Online counselling: Would you like online counselling? You can work with a counsellor using emails or through live chat. Read on ...
What is online counselling?
At Brookes we offer both face-to-face counselling and online counselling.
In online counselling you communicate weekly with your counsellor by emails, or through Skype or Windows Live Messenger. Through those interchanges you can use your counselling to address your current or past experiences, and for support.
You choose whether to use emails or live chat, or both. Live chat is through text only. We don't offer speech or video.
To find out more about counselling in general, visit What counselling is like.
If you prefer face-to-face counselling, find out more from Making appointments
Who can use online counselling?
Online counselling is open to enrolled Brookes students. It is appropriate if:
- you think you would prefer to use online counselling
- you might have difficulty attending appointments in person, eg if you:
- are away from Oxford
- are responsible for small children and cannot arrange childcare, or have other similar commitments
- have very irregular timetables
- are on work placements during office hours
- have a disability or illness that prevents you from attending in person
Online counselling is not right for everyone. Your counsellor will assess your situation with you. If your issues are better resolved by a different form of help, they will advise you how to proceed.
We do not offer online counselling if there is a serious risk of you severely harming yourself or others, if you have a history of severe mental illness, or if drugs or alcohol are your main problem. In these cases, we will be pleased to offer you a face-to-face appointment.
We have a limited capacity for online counselling. If we cannot offer you this service at present, you will be invited to have a face-to-face appointment.
How do I apply?
Please complete our Registration Form for counselling. There is a space on the form to say that you would like online counselling, and to specify whether you would prefer email exchanges or live chat. You can download a Registration Form or get one from our reception.
- Download a Registration Form by clicking here.
Save onto your computer. Complete the form and save again. Then email the form to ssrecpt@brookes.ac.uk. - Email for a Registration Form or for further information: ssrecpt@brookes.ac.uk.
- Telephone for a Registration Form or further information: 484650 (external); 4650 (internal).
If you prefer, you can come into reception to ask about an appointment. The Counselling and Advisory Services Reception is on Level 1, Helena Kennedy Student Centre, Headington Hill site. Paper copies of the Registration Form are available. Please tell us if you require help in completing the form.
After we have received your form, an online counsellor will contact you by email. Your counsellor will email you Guidelines, in which the process of online counselling is outlined.
If you would like to, you can view the Guidelines now:
- Guidelines for Email counselling
- Guidelines for counselling using Skype (text only)
- Guidelines for counselling using Live Messenger (text only)
Before you proceed, you may want to read more about online counselling. We provide an online information leaflet.