Counselling at Varndean Sixth Form College
The Counselling Team at Varndean Sixth Form College provides a confidential space to help students understand and manage difficulties that may be affecting their personal life, sense of self, relationships or experience of college. The team consists of a combination of qualified and accredited counsellors and student therapists who are completing a professional qualification in counselling and psychotherapy.
The College counsellors are:
George Dickinson – Therapeutic Service Manager
Becky Williams – Lead Counsellor and Supervisor
Becky Williams, Humanistic Counsellor - Integrative Psychotherapist - EMDR practitioner MBACP, UKCP(Reg) PGDip, MSc
As Lead Counsellor and Supervisor at Varndean, I provide counselling to students in the counselling office in the Huts, and also supervise the counselling team. Qualifying in 2012 I have worked in private practice, within charities, on NHS contracts and in educational settings. The counselling I offer is very much grounded in a Humanistic approach, seeing each and every client as a unique individual. Clients can expect a collaborative, inclusive approach, and a compassionately active style in the room. We may talk, use creative materials or explore mind-body experiencing, but will together discover a way forward that feels supportive, and facilitates meaningful personal development.
George Dickinson, Humanistic-Integrative Counsellor MBACP(accred) PGDip
I am a humanistic-integrative counsellor and an accredited member of the BACP. I have a Postgraduate Diploma from Brighton University in Humanistic Counselling and Psychotherapy and have worked in a wide range of different counselling services. Outside my work at Varndean I work privately and as part of Mankind UK, providing specialist trauma-informed psychotherapy for male survivors of sexual abuse. I am particularly interested in the ways in which our ways of coping can get stuck in place and block us from getting what we need now to help us find a more meaningful and fulfilling life.
Who Can Access the Service
Counselling is available to current students at Varndean Sixth Form College.
Students can access up to 9 sessions of one to one counselling.
Sessions are weekly appointments and can only be booked in college study periods.
What We Can Help With
Students access counselling for a wide range of emotional and mental health concerns. Common reasons for referral include:
- anxiety and panic attacks
- low mood and depression
- exam pressure and academic stress
- relationship and friendship difficulties
- family dynamics
- grief and loss
- self-esteem and identity issues
- adjusting to change or transitions
How to Access Counselling
To access student counselling, please email: counsellors@varndean.ac.uk.
Students must self-refer to the counselling service. This means the request for counselling must come directly from the student via their college email account.
The counselling team cannot accept referrals from third parties such as parents or carers, tutors, teachers or external professionals. This approach supports student autonomy, confidentiality and informed consent.
Once a self referral is received, students are offered an initial meeting to discuss what brings them to seek out support and assess suitability for counselling.
Confidentiality
Counselling sessions are confidential, meaning that what you share with your counsellor will not be shared with anyone else. However, there are limits to confidentiality where there are safeguarding concerns. These limits will be explained clearly during the initial meeting.
Waiting List and Support While Waiting
There may be a waiting list for counselling, particularly at busy points in the academic year.
If a student is waiting for counselling and feels that their mental health is deteriorating, they are encouraged to speak to a trusted adult in college, seek out the Wellbeing Team in Room 14.1 or contact the safeguarding team for immediate support.
Support in a Crisis
The counselling service is not an emergency service. If you are in crisis, or at risk of harm to yourself or others, please seek urgent support.
Within College
If you have an immediate risk concern you should contact the Designated Safeguarding Lead or a member of the safeguarding team as soon as possible – safeguarding@varndean.ac.uk
External Crisis Support
If you need immediate help outside college hours, the following services are available in Sussex:
Sussex Mental Healthline
- Tel: 0800 0309 500
- Available 24 hours per day for anyone experiencing mental health distress
NHS 111
- Call: 111
- Select option 2 to access urgent mental health support
Samaritans
- Call: 116 123
- Available 24 hours per day for confidential emotional support
Shout
- Text SHOUT to 85258
- A free confidential text service available 24 hours per day
Emergency Services
- If you are in immediate danger, call 999 or go to the nearest Accident and Emergency department
Accessing Counselling Outside of College
There are many other ways to access counselling support in the Sussex area. Should you wish to make a referral to an external service, rather than referring to Varndean’s own counselling team, please see the below directory of free and low-cost services.
You can also find a private counsellor on either the Counselling Directory, Psychology Today or the BACP Listings:
https://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/