What we can do for you

There may be a range of issues that affect your life and studies whilst at Keele or at home.  Most people seek help because they want to change the way they think, feel or behave.  Our team have both Counsellors and Mental Health Advisers and at your first appointment a member of the team will find out more about your current situation and how best we can help you. 

We also have established links with many external services, including local NHS Wellbeing Services and we will assist you to access the most appropriate support for you. 

We recommend that your initial appointment is conducted face to face with the adviser most appropriate to suit your needs.  Follow up appointments (usually a maximum of 6 sessions) will be arranged between you and your adviser and they are conducted using the following methods:

  • In-person 
  • Virtual/video (MS teams) 
  • Telephone

Contacting the service

To book an initial appointment, we do require you to complete an online registration form. You will then be contacted with an offer of an appointment with an appropriate adviser based on the information that you provide upon registration.  The online form helps us to understand you and what you are currently experiencing and we will ask you for your Keele student number, email address and the name of your GP (our service requires that you are registered with a GP). 

The form is confidential and can only be seen by our staff.  Simply click on the 'Book an Appointment' button below to be redirected to the online booking system.  From here, click on 'Register for an Initial Appointment' and complete all the required sections. 

Appointment availability

Our face to face appointments are held at: Counselling and Mental Health: Newsome Building 41-42 The Covert, Keele, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG

Appointments are offered during our normal working hours which are Monday - Friday from 9am - 5pm.  We will use the information you provide us regarding your availability when you register for an initial appointment.  

To accommodate our students, we also offer late night appointments as follows:

  • Tuesday Evenings - 5pm until 7pm
  • Thursday Evenings - 5pm until 7pm

Please note that the evening appointments are held in the Student Services Centre (Tawney Building) and the last appointment offered would be at 6pm. *Evening appointments will be suspended over summer vacation.  

For all general enquiries you can email us at: counselling@keele.ac.uk 

 

What is Counselling?

  • Counselling is a talking therapy and can help you explore what's happening in your current life and past experiences. 
  • In your sessions you will look at how you could make changes in the future. 
  • Counselling is a process which enables you to explore and make sense of issues that may be distressing you or disrupting your life.
  • You may work on developing skills to help manage difficulties such as anxiety, stress, low mood and supporting yourself.
  • Our short-term programme of Counselling focusses on what you want to get out of the sessions.
  • We can also offer assistance with accessing other University or external services (such as the NHS).

As well as accessing in-house Counselling from our experienced team, all Keele students also have access to 'Health Assured', which is a 24 hour helpline available for all our students. Find out more here.

What is Mental Health support?

  • Mental Health Support is a service offered to students where counselling might not be appropriate or it might not be what you want.
  • It is available to students who are currently experiencing mental health problems or psychological and emotional issues.
  • Our team will support you to manage your symptoms and behaviours and if you already have a mental health diagnosis, we can act as a link between you and local NHS teams.
  • You may also be provided with a Support Plan to identify any particular requirements that you may have.
  • We will liaise with your academic department, other support agencies either within the University or externally, on your behalf. 

What to expect at your first appointment

Your first appointment will last up to 45 minutes and we will discuss what you have told us on the online registration form.  You will also have the opportunity to tell us things which you may not have been comfortable writing down. 

We are committed to working with you to manage and / or resolve the problems you may be experiencing or things that have happened in the past. 

At the end of the first session we will discuss recommendations and ask you what you feel is best.  It is likely that this session will have outcomes such as: 

  • Online self-help resources
  • Developmental Workshops 
  • Peer Support
  • Follow-up appointments 
  • Other University Support Services 
  • Referral to external support services

   In crisis?

Our Counselling and Mental Health Team at Keele are not an emergency service.  If you need advice for yourself or someone else please see our information about external support services.