Student Wellbeing service

• As the name suggests, our wellbeing webinars cover a range of topics. From self-care to managing anxiety and panic, relaxation techniques to time management and much more, they are designed to give you the tools, knowledge and support to help improve and maintain your wellbeing
• Hosted by a Wellbeing Adviser, the webinars run for one hour and you'll have the option to attend as many, or as few, as you wish
• During the session, your camera and audio will be off and only the Adviser will know that you are there
• You will also have the opportunity to ask questions during the webinar.

• Counselling provides an opportunity to talk and reflect on whatever is troubling you, in a safe and supportive environment
• Counsellors won't tell you what to do or prescribe medication but will help you find your own solutions, whether that's making effective changes in your life or finding ways to cope.
• At BU, our team of trained counsellors offer two types of counselling: One At A Time focused counselling or a course of up to six regular sessions

One At A Time focused counselling

• We provide One At A Time focused counselling meaning exactly that – we offer you one appointment at a time, at the time you need it
• In a One At A Time session, we focus on your most pressing issue – and work with you to identify potential ways of managing this
• We try to help you get as much as you can from the session, with the understanding that more help is available if needed
• Once you've completed our self-referral form, a BU Wellbeing Adviser will assess your situation and whether One At A Time focused counselling is right for you. If you are offered a session, you will be sent a pre-session questionnaire to help you get the most out of your appointment.

If you need longer-term, specialist support, your Wellbeing Adviser will refer you to the psychological therapies service, run by Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust. This includes support for specific anxiety disorders, including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). 

Our service operates a strict confidentiality policy, and we do not normally tell anybody that you have accessed the service or any details about the nature of the support you are receiving. There are times, however, when we may need to breach this due to legal obligations or if we believe that you or another person is at risk of harm.

You will need to read our Consent and Confidentiality Agreement (pdf 105kb) in order to access our service, which explains our policy in more detail. If you have any initial questions or concerns, you can email: [email protected].

This service is provided by Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust. We will not share any information about you with your GP or any other health services without consent except in the circumstances described in our confidentiality policy or when expressly requested by yourself. 

If you're not on campus or in Bournemouth, there are still a range of services available to you – over the phone, virtually or face-to-face:

• Contact the Student Wellbeing team by email: [email protected]

• For 24/7 non-urgent support, call 0800 028 3766 to speak with a trained advisor or counsellor. We work in partnership with Health Assured to offer this round-the-clock student support.

As we are an NHS service we are only able to support students who are in the UK. If you are outside of the UK, please speak to your GP who can refer you to the correct service.

External support services across the South and South West

Improving Access to Psychological Therapy Services (IAPT): 

• italk: a psychological therapy service (covers areas of Hampshire, except Southampton and Portsmouth) 
• Somerset Partnership Talking Therapies 
• Talking Change: the primary care mental health service for Portsmouth

Mental health support: 

• The Lighthouse Shirley: mental health support in Southampton

Rape crisis support: 

• Portsmouth Abuse and Rape Counselling Service (PARCS) 
• Somerset & Avon Rape and Sexual Abuse Support (SARSAS)  
• STARS Dorset - Sexual Trauma and Recovery Service 

Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs): 

• The Shores (Dorset) 
• The Treetops Centre (Hampshire and Isle of Wight)  
• The Bridge (South Gloucestershire and Somerset)

No – we don't recommend accessing two mental health services at once. Often when individuals are under another team, they are the more specialist team (e.g. community mental health teams, eating disorder services). We would encourage you to speak with the team you are under for any additional support.

You could also seek support from the Achieve@BU team who have support staff assigned to your faculty or level of study. Whether you need a quick chat or a more in-depth conversation, they offer a wide range of pastoral support. 

We recommend that you make an appointment with your GP to discuss a referral. 

Visit our Eating disorders webpage for more advice, information, and resources.

Our services are open to students from Bournemouth University and the Chiropractic College (AECC). 

Students attending the Bournemouth and Poole College (including those on BU programmes) will need to access support services through the college: 

• College students at the Lansdowne should either make an appointment at main reception or call 01202 205255 
• College students at the North Road site should go to The Link, Student Support Centre or call 01202 205205

Please note: Under current funding arrangements, students attending partner colleges (including those on BU programmes) are not eligible to use the service. Arrangements are in place for counselling to be provided by the partner colleges.

• We will always try to find a time that suits you and, with this in mind, we offer some appointments before 9:00am and after 5:00pm
• Some appointments are available outside of term time but these are limited
• Depending on what suits you, we offer appointments face-to-face (at Talbot House on Talbot Campus), over the phone or via video call

The Student Wellbeing service specialise in supporting students who are experiencing stress, anxiety or low mood but can also help with:

• Panic
• Homesickness
• Sleeping difficulties
• Eating difficulties
• Relationship and family issues
• Bereavement
• Confidence issues
• Isolation
• Advice if you're concerned about another student.