Student mental health counselling

Counselling / Therapy

Counselling, also known as “therapy” is a process of working with your therapist to resolve personal difficulties such as relationship/interpersonal challenges, stress-related difficulties, mood and emotional difficulties and other psychological difficulties related to mental health.

Crisis Line

The PsyCaD crisis line is a 24-hour service offered to all who are in need of immediate support and guidance in a crisis situation. When individuals have to cope with a crisis situation, they can contact a counsellor for assistance on 082-054-1137. The crisis line counsellor can offer immediate emotional assistance, as well as practical referral information.

Walk-in (Advisory) Process

Every student who enters PsyCaD is seen for a 30-minute walk-in (screening) consultation with a professional. It is not necessary to make an appointment for this type of session, however, should you be referred for therapy, career counselling or career assessment then you will be given a formal appointment. You may also be referred to other appropriate support services at UJ – such as Campus Health Service, Academic Development Centre – if necessary.

PsyCaD Workshops

PsyCaD offers interactive career and psychological workshops that are facilitated by PsyCaD staff members on a variety of topics as requested by students, staff, faculties, or relevant stakeholders in the community. These workshops seek to enhance students’ academic & psycho-social well-being by providing students with valuable life skills.

Support services to academically underperforming students

PsyCaD prioritises the support of all students at UJ − especially those who appear to be academically underperforming for various reasons. A number of PsyCaD interventions are available to support academically underperforming students, i.e. students with general academic underperformance concerns, students with academic probation (F5) or students who have been academically excluded (F7). The support includes:

• Psychometric evaluations in order to:
• • provide students with information regarding their learning potential, study strengths and weaknesses, values, motives, personality, and career interests;
  • guide recommendations to aid in pointing students to the correct support services available at UJ, or within the UJ community;
  • provide information on other interventions PsyCaD may need to develop to support academically underperforming students; and
  • assist members of faculty in understanding how best these students can be supported.
• The Academic Success Plan − a form of academic counselling − providing students with useful information, recommendations, and guidance in order to improve their academic performance.
• Assistance with general study and career planning; both of which may be an underlying reason for poor academic performance.

Faculty Liaison Process

Faculty liaison is an initiative run by the psychologists at PsyCaD to promote holistic service provision to all stakeholders at the University of Johannesburg (UJ). Faculty liaison is a multi-faceted process that involves the following:

• The creation of relationships between PsyCaD psychologists and key role players within various UJ faculties.
• The provision of a contact person within PsyCaD for members of faculties to express needs that have arisen so that interventions from PsyCaD can be implemented.
• The provision of information by PsyCaD to faculties regarding available services or other resources requested by the faculty.
• Information on how PsyCaD can improve service delivery to students and/or staff.
• PsyCaD psychologists make faculties aware of the needs of students to develop ways to support the students within the faculties.

Residence Liaison Programme

PsyCaD services provide support to all house wardens, committees and residences. The aim is to ensure the psychological wellbeing of the students at the residences.

Community Projects

Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital Assessment Project

PsyCaD provides psychological and psychoeducational assessments in collaboration with the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital. This project seeks to assist with the assessment of children and adolescents who require school placements or are displaying behavioural difficulties that affect their daily functioning.