Your mental health and wellbeing

We want you to feel like you can 'just ask' whenever you’re facing questions or challenges at university. This is especially true where your mental health and emotional wellbeing are concerned, so if the pressures of studying lead you to feel anxious or in need of a helping hand at any point, we’d encourage you to simply reach out for the support we can offer.

Dedicated support

Student Support Services operates a mental health, wellbeing and counselling service. Our qualified counsellors and mental health professionals are here for you throughout your time at Stirling. Whatever you’re going through, we’re here to help.

Mental health

If you are concerned about your mental health and would like to know about the kind of support you can get during your studies, we have dedicated Mental Health Student Advisers who are on hand to help. We want to make sure all our students get the most out of university life, and we provide a range of assistance services that you can benefit from after starting at Stirling. To find out more about this please contact the Student Services Hub so they can direct you to the most appropriate service.

Alternatively, if you are a current student and have a diagnosed mental health condition you can start the process of connecting with our Mental Health Student Advisers by filling out our Initial Identification of Needs form.

One at a Time therapy

A counselling session to support you to develop strategies or ideas to help you with your greatest concerns.

What is One at a Time Counselling?

Counselling is a talking therapy which gives you the opportunity to explore issues which are causing you concern or distress. Your counsellor will give you the space to find a new perspective on a problem or think about options for change. The counsellor won’t tell you what to do but they will listen to you and help you find a way forward.

At the University of Stirling, we offer One at a Time Counselling, which means we focus on the most significant issue for you at the time of your session. We offer you one appointment at a time, then encourage you to reflect on what you and your counsellor have discussed. This may include taking some action regarding your situation and trying to manage it by putting into practice the ideas, techniques or action plans discussed in counselling. If it is more appropriate to refer you on to other services, either within or out with the University, we will do this with your permission.

If you feel after this process you need further support, you can make another appointment. Before any subsequent session, we will ask you to complete a new pre-session form so that we can understand what has brought you back to us.

About 70% of students find a single appointment helps them to move in the right direction.
For what issues can One at a Time Therapy be helpful?

One at a Time Therapy can be used for a wide range of issues, from anxiety to improving relationships, grief and loss, mental health issues, life changes and managing stress. In a One at a Time session, we can offer a contained and immediate response to your most pressing concern. While the session will focus on your greatest concern, this therapy can still be suitable for students with multiple or complex issues. So you may have a lot going on in your life, but still find a One at a Time session helpful.
What can I expect to happen during my One at a Time session?

When you register for the service, you will be sent a pre-session questionnaire to fill in. This will help you and your Counsellor to find out more about your main concerns and goals for your session. Please complete this before your session; if this is not complete before the session you will need to spend time during the session completing this.

If you feel the session was enough to meet your needs then you will not have another session booked, with the understanding that you are welcome to re-contact us at any point in the future.

How to register with Student Support Services
Making an appointment

If you're a current University of Stirling student and would like to access our service, please complete our Counselling Service registration form. We'll ensure you receive the most appropriate support for your needs. We will treat you with dignity and respect, uphold the highest standards of confidentiality and offer you non-judgemental support to help you better understand your feelings and emotions.

Other sources of support

As well as offering mental health, wellbeing and counselling services on campus, there are a number of trusted support services we recommend to students. Take a closer look at a full list of helplines, websites and apps that are available to help you through mental and emotional challenges.

See support available

Contact us

Stirling campus

Students can connect with us by dropping into the Student Services Hub at the Queens Court entrance of the Cotrell Building, by calling + 44 (0) 1786 466022 or by emailing ask@stir.ac.uk.

Highland campus

Students on our Highland campus can connect with Counselling and Wellbeing Services by calling + 44 (0) 1463 279802 or emailing sheila.mcaulay@uhi.ac.uk.