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One-to-One Counselling

One to One CounsellingHow it Works

The Student Counselling Service offers brief, short-term counselling. We will work with you to address challenges, based on your individual needs, and we will refer you to external services where we cannot meet those needs.

All students who request a counselling appointment for the first time in any academic year will be offered a SNAP session (Support & Needs-Assessment Planning Session). SNAPs can be booked by emailing student-counselling@tcd.ie. Click here for for more information on SNAPs.

One of the options following this first consultation is an individual counselling appointment. Each counselling session lasts about 50 minutes, where you will have an opportunity to talk about what is going on for you. Counsellors will not be able to provide instant solutions but will listen and facilitate an increasing awareness of yourself and your choice of possibilities. To come for counselling takes courage as it involves facing up to your difficulties and asking someone else for help. It is not a sign of weakness but a sign that you are taking steps to address any problems you are experiencing.

Your counsellor, in partnership with you, will decide at the end of each counselling session if another counselling session is required. For most students who come to see us, 1-4 sessions are sufficient in helping them mobilise their resources and get back on track. If you need further sessions, your counsellor will explore options with you - additional counselling support here or referral to an external counsellor or to one of our groups, workshops, or online programmes.

Sessions are booked fortnightly to give you an opportunity to test out new ways of thinking and trying out new behaviours in your day to day living.

Confidentiality Policy

The client-counsellor relationship is confidential. This means that what you say to your counsellor is not disclosed to anyone outside the Counselling Service. Where you have been referred to the Service by College staff, your counsellor will let them know you have attended but no content of your sessions will be disclosed. With your consent, we can talk to people on your behalf if you wish.

There are exceptions to this, including:

1. If the counsellor is concerned about the risk of harm to you or a third party. In these circumstances your counsellor will make every effort to discuss this with you and involve you in the disclosure process.

2. The SCS staff are mandated reporters under The Children First Act 2015. Information regarding past or current abuse of children (aged under 18) given to the SCS must be reported to the Irish Child and Family Agency (TUSLA).

3. Case notes may be subpoenaed by court order.