ANU Counselling

Counselling is a talking therapy where you meet with a professional to work through problems that may be affecting your life. Our counselling model focusses on achieving specific emotional or practical goals, and working with you to find solutions to what's happening for you. We take a strength based approach, holistic approach. This means we see you as a whole person, and an individual with your own strengths, resources and ways to cope. Counselling aims to build on or strengthen what is currently working for you and understands you are the expert in your own life.

People come to counselling with different concerns about their life, study, work, coping or relationships. Your concern does not have to be related to your studies to access ANU Counselling, and you do not need to have a mental health care plan or a mental health diagnosis.

ANU Counselling is a non-diagnostic service. This means that we do not label or diagnose mental health disorders. We work with your particular concern and help you develop a plan or strategies to manage this concern. If you would like to receive a diagnosis, please speak with your GP.

Your first counselling session will involve a detailed discussion about your concerns and working with the counsellor to help make sense of what is happening. Together, you and your counsellor will develop a plan to assist in managing this concern. Sometimes you may only need one counselling session, other times you may require multiple sessions.

All counselling appointments will be booked for 50 minutes.

Counsellors draw from a range of different, evidence-based interventions that have been used across diverse cultures. If you have a specific form of therapy you want to access, please speak with your counsellor at your appointment, and they can help you find the right person or service.

Sometimes, we may not be the best service for you, and we may discuss other services outside of ANU and help you to engage with them.

ANU Counselling is available to all students. Students must also be located within Australia at the time of their booked appointment. Students overseas are encouraged to contact our reception staff so we can advise on alternative support options.

In line with research and student feedback, ANU Counselling provides fortnightly appointments at the same time each fortnight to support progress towards your goals.

Alternatively, you may find that a single session will be sufficient. This will be discussed with you during your Intake appointment over the phone.

Research suggests that most people will have their counselling needs met through a brief intervention model. This is a short, purposeful and non-judgemental therapy designed to understand the issues that brought you to counselling and to work with you to develop strategies to overcome/manage them.

At ANU Counselling, typically, students participate in around one to four sessions.

We ask that you provide us with at least 2 business days’ notice if you need to cancel your appointment. This is to provide the opportunity for another student to use this appointment time. If you don’t provide us with 2 business days’ notice, this may count towards the number of sessions you have with the service.

If you need help before your next appointment, please complete this form or contact reception to discuss your current needs. Sometimes we may be able to arrange an earlier appointment with your regular, or another counsellor. Other times, there are other supports available within the ANU or the wider community that may be able to help you before your next appointment. Sometimes our team may be able to address your worry over the phone.

The counsellors of ANU Counselling are psychologists, social workers, counsellors with a Masters degree, mental health nurses and occupational therapists.

If would you like to learn more, the Our Team page has detailed information about each of our counsellors. 

ANU Counselling is available to all current ANU students who are in Australia, with the purpose to provide practical and therapeutic support and assist you in overcoming challenges and staying well. At times, if we have had contact with a student during distressing periods, we may be able to provide supporting documentation if relevant to the issues they were seeking counselling support for, and if we have knowledge of your ongoing circumstances.

An ANU Counsellor may not be able to provide you with supporting documentation at your first appointment. However, you are still welcome to come and discuss your situation if you want support in coping with or overcoming your current circumstances.

If you have not had contact with ANU Counselling around the time you are seeking documentation for, you may wish to speak with your GP or other support staff in the university or at your residential hall.

We cannot provide supporting documentation for medical issues, only issues that require input from a mental health practitioner.

Yes, we send you an email reminder three days before your appointment.