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FAQs

Is counselling completely confidential?

As a general rule, counsellors will not share any information about you outside the service without your consent. The only exceptions to this are where there is a clear and imminent risk to someone’s life, or where there is a child protection or safeguarding concern.

Who is counselling for?

Counselling is available to all full and part-time undergraduate and post-graduate students registered with University of Galway. 

Will the fact that I attended the counselling service appear on my record?

No.

How soon can I be seen?

This depends on the time of year. We aim to offer everyone an appointment within 10 working days. However, the wait time can be longer during peak times. Due to high demand, we kindly ask that you inform us as early as possible if you need to cancel your appointment.

How many sessions will I have?

Student Counselling is a short-term service with students generally being offered up to 4 sessions. If longer-term support is more appropriate, we will explore this with you during your sessions. Where appropriate, we will help you to identify and connect with relevant external services.

Will the counsellor contact other people on my behalf, eg academic, doctor?

In certain situations, it may be appropriate or necessary to communicate with a third party outside of our service (e.g. an academic adviser, course coordinator, or doctor). In the case of written communication (such as emails or letters), the contents will be agreed upon with the client in advance, and wherever possible, the client will review the communication before it is sent.

For telephone calls, the purpose of the call and the type and extent of information to be shared will be agreed with the client beforehand.

As the first point of contact, administrators handle all incoming messages and forward them to the appropriate counsellor.

If a third party contacts the service regarding a client, the counsellor will inform the client as soon as reasonably possible. Communication with third parties outside of appointments will only take place with the client's explicit consent, except in situations covered by previously outlined exceptions.

Can a staff member arrange an appointment on behalf of a student?

f you believe a student would benefit from seeing a counsellor, you should encourage them to contact the service directly. The only exception to this is in the case of an emergency where immediate action is required.