Wellbeing and Mental Health

Our Student Wellbeing Advisers have a broad range of knowledge of university processes and support options available to you as a student.

You can book an appointment with one of our advisers, that lasts up to 45 minutes, which may take place over the telephone, video call, or in person at some sites.

During this appointment, you can talk about anything that may be affecting your wellbeing or studies. The adviser will listen, give advice and support options, and will create a personalised action plan to support you in your next steps. The advice will vary and will be tailored to your needs. Actions that an adviser may suggest include:

• Practical strategies and resources (something you can try yourself).
• Linking in with a Student Support Networks such as the Student Parent Network
• Signposting to other services within the University such as Counselling, Disability and Inclusion, Volunteering and Mentoring or Chester Students’ Union.
• Linking you to support outside of the University.

Students who are experiencing emotional or psychological distress may also be referred to our Mental Health Advisers.

Mental Health Advisers can assist you in understanding your current mental health needs, help you access other services like the NHS, evaluate any risks and create safety plans. They provide information, advice, and guide you toward self-help resources. Usually, they work with students one-on-one through face-to-face meetings, phone calls, or via MS Teams.

This is not a clinical service, GP's and other specialised healthcare providers are responsible for your clinical care.

In more urgent circumstances, we offer same-day appointments with an Adviser from the Wellbeing and Mental Health team. This service is used for students facing a pressing situation, for example, domestic abuse or sexual violence, as well as students who are experiencing thoughts of suicide, or at risk of homelessness.

We have dedicated Student Wellbeing Advisers who support students from the following groups:

• Care Experienced
• Estranged
• Carers
• Gypsy, Roma, Traveller, Showmen or Boater (GRTSB)
• Sanctuary seekers (including refugees and asylum seekers)

You can find more information about this support on the link here.

The Wellbeing and Mental Health team also deliver regular workshops and events throughout the academic year. Some examples of sessions that took place last academic year include:

• A relaxation programme to promote calm and help with anxiety and stress.
• Creative wellbeing sessions over key points of the year, including Mental Health Awareness Week. 
• Look After Your Mate, an accredited training course for students to develop the confidence to support any friends who may be struggling, as well as look after themselves in the process.
• Events tailored towards our Student Support Networks and target groups.

Our networks are a safe space for students who may have a shared background or be going through similar experiences to connect, support and share tips and information with each other.

We currently have the following networks:

• Student Parent Support Network
• Student Menopause Network
• Student LGBTQ+ Network
• Men’s Network
• Care Experienced Peer Support Group
• Estranged Students Peer Support Group
• Care Peer Support Group
• Sanctuary Students Peer Support Group

Current students can discover the latest information on our current sessions and how you can join.

If you have any questions or have a great idea for a session, group or network, please get in touch by emailing studentservices@chester.ac.uk.

Our teams work Monday-Friday during office hours and mostly offer scheduled appointments. However, we understand that life’s problems, mental health issues and other concerns don’t always fit neatly into those boxes and that sometimes, you just need to talk to someone there and then. We know some students are parents, have placements, are working or have caring commitments and want to access support in the evenings or early mornings.

To support with these needs, we have a 24/7 Student Assistance Programme (SAP) which you can access 365 days of the year. You can call our dedicated helpline on 0800 028 3766 at any time to access emotional support and practical guidance.

Through this service, you can speak with legal advisors and medical professionals. If English isn’t your first language, SAP also provides a language line that connects you to an interpreter so you can chat in your preferred language.

You can access up to six video or telephone-based counselling sessions per issue, per academic year with a qualified therapist from a diverse team. Current students can read more about our Student Assistance Programme here.

Anxious about talking on the phone? Current students can access support via Live Chat on the Wisdom app. 

Free for all students, the Wisdom app provides a Live Chat feature so you can receive virtual support when a Counsellor is online and available. 

On the app you’ll also find lots of useful wellbeing and mental health features, including: 

• Wellbeing trackers 
• Mini health checks 
• Four-week structured health plans 
• Access to lots of useful videos and podcasts, including yoga workouts, recipe ideas and guided meditation.