Counselling

You can consult with a member of the NUI Galway counselling service for any issue. We provide skilled listeners who have experience dealing with all the challenges students encounter.

Why counselling?

A professional counsellor is a neutral observer who will not judge, criticise or make assumptions about what you discuss. You can be completely honest with them in a way that is not always possible with friends or family and because your counsellor is outside your daily life, you don't have to worry about the impact of your session on those close to you.

What we offer

We are a team of qualified and experienced counsellors, psychologists and psychotherapists. We offer services including:

• Individual counselling
• Drug and alcohol counselling
• Group work
• Personal development workshops
• Information and referral
• A consultation service for those who may have concerns about a student, such as tutors, university staff, friends or parents.
• User survey feedback (including Social Anxiety and Confidence Survey)
• Counselling is also available through Irish - Tá comhairleoireacht le fáil trí mheán na Gaeilge.

The service operates within the Code of Ethics and Practice agreed by the Irish Association of University and College Counsellors.

Confidentiality

The information that you share with your counsellor during a session is confidential. As a general rule, counsellors will not divulge any information about you outside the service, without your permission. The only exception to this would be if your counsellor feels there is a serious risk either to yourself or to someone else.
We keep case notes on all our clients to help reflect on your situation and offer the best possible help. In line with professional requirements, we may discuss your counselling sessions with a professional colleague outside the University service. In this case, your identity is not revealed.
Your details are also kept anonymously on a database for statistical purposes only. 

Making an appointment

You can make an appointment by:

• Emailing the Student Counselling Service.
• T 353 91 492484 or 353 (0)87 664 4299 (Fiona Kennedy/Olive O'Grady)
• Drop into the office between the hours of 9.15am and 1.00pm or 2.15pm and 4.15pm.

We also run a drop-in service from 2.15pm to 4.15pm every day during term time, when students can be seen for a brief consultation, without prior appointment.
Counselling sessions last for 50 minutes. Your counsellor will discuss the frequency of sessions (usually weekly or fortnightly) and the duration (usually six sessions, but may be on-going).
The counselling service is free.

Making a complaint

If you not happy with any aspect of the service or have a complaint we would like to hear about it.

Informal complaints procedure

We ask that you first try talking to your counsellor to rule out any inadvertent misunderstandings or correct possible mistakes.
If you feel unable to do this, or have done so but still feel dissatisfied; you can ask to speak to the Head of Counselling, Bea Gavin, by phone or in person.

Formal complaints procedure

A complaint could concern:

• The professional conduct of a counsellor
• Counselling service policy, or any other aspect of service delivery

If an informal resolution is not possible, or you decline to use informal means, you can consider submitting your formal complaint in writing to the Head of Service.
Please use a Student Complaint Form to submit your formal complaint.

Our counsellors

Bea Gavin
Head of Counselling
MA
Diploma in Group Psychotherapy
Certificate in Individual Psychotherapy
Registered with ICP and IACP 
T 353 91 492 427 and Ext. 2427

Geraldine Connolly
Counsellor
M.Sc. Counselling Psychology
Dip. In Sensorimotor Psychotherapy: Trauma Management
Registered Psychologist with the Psychological Society of Ireland 
T 353 (0)91 495 202 and Ext. 5202

Eamonn ó Dochartaigh
Counsellor
B.A.,  M. Sc (Psychotherapy),
Post-Graduate Diploma in Cognitive Therapy (TCD)
Dip. Family Therapy
Registered with Irish Council for Psychotherapy and Family Therapy Association of Ireland 
T 353 (0)91 495 605 and Ext. 5605

Emer Casey
Counsellor
B.Soc.Sci., H.Dip. Soc. Sci. (NQSW)
Registered with Irish Council for Psychotherapy and Family Therapy Association of Ireland 
T 353 (0)91 495 633 and Ext. 5633

Mark Campbell
Drug & Alcohol Counsellor
Post-Graduate Diploma in Counselling
Dip. Addiction Studies
Registered with Irish Association for Councelling and Psychotherapy, and the Irish Association of Alcohol and Addiction Counsellors
T 353 (0)91 492 312 and Ext. 2312