Frequently Asked Questions

About the Service

At UCD, we understand that university life can be exciting, challenging, and, at times, overwhelming. The Student Counselling Service is here to support you through those moments when things feel difficult or uncertain.

Our service is free and confidential for all registered UCD students. It’s provided by a team of experienced, professionally trained psychologists and psychotherapists who are here to listen without judgment, help you explore your concerns, and support you in finding ways to cope and grow.

Counselling offers a space to reflect, understand, and make sense of whatever you're going through. You might be dealing with stress, low motivation, anxiety, relationship challenges, loss, family issues, identity concerns, trauma, or anything else that’s affecting your wellbeing. Whatever you’re facing, you don’t have to go through it alone.

Support is offered in a number of ways — individually or in groups — depending on what suits your needs best. Please note, however, that we work within ethical and professional guidelines, which means there are some services we are not able to provide directly.

What the Service Cannot Provide

While we aim to offer meaningful support, there are limits to what our service can offer. We do not provide:

• Formal psychiatric diagnoses
• Intensive or specialised mental health treatment for moderate to severe conditions
• Reports for legal or medical disputes
• Post-hospitalisation step-down care
• Long-term psychotherapy or intensive support
• Services that require multidisciplinary teams
• Teletherapy for students currently located outside the island of Ireland

If you or your counsellor feel you may benefit from other kinds of support, we will guide you towards appropriate services.

To begin your counselling journey:

1. Visit the UCD Student Counselling Service Information page and read through the details about how we work.
2. Complete the online registration form available at the bottom of the page.

The form is open during term time, Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 2:00pm (excluding bank holidays and university closures). Make sure you’re logged in through your UCD Connect account to access the form successfully.

No referral is necessary. This is a self-referral service, meaning you can reach out to us directly.

Occasionally, UCD staff members such as Student Advisors, GPs, or Academic staff may offer to provide additional information on your behalf. However, we can only respond to this once you’ve registered yourself. Your wellbeing and autonomy are at the heart of our approach, so taking that first step is yours to make.

In-Person Appointments:
These take place at the Student Centre on campus during our regular hours, Monday to Friday, 9:30am–5:00pm.

Online Counselling:
Available to students based within the island of Ireland. Sessions are held over Zoom and are conducted with the same level of care and confidentiality as in-person meetings. Please ensure you have a private space to maintain privacy.

Phone Support:
While not our primary method of delivery, some appointments — particularly initial consultations — may take place by phone if appropriate.

You can let us know your preference for how you'd like to attend your sessions. While we do our best to accommodate requests, wait times may vary depending on availability.

Due to legal and insurance regulations, we are currently unable to provide counselling support to students outside Ireland. We understand this may be disappointing. However, the university or institution you're attending abroad should have support services available to you, just as we support international students studying at UCD.

Even while abroad, you can:

• Speak with your UCD counsellor before you travel to make a plan for support
• Access self-help resources on our website
• Register again for counselling when you return to Ireland
• Join (opens in a new window)Togetherall, a 24/7 anonymous peer-support platform

We know that waiting for support can be difficult. While we work hard to minimise wait times, they can vary — especially during busy periods like the start of term or around exams.

If your situation feels urgent or you're struggling to cope, please reach out. We may be able to prioritise your appointment if we know you're in difficulty — but you must be registered first.

Support is also available outside of counselling hours. Visit UCD Mental Health Supports for urgent options and after-hours help.

Confidentiality is a cornerstone of the counselling relationship. We will never share your personal information — not even the fact that you’ve attended — unless you give us written permission.

There are rare exceptions when we may need to break confidentiality:

• If there is an immediate risk of harm to you or others
• If there is a concern for the safety of a child or vulnerable person
• If we are legally required to (e.g. by court subpoena)
• If you disclose certain serious crimes, such as child sexual abuse, which we are legally obligated to report to Tusla, in collaboration with UCD’s Child Protection Officer

If you ever have questions or concerns about confidentiality, your counsellor will be happy to talk through it with you.

When you arrive for your appointment, please check in at the Student Health Service reception desk on the second floor of the Student Centre. Your counsellor will meet you there and invite you into a private space.

Your first meeting is a chance to talk about what’s on your mind, explore what brings you to counselling, and learn about how we work. Together, you and your counsellor will consider what kind of support may help you best — whether that’s ongoing counselling, accessing other services, or additional resources.

This is also your time to ask questions and feel out whether this is the right space for you.

If you have a preference for the gender of your counsellor, you can let us know. While we’ll do our best to accommodate this, availability may mean a wait. Please know that every member of our team is committed to creating a safe, respectful, and inclusive space.

• Each session is approximately 50 minutes long.
• Most students attend between 4 and 6 sessions, though this can vary depending on your needs.
• Counselling at UCD is typically short-term and focused on helping you manage your challenges and move forward.
• If your needs go beyond short-term counselling, we will do our best to support you in accessing longer-term or specialised care.

Your commitment and engagement play a big role in the effectiveness of counselling. We encourage you to reflect between sessions and actively participate in the process.

We ask that you attend all scheduled sessions. If you need to cancel or reschedule, please email student.counselling@ucd.ie or call 01 716 3159 at least 48 hours in advance.

Missing appointments or cancelling at short notice prevents us from offering that time to another student. Repeated missed sessions may lead to discontinuation of counselling. If unexpected events arise (illness, emergency), just let us know as soon as possible. We're here to help, not to judge.

We know that counselling is a very personal experience. If something doesn’t feel right, we encourage you to talk openly with your counsellor. They will welcome your feedback and can help you explore whether a change might be helpful.

If you feel unable to talk directly with your counsellor, you can reach out to John Phillips, Clinical Lead for the service, at student.counselling @ucd.ie

We deeply value your feedback. It helps us improve and ensures our service continues to meet student needs.

Ways to share feedback:

1. Talk directly with your counsellor
2. Complete our anonymous feedback survey
3. Contact the Clinical Lead, John Phillips, at student.counselling@ucd.ie

If you’re unhappy with your experience, please let us know. In most cases, we can resolve issues informally by talking together. If needed, formal complaints follow UCD’s Student Complaints Procedure, which you can learn more about on the UCD website.

The Student Counselling Service is here to support your emotional wellbeing, your growth, and your success at university. Reaching out can feel like a big step — and we’re honoured to be part of your journey when you do.

If you have questions, need clarity, or aren’t sure whether counselling is right for you, don’t hesitate to get in touch. We are here for you.

Contact Us
📧 student.counselling@ucd.ie
📞 01 716 3159
🌐 UCD Student Counselling Website