How to access mental health services

Students outside the Health and Wellbeing Centre on a sunny day.

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By Aalish, from the Isle of Man, studying Chinese (MA Hons)

Mental health is something that we all contend with throughout our lives. Some of us are lucky to have a stable mental health throughout our lives, but this can always change. It is so important to look after your mental health, no matter who you are. The University of Edinburgh runs a health and wellbeing service that is there to help and guide students if they need, and is available to ALL students. Mental health can change quickly and being at university is a big change of life with a lot of new challenges and experiences. Through this short blog I am going to talk you through the mental health services offered to student at the University and my experience of using these services.

First off, ALL STUDENTS and I mean ALL STUDENTS, are entitled to free, confidential mental health support from the university during their studies. If you are having a particularly awful day the Counselling Service offers same day appointments Monday to Friday which you can book via a telephone call or in person at the Health and Wellbeing Centre.

Same-Day Appointments | Student Counselling (ed.ac.uk)

They are there to help. If you feel like you could benefit from some university counselling during your studies you can apply for this through the self referral page:

Self-Referral Form | Student Counselling (ed.ac.uk)

In my experience, the process of obtaining counselling is very straightforward. Once you have filled out the self referral form (well done, this is a big step and you are brave for doing so!) the team will contact you via email or a phone call to arrange an assessment. During this assessment you will talk with a trained professional for 45 minutes and they will then assess what the next best steps forward are for you. This often means being referred for Student Counselling but they will also talk to you about other supports that could be helpful. They will also check out things like if you would prefer to see a man or a woman. If you are referred to counselling after this appointment, there may be a wait before you see your assigned councillor (I waited two weeks after my assessment to see a counsellor). Once you meet with your counsellor they will have an idea of the issues you are facing and will be able to talk you through these either online, on the phone or in person, whichever is your preference. The service offers short-term counselling and your counsellor will work with you to help you get the most out of the sessions. If it seems like long-term counselling is right for you, they can help you identify other services they think can help you.

In my experience, I had a very lovely counsellor who helped me greatly through the tough period of life I was experiencing. He was never judgemental and never rushed me to speak always allowing me to take things at my own pace. He also, very importantly, reminded me that I have access to the Universities counselling service throughout my time at university, including on my year abroad. So if you are planning on taking a year abroad but are worried about how your mental health may cope with this and if you would have any trained professional support, rest assured that support from this service will remain accessible to you. Asking for help can be really daunting and make you feel scared or vulnerable but it is so important to do as it will be beneficial for you in the long run.

The University also provides students with free access to Togetherall, Silver Cloud and the Feel Good App. In addition to these apps, the University also offers email counselling. Sometimes talking about your issues is too much and you would just prefer to write your feelings down. All emails sent will be read by a trained professional and replied to in such a way. Generally the email counsellor will reply to you once a week over a period of time. If you want to apply for email counselling then you should follow this link:

Email Counselling | Student Counselling (ed.ac.uk)

I cannot stress the importance of reaching out for help enough. Help is always available to you, you just have to ask! I hope this little guide has proved insightful to how the University of Edinburgh’s Student Counselling Service operates!