New measures are being implemented at the University of Limerick (UL) that aim to combat the increasing number of students who are currently on waiting lists to receive counselling.
The college, which is responding to the huge demand for on-campus counselling services, has allocated extra funds to clear the waiting list for this service by the end of the year.
The Students’ Union of UL, along with psychiatrist, Dr Declan Aherne, said they have made a huge effort to tackle the waiting list issue after an article in the Irish Examiner revealed that the number of students attending counselling nationwide increased by 300 per cent in the last eight years.
Similarly in DCU there is also a waiting list for students who wish to avail of the counselling services.
Students seeking counselling must first go to the students advice centre and answer a questionnaire to determine how at risk the person is and then the student is offered a one-to-one counselling session generally within one to two weeks after this.
One student, who wishes not to be named, highly recommended DCU’s counselling services and how they managed to find them an appointment just a few days after applying for a counselling session.
“They were extremely helpful in finding me a place. They gave me a time just four days after having my evaluation but it clashed with one of my lectures and when I told them this they gave me another appointment the same day but at a time that worked for me.”
Anyone who wishes to see a counsellor in DCU can do so by making an appointment in person at the student advice centre, located at the back of the Henry Grattan building.
Paul Dwyer
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