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On this page:
- Counselling with SPCS
- Suitability for counselling
- How to register
- PhD and Doctoral Students
- Registration hours
Counselling with SPCS
Counselling involves a trained counsellor listening to you and helping you find ways to deal with emotional issues. It can be for anyone who is experiencing personal, emotional and psychological concerns.
SPCS usually offers students an initial assessment to determine suitability and up to 6 free sessions of counselling.
Our team of professionally accredited counsellors can provide the following:
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Psychodynamic Counselling
- Single Session Therapy (SST)
- Psychiatric Consultations
Find out more about the types of therapeutic support we offer.
The service we provide is strictly confidential. That means that any information you provide to us, whether in your registration form or face-to-face with a counsellor, will not be shared outside our service unless you provide explicit permission to do so and in line with our privacy policy. You may agree with your counsellor to share information with your GP in the event that your GP may be helpful in your treatment process but you can discuss this with your counsellor.
The only circumstance where we might share your information without your explicit consent is in the event that your counsellor believes you are in danger of harming yourself or others. Even in this circumstance, we would normally seek to speak to you first before contacting anyone else.
If you have any questions about confidentiality, please contact us.
Suitability for counselling with SPCS
Counselling through SPCS is not the correct support route for you if:
- You are in a crisis situation – if you are, you should call 999 or go to your nearest Accident and Emergency (A&E) department.
- You need treatment for addictions, eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).
- You need treatment for severe long-term mental health conditions like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and personality disorders.
- You need a diagnosis for Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLDs) like dyslexia, dyspraxia or Attention Deficit (Hyperactivity) Disorder (AD(H)D), or Autistic Spectrum Conditions (ASCs).
If you are concerned about any of the above conditions or have been diagnosed with one of the above, please contact your GP.
Please note that the Disability, Mental Health and Wellbeing (DMHW) team at UCL can provide academic-level assessments for some SpLDs.
If you are unsure whether you should have counselling, we recommend you first come to an appointment with the Disability, Mental Health and Wellbeing (DMHW) team to discuss your options before you register with SPCS.
How to register
In order to register with our service, you’ll simply need to fill in our registration form linked below. This should take around 10-15 minutes.
Students can request a BAME (black, Asian or minority ethnic) male or female counsellor on their registration form. Please be aware that this might mean a slightly longer wait time.
Once you’ve registered, you’ll immediately receive an acknowledgement email, which will also outline the support you can access whilst you wait to see a counsellor.
PhD and Doctoral Students
All PhD and Doctoral students. Please register here with Spectrum.Life.
Registration hours
During term time the registration form is available online Monday to Thursday from 8am to 11pm and Fridays 8am to 3pm, excluding Bank Holidays.
Out of term time the registration form is available online Monday to Thursday from 9am to 5pm and Fridays from 9am to 3pm, excluding Bank Holidays.