Counselling and Disability Services
Counselling Services
Individual Counselling
Individual counselling provides an opportunity to talk with a personal counsellor about anything you wish and to get help in resolving conflicts, solving problems, choosing a major, handling crisis situations, making decisions, and developing better coping skills. Staff and students are occasionally referred off campus to appropriate community resources. Our trained counsellor is available to help staff and students work through personal concerns and learn new strategies of dealing with stress. You can explore a variety of concerns that may prevent you from functioning at your optimum levels and achieving your personal goals.
With your counsellor, you will set goals for yourself and then take action to pursue those goals. You may decide to seek further education, enhance your skills, make changes in your current job, or seek a new job, or make lifestyle changes. Your counsellor can help you with preparing for any of these steps.
We welcome feedback on our progress at any time. Please write to: StaffStudentAffairs@curtin.edu.my
The need for counselling
Counselling is a process at which a counsellor meets with you, aiming to enhance your self-understanding and personal development, to empower you to cope with your problems and stress, to facilitate your adjustment to life and to assist you in making healthy life changes.
Sometimes we reach a point where we are unable to find solutions on our own. Not being able to find a solution to a problem simply means we are human - not different from others. Psychological upset and painful feelings are normal reactions to intense or abnormal events and are part of the natural healing process. Counselling can help facilitate this healing process.
We are prepared to assist you in a variety of personal development areas. Common concerns include - but are not limited to - the following:
- Puzzling, distressing feelings
- Self-defeating behaviours
- Low self-confidence
- Academic problems
- Getting along with others
- Marital / relationship discord
- Dealing with children / colleagues
- Career related issues
- Decision-making dilemmas
- Feelings of depression or anxiety
- Stress reduction and relaxation
- Time and task management
- Grief and loss
Counselling Sessions
Counselling Services and advice are available in several ways. Therefore, all staff and students at Curtin University are eligible to receive counselling services at no cost. The Counsellor will respect you as an individual and convey this respect by keeping appointments or contacting you to reschedule if necessary, giving you complete attention during sessions, avoiding interruptions during sessions, and providing you with the most effective counselling possible.
FAQs
- 1. What is Counselling?
Counselling is a process that helps individuals to understand themselves, their behaviors, affection and relationships. Counselling can assist individuals to identify their strengths and empower them to take control of their lives.
- 2. Why go for Counselling?
Most people seek counselling for a variety of reasons, including, but not limited to:
- life transition
- decision-making
- dealing with children/teens/colleagues
- adjustment to new experiences
- marital issues
- troublesome feelings such as anxiety, depression, loneliness, shyness, fear and anger
- grief and loss
- relationship issues
- values questions
- sexual assault or harassment
- misuse of alcohol and other drugs
- victim of bullying / threats
- stress
- culture shock (to link with Bentley’s site on Culture Shock) - http://eesj.curtin.edu.au/cultural/culture_shock.html
- 3. Is What I Say Confidential?
Counselling Services carefully guards privacy and confidentiality. We do not release information without prior written permission from the client. However, legal confidentiality cannot be maintained in the following three circumstances:
(1) when there is imminent danger that someone´s life is at risk;
(2) in the case of apparent abuse of a minor; and
(3) by court order.
- 4. Is There A Fee for Counselling Services?
No. It´s free. Voluntary and confidential counselling is available for Curtin University staff and students.
- 5. How Do I Make An Appointment?
Appointments can be made by email at StaffStudentAffairs@curtin.edu.my Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm.
- 6. Do I have to be "different" to come to counselling?
No, coming to counselling does not mean you are different or that you have a serious mental illness. Many individuals come to counselling because they are experiencing difficulty and seeking professional help can prevent a problem from getting worse. Some people may fear being labelled by coming to counselling but this is something to talk about with your counsellor.
Referral
How to make a referral?
If you should be in need of specialised services which the University does not offer or if your needs extend beyond the scope of our short-term counselling model, we will assist you in connecting with an appropriate professional or agency outside the University.
