Uplands offers a confidential counselling service which aims to provide support, guidance and encouragement to students during their time at Uplands.
What is counselling?
There are times when we all need someone to talk to. Young people face many challenges whilst growing up, and may find at times that they need someone to talk to outside home or school. Counselling is a process which offers support and guidance when things feel particularly difficult. The counsellor will listen and provide a safe place for a young person to explore thoughts and feelings which are perhaps overwhelming and upsetting. Counselling is not about giving advice but about helping the student to understand their difficulties better, and helping them make decisions and changes that may work better for them.
Issues young people may struggle with include:
• Exam or work stress
• Academic pressure
• Bullying in and out of school
• Family issues e.g. parents separating or divorcing or difficulties with parents or siblings
• Friendship problems
• Relationship break ups
• Feeling lonely
• Worries about school / home / friends etc.
• Feeling down and unhappy
• Feeling anxious
• Confusion
• Struggling to make decisions
• Bereavement
Appointments can be booked through tutors or teachers, or directly with Mel. Students can drop by the counselling office, leave a note in the box outside the office or email Mel directly. The counselling office is located at B103 on the first floor near the CAS office.
Appointments are 40 minutes long. Students can come for counselling for as long as is required which will often be discussed at the first session with the counsellor. This can vary between a one-off session in order to offload, or may lead to weekly sessions throughout the term. It is more common in schools that young people will attend for a maximum of six sessions. Coming to counselling is voluntary.
Confidentiality
All young people are entitled to confidentiality within the confines of counselling. This means that the information they bring to the session will be held in confidence between themselves and the counsellor. Information will not be shared unless the young person has agreed to it. The counsellor will however state that they may need to break confidentiality should they deem the young person at significant risk to themselves or others. At this point information may need to be shared with another party, either within school, or with an appropriate referral to an outside agency. The student will be informed of this, and included in the discussion as much as is possible.
Parents
If you have concerns about your child you are very welcome to contact Mel to talk them through.The service deals with mild to moderate issues only, but signposting and/or referrals to other agencies / professionals in the area can be made if necessary.
