The therapy and mental health team are here to support students studying at Solent University.
Our service:
- is free,
- is confidential,
- has a limited waiting time,
- can be in-person, online or telephone support.
How we can help
The team offers two main types of support:
- Talking therapy,
- Mental health advice.
We also offer social prescriptions, groups, workshops and wellbeing cafés throughout the academic year, which can help to support your mental health.
Mental health advice
The mental health advisers coordinate support for students with mental health difficulties to ensure that you get the best support to meet your needs, from both within the University and from services outside the University.
Not all students who have mental health needs will need to see a mental health adviser. If you’re able to manage your own mental health needs, or you already have a plan of support meeting your needs, there is unlikely to be a role for a mental health adviser. However, they are happy to meet and talk this through if you are unsure.
Talking therapy
Talking therapy is a general term to describe any psychological support that provides the opportunity to talk with a trained professional about the issues affecting you.
The therapy and mental health team offer two types of talking therapy:
Single session therapy (SST)
SST is a flexible approach to therapy sessions, enabling you to book appointments one at a time, as and when you need them.
SST is a form of brief solution focused therapy. You will be offered a 50-minute appointment with a counsellor to help you address, without delay, a particular difficulty you are experiencing.
Blocks of counselling
When SST is not appropriate, you may be offered a block of short-term counselling. This is offered in a block of up to six 50-minute sessions which occur at the same time each week.
Your counsellor will listen to you and help you reflect on and explore whatever is causing you difficulty or distress. They will not judge you or tell you what to do and will support you to develop greater self-awareness and confidence moving forward.
When appropriate, you may be offered CBT-informed therapy. This is based on cognitive behavioural therapy, and focuses on the relationship between your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. It can involve the use of coping skills and strategies to support helpful behavioural change.
Book an appointment
It is quick and easy to access support. You can fill in our online self-referral form to book an appointment with our team.
You can also self-refer by scanning the QR code, below, which can also be found across University campus.
Once you have sent in your completed form, we will send you an appointment with a member of the team based on the information you have provided.
If you feel unable to complete the self-referral form or have any questions, you can pop into the Student Hub, or email us at therapy.mh@solent.ac.uk.
If you need urgent support
The therapy and mental health team will do everything we can to support you in times of distress, however, we are not a crisis service.
We are available 9am to 4.30pm on weekdays (until 4.15pm on a Friday) via therapy.mh@solent.ac.uk. You can also pop into the Student Hub.
If you're finding things difficult, it might also be advisable to speak to your GP.
In an emergency
Call 999 or go to A&E if:
- You do not feel you can keep yourself or someone else safe.
- Someone's life is at risk - for example, they have seriously injured themselves, or taken an overdose.
Out of hours support
The therapy and mental health team’s opening hours are:
- Monday to Thursday: 8.30am to 5pm
- Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm
For out of hours support the Student Assistance Programme offers a 24/7 helpline provided by Health Assured. Just call 0800 028 3766 and quote the code MHA200761.
You can also download the My Healthy Advantage app to enable you to contact them via email or request a live video call back.
