determine if counselling will be beneficial for your situation.
Ask Counselling offers expert advice online
The Ask Counselling blog is an online resource that allows you to post a question to our counsellors, and/or read counsellor responses to other student questions. It provides an easily accessible range of advice to support your psychological wellbeing.
- To begin, as mentioned, you might like to see if a student has already received a response to a question which may be similar to your concerns. You can browse existing student questions in handy A–Z categories from topics relating to stress, anxiety, domestic violence, loneliness, procrastination, and much more.
- If you don’t find what you’re looking for, or you’d like to receive a personalised answer, post your own question on the blog and a CAPS counsellor will respond within 72 business hours with a tailored reply to your issue.
- Make sure you check the View Recent Posts to locate your question with its response. While there you can also see what’s on your fellow students’ minds.
Rest assured your published Ask Counselling response is completely anonymous so no one reading the post will know you asked the question.
So next time you come up against a problem, remember to take advantage of free and private access to the insights of empathetic and qualified counsellors, at a time that suits you.
Remember you’re never alone. The topics you read about on Ask Counselling are there because another student has sought help for similar feelings you may be having now – we all experience stress, self-doubt, or loneliness sometimes.
Contact an emergency service if you need help now
Please note Ask Counselling is not a 24-hour crisis service.
- If you’re located in Australia and need immediate emergency help, you should contact Lifeline (13 11 14) or SuicideLine (1300 651 251) straight away. They’re available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- If you’re a GIFT City student and need immediate emergency help, you can book an appointment with our 24/7 online counselling service or contact the Jeevan Aastha Helpline on 1800 233 3330 (toll free). See more about emergency and crisis information for GIFT City.
See the Counselling webpage for details of other specialised support services available at Deakin or in the community.
Do you need personalised advice?
Ask Counselling isn’t intended to replace personal counselling, so if you’re located in Australia and want to speak to a professional psychologist or social worker in greater depth, we recommend you book an appointment with a CAPS counsellor for more personalised advice.
Our team offers free and confidential support over the phone or via Zoom to students. We also have some specialist counsellors available – see their discipline-specific details and interests on the webpage and select the relevant cohort when you book.
Are you a GIFT City student? See more about booking an appointment with a counsellor here.
We have a range of health and wellbeing resources
The DeakinWELLBEING app is free to all students. Based on the five ways to build wellbeing – connecting, being active, taking notice, keep learning and giving – the app makes it easy to find balance and develop healthy habits.
We also host a range of articles on various health and wellbeing topics online, offering advice on areas relating to personal development, emotional and interpersonal issues, study/work/life balance, grief, sexual health and respectful relationships, culture shock, plus much more.
See the full range of helpful resources on the Health and wellbeing webpage.