Making an Appointment


The quickest way to register for our services is to contact our administrative staff on (02) 9850 7497 or (02) 9850 7498.  Alternatively, you can request an appointment in person at the service reception desk within the medical centre at Level 2, Lincoln Building, C8A, Macquarie University.

Please note: The Macquarie University Counselling Service does not provide an after-hours crisis service. In such an event, you should refer to the 24 hr emergency contact numbers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens when I come to my first counselling/therapy session?

Your first appointment is an Initial Assessment to see what might be the most appropriate type of therapy for you. This Initial Assessment usually lasts up to 50 minutes, and it is an opportunity for you to discuss in depth the reasons that you have come to the service and explore what you might expect from using the Macquarie University Counselling Service.  In the initial interview some time will also be spent discussing your family, friends, relationships, studies, etc.

Please arrive 5 minutes prior to your first appointment to complete a brief questionnaire relating to basic information about yourself.

Our therapists have a lot of experience in assessing students for different types of therapy. We offer a wide range of therapies and it is important that we find the right type of help for you. Our services include psychiatric assessments, short-term psychodynamic counselling, cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness, and some long term psychotherapy. In some cases we may refer you to a service outside of Macquarie University and we will discuss with you the reasons for doing this. In most cases the therapist you saw for your Initial Assessment will continue to be your therapist, however, in some cases you may be referred to another clinician within the counselling team. The therapist and you will discuss the most relevant option to meet your needs.

What happens during counselling/therapy sessions?

Therapy is not the same as giving advice. The counselling process involves a confidential helping relationship between the therapist and client. The therapist aims to assist the client towards greater self-awareness and greater understanding of others. The therapist helps the client to identify issues to explore and clarify feelings, to focus on personal resources and to decide on options for change. During this dialogue, the therapist encourages the client to develop in terms of personal growth and satisfaction and in terms of personal responsibility.

 

Confidentiality

All contacts with a Counsellor are confidential within the Counselling Service. Records of your counselling interviews are kept secure and do not become part of your University records. No details of your records are released to any other person without your written permission. However, there are some exceptions to this rule as follows:

• Counsellors' records do not have legal privilege and can be subpoenaed in court proceedings.

• if you are deemed to be unable to care for yourself or to be a threat to yourself or others, confidentiality may be set aside in order to provide care or protection.

A Counsellor would not normally make such a decision to release information without your permission, without consultation with colleagues. The setting aside of confidentiality for any of the above reasons is rare, it is important that you realise that such conditions do exist. If you need to clarify any aspects of confidentiality, please do not hesitate to discuss this with your Counsellor.

The Counselling Service's Policies and Procedures in relation to confidentiality of clients' information are in accordance with the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998, the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 and the Australian Psychological Society Code of Ethics. Information is used in order to provide a professional service to clients. As a service agency, at times research is undertaken to evaluate our services. However, data used is either for statistical purposes with no individual being identified, or otherwise consent would be sought.