Counselling service

What is counselling?

Counselling is a means of helping a person to explore difficulties, stresses and anxieties when these are becoming problematic or overwhelming. Counselling can help you to clarify problems or issues that are affecting you; they can help you to develop the resources and skills to manage these concerns more effectively. Counsellors will not tell you what to do, but they can help you consider and explore some of the options open to you.

How do I make an appointment?

Counselling for Brookes staff is provided both by an external counselling organisation and an in-house Cognitive Behavioural Therapist. Our counsellors have both an understanding of the organisation, issues at work, and issues that may impact on personal life. Referrals to the counselling service are made via the OH Service.

Confidentiality

Counsellors are all professionally trained. They are accredited to the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy or to another professional body to which they are responsible. When you first meet the counsellor he/she should tell you about how they maintain confidentiality and when they may need to break confidentiality. They will also tell you about how counselling records are kept secure.

The OH service record how many employees attend counselling and the types of problems they bring. Individual cases do not feature. This information is published in our Annual Report which is submitted to the central Health and Safety Committee.

Is there a financial cost to me?

Employees at Brookes may have up to five counselling sessions paid for by the University.

Based on clinical need more sessions may be requested up to a maximum of three. These are funded by the Faculty and Directorate and are approved at the discretion of management. The Counselling Manager will contact the OH Adviser who will talk to you about the request for additional sessions. The OHA will talk to you about how the request for funding is being taken forward.

Useful links

TalkingSpace Plus is a partnership between the following organisations: Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxfordshire Mind and Principal Medical Limited. TalkingSpace Plus is an NHS service that is easy to access, offering a confidential service for adults aged 18 and over who are registered with an Oxfordshire GP. A range of talking treatments and well being activities are offered that help people to overcome their depression and anxiety and stay well.

Recourse supports staff working in adult, further and higher education with free, confidential advice and support. Formerly the College and University Support Network provides free, confidential 24/7 support services for education professionals.