PF Counselling and Edinburgh Students

Edinburgh Napier
University of Edinburgh
Heriot Watt University
Queen Margaret University

Supporting Edinburgh Students

Being a student in Edinburgh should be enjoyable and interesting, but it can also be a difficult and stressful time for some people.

Before requesting counselling at the PF, please make sure you have found out about the full range of Student Wellbeing Services which your University provides.  Often these can be more helpful, in a more targeted way, than the general counselling available at the PF. Click your University logo above to find out more about these services.

Edinburgh Napier University – my.napier.ac.uk/wellbeing-support-and-inclusion

University of Edinburgh – www.ed.ac.uk/students/health-wellbeing

Heriot-Watt University – www.hw.ac.uk/students/health-wellbeing/edinburgh/wellbeing-services.htm

Queen Margaret University – www.qmu.ac.uk/study-here/student-services

PF Counselling Service

The PF Counselling Service provides affordable counselling to adults in Edinburgh.  It is open to all students who can attend in person for the duration of their counselling.  The PF provides counselling to many students every year, but sometimes you may need to wait for several weeks before starting, or you may find the waiting list is not open for new requests for a while.

  • Have a look at our Resources pages – these give details of other services and self-help options which you may be able to access more quickly, and while you are waiting for counselling.

Before submitting our Counselling Request form, please consider:

  • Will you still be in need of counselling (and in Edinburgh) in a few weeks’ time?
  • Are you clear what days and times you will be available to come for regular appointments every week until your counselling is complete?
  • What would be an affordable donation for you to make at each session?

Requesting and Waiting

All PF clients self-refer using the Request Form available here when we are open for requests.  Unfortunately, high demand means that you may need to wait until this is possible, and there is usually a wait of 2 to 12 weeks after that before you can begin regular counselling.  Please make sure that you will still need counselling (and be in Edinburgh) when we are likely to be able to offer it to you.

Initial Appointments

We will first offer you an initial ‘assessment’ appointment to help us work out, together with you, whether or not counselling at the PF is the right thing for you at the time.  As part of this session, you will discuss what an affordable weekly donation will be for you, and you will be asked to make a donation for that session.

Six Days a Week

Our counselling service is based on a regular, in-person, weekly, 50 minute session at the same time on the same day every week.  If you are under 26 years old, this can include Saturdays.  If you are not able to attend regularly, the counselling will be less effective, and we may withdraw you from the service, or not be able to offer it to you.

Longer Term

The PF offers up to 12 sessions initially, when the work is reviewed to consider working longer term.  If it is agreed as appropriate, there is then the possibility up to a maximum of two years.

Remote Sessions

We sometimes use remote sessions (online video or telephone) to provide weekly continuity when in-person is not possible, but this is not usual.  It can be helpful if you are able to participate remotely in these circumstances.

Breaks & Vacations

It is not usually possible to ‘hold’ your counselling appointment for you while you are away from Edinburgh during breaks and University vacations.  Short holidays are acceptable, but it is usually necessary to end counselling if you will be away for an extended period over the summer.

Donations

The PF is not a free service, as it receives very little core funding.  We ask all clients to make a donation each time they have a counselling session, including at the initial assessment session.  We hope and expect that this donation will feel significant to the client, but also be affordable every week.

Help Coping with Student Life

The Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH) has published a very useful guide on How to Cope with Student Life which many students have found helpful. It covers such things as:

  • How can I manage the demands of my course?
  • How do I deal with exams and assessments?
  • How can I de-stress?
  • How do I cope with the student lifestyle?
  • What if my mental health gets worse?
  • How can friends and family help?

You can download the guide from the SAHM website by clicking here.