‘The right service delivered by the right people in the right place at the right time’
Welcome to Éist Student Counselling and Wellbeing Service. This website provides information on what we do, how to access the service and includes information on various issues that can affect students and the support services available in UL and Limerick.
Drop-in will run remotely throughout the summer from Tuesday 25th May until the new semester, every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon between 2-3pm. Email counselling@ul.ie to arrange a drop-in call - this will be a 10-15 minute phone call with the Assistant Psychology team to check in on how you are doing and discuss appropriate support options.
The counselling service will be run in a remote capacity for over the summer due to COVID-19 and so both Drop-in and the provision of counselling will be provided via phone/Microsoft Teams. Please read our remote appointment guidelines for more information on how these appointments operate. Our counselling and wellbeing service will continue to be run over the summer - Counselling will be facilitated with our three new Senior Counsellors, Hayley, Judy and Eugene, and cognitive behavioural support sessions will also continue to be run by the Assistant Psychology Team.
Should you feel at risk / suicidal and do not feel that you can keep yourself safe, please contact the crisis liaison mental health team at the University Hospital Limerick (061 301111)/ your local hospital, or your GP immediately.
Please take note of additional numbers, including those below that you can call if in need of support:
· Shannondoc: 1850 212 999
· A&E dept.for mental health crisis: 061 301 111
· The Samaritans: (Free-call) 116 123
· AWARE: 1890 303 302
· Pieta House: 1800 247 247
· Rape Crisis: 1800 311 511
· Suicide bereavement support via Pieta House Suicide Bereavement Service: 1800 247 247 / http://suicidesupportandinformation.ie
· Text 50808 is a 24/7 Crisis Text Line where you can engage via text with a trained volunteer - text 'UL' to 50808. For more information on 50808, see https://text50808.ie/
You can also read more about external support services. Please feel free to browse our self-help leaflets located in the tabs on the left-hand side of this page.
Information on child safeguarding can be found in UL Éist's Child Safeguarding Statement, here. This service-specific statement should be considered in the context of the overarching University Child Safeguarding Statement. UL Éist is part of the wider division of UL Student Affairs (ULSA). You can see further information about ULSA on:
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ULSADivision
Twitter https://twitter.com/ULSADivision
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/studentaffairsul/?hl=en.
This year, UL Éist will be running different webinars to target issues that are reported commonly in drop-in and individual sessions. We have created the webinar below to help equip you with skills to manage the difficult transition to online learning. This webinar covers psychoeducational information on anxiety and cognitive/behavioural strategies for managing anxiety related to this. This includes recognising the fight/flight response, beliefs about worry, control, challenging your thinking, organisational skills and relaxation.
>>>>You can watch the video here<<<<
This section provides self-help resources for mental health management during COVID-19. Even within the second lockdown, this is undoubtedly a stressful time, with great change imposed on all of us. Many will find the pandemic anxiety-provoking. This is normal. Remember- there are useful strategies and practical/psychological tasks that you can do to reduce stress and anxiety, even in times of crisis.
We also invite you list to our very own guided meditation resource which will help you ground yourself in this moment, reducing stress and helping you to relax. You may also be eiligible for free online counselling via MyMind Free Online Counselling: COVID-19 project.
UL Éist - Student Counselling and Wellbeing Service is a free and confidential service which is available to all registered UL students. We run a stepped-care model of service which provides low-medium level support within a high-demand environment, tailoring support to the individual. The stepped-care model works by providing the least intensive, yet effective, intervention appropriate to the presenting needs of each individual. Students with high level, intensive needs, chronic difficulties, or entrenched problems can be referred to specialist support services, as determined by their presentation.
A student’s relationship with UL Éist begins with the drop-in service. Here they meet an Assistant Psychologist (AP) for 15-20 minutes. Drop-in runs twice daily during week days (10am - 11am & 2pm - 3pm) and students do not need to make an appointment prior to attending. Students complete intake forms on an iPad prior to meeting with an Assistant Psychologist. Please note, intake forms must be filled out no later than 10 minutes prior to the end of drop-in. Drop-in permits students the space to express their concerns and emotions. The APs and Clinical Psychologists then work to formulate a support plan, placing the student at the appropriate ‘step’ for their presenting issues and needs within the stepped-care model.
Step 1
Students may be offered up to four one-to-one cognitive-behavioural support sessions with an AP, giving them a space to work on coping skills and changing of thought processes related to their presentation/concerns. The one-to-one nature of the sessions allows for tailoring of support to the student’s individual needs. The service also provides on-line wellbeing and mental health advice and information.
Step 2
Students who may not be suitable for cognitive-behavioural support or who prefer to explore their difficulties are placed at step 2 of the model. Here students are offered up to six sessions of talk therapy with one of the counsellors.
Step 3
In some circumstances, following review and discussion with the Head of Counselling, the student may be offered further sessions. Step 3 comprises of 1-6 additional sessions and a subsequent review.
Step 4
Should the student require further support they may be directed to a specialist service (e.g. community mental health, rape crisis, drug and alcohol services). In some cases referral to specialist services may be decided at drop-in and in consultation with the Head of Service.
The service is staffed by qualified and experienced Clinical Psychologists, Student Counsellors, Intern/Trainee Psychotherapists, and Assistant Psychologists. Together they provided an extensive array of skill, expertise, and knowledge, equipping them to work with a wide range of personal issues.
First Seven Weeks of UL have made a short video on how to find the counselling service, which can be found here
Contact Number: 061 202327
Email: counselling@ul.ie
Location: CM-073 (Due to COVID-19, the physical service is closed until further notice, but we remain operational via remote working)
Follow our Facebook page, Instagram and Twitter for regular updates!
For formal feedback, commendations, complaints about the counselling service use the feedback link on the right-hand side of this page.
Please note, UL Éist do not:
- Provide certificates for attendance
- Extend assignment deadlines
- Give interviews for coursework
To access the counselling service, you need to come to drop-in first. There is no need to make an appointment for drop-in, simply call in during our drop-in hours.
During term-time
Drop In: 10-11a.m. & 2-3p.m. daily
Please note, intake forms must be filled out no later than 10 minutes prior to the end of drop-in. You will be asked to fill in some demographic details and a baseline screening questionnaire on an Ipad. You will then meet with an Assistant Psychologist for 10-15mins. Occasionally, drop-in gets very busy. It is possible that not everyone will be seen within the drop-in hour. Should this happen, you are welcome to return at the next drop-in time.
Find Us: CM073, Main Building
Contact No: 061-202327
Ger Hanley - Monday 5-6.30pm during term time Email: gerard.hanley@ul.ie
