Mental Health Practitioner
Advice and Support for Students experiencing Mental Health Difficulties
The mental health practitioners are available to support and advise students who feel that they may be experiencing mental health difficulties.
Mental health can be positive or negative. One in four people will experience some form of mental health difficutly durnig their lives.
Positive mental health means having the resources necessary to cope with different life events. Even positive life events require a certain resilience as we negotiate them.
Starting university can be a very exciting time with new challenges and experiences such as leaving home, making new friends, entering a new environment and balancing home life and studies. Sometimes these challenges can cause students to feel down, stressed or isolated. These feelings are common but at times can become overwhelming.
Often people find it difficult to access support during difficult and stressful times. It is important to know that there is a rane of support available at Northumbria University. Additionally, if you are experiencing long term mental health issues, you may be entitled to Disabled Student Allowance (DSA). This enables the university to establish support structures for the duration of your studies.
The Mental Health Practitioners are based in the Counselling and Mental Health Support Team which is part of Student Support and Wellbeing. Student Support and Wellbeing also includes the Careers and Employment Team, Welfare and International Support (with the Access to Learning Fund), Disability Support, and Chaplaincy and Faith Advice.
The Mental Health Practitioners can:
· Offer information and advice to prospective students about support they would receive whilst studying at NU.
· Provide Mental Health Assessments.
· Provide advice and assistance in areas such as Disabled Student Allowance (DSA).
· Discuss with students their needs in relation to their course and Disabled Students Study Recommendations (DSSRs).
· Make referrals and liaise with other services within the university and outside, for example, counselling support, tutors and academics, community mental health teams and GPs.
· Provide a first point of contact to support students living within the university or in the local community
· Provide ongoing individual support and planned therapeutic interventions
. Discuss strategies for managing life at University and mental health problems
The MHPs have the flexibility to design interventions to suit the need of the students they work with. Therefore students who access help and support through the MHP are not restricted to a given number of sessions or to a prescribed session length.
Who can access the Mental Health Practitioner?
- any enrolled student who is experiencing mental health issues, including those with a formal mental health diagnosis
- any student feeling under pressure. You can have a one-off appointment or meet regularly (decided collaboratively)
Confidentiality
Any information shared with the Mental Health Practitioner will be treated in the strictest confidence. However there may be occasions when the Mental Health Practitioner has to make a decision about sharing information with other professionals - for instance, if it is felt that you are particularly vulnerable or at risk.
How do I contact the Mental Health Practitioner?
The Mental Health Practitioners are based within the Counselling and Mental Health Support Team. They can be contacted by:
- Calling in to the Student Support and Wellbeing Centre, Northumberland Building, City Campus and asking for an appointment
- Sending an e-mail to sv.mentalhealth@northumbria.ac.uk
- Telephoning for an appointment - 0191 227 4576, to speak with a Counselling and Mental Health Administrator
Appointments can be arranged at both City and Coach Lane campuses.
