Our mental health advisers provide comprehensive, specialist support to all current students who want to talk about their mental health, including those students with a diagnosed mental health condition.
They aim to enhance your student experience by helping to manage the impact of mental health on your academic journey. The team can offer advice on reasonable adjustments (in line with the Equality Act)
There's lots of different reasons as to why you might want to contact the team including:
If you're a current or incoming Stirling student with a diagnosed mental health condition, please register with our Accessibility and Inclusion Service by completing our Initial Identification of Needs form. This helps us provide you with the best ongoing support.
After you submit your Initial Identification of Needs form and medical evidence, the Student Hub will email you to confirm an Assessment of Need appointment with a team member. See more about this process.
You can also meet with a member of the mental health team by contacting the Student Hub.
There is a range of support available to students with a diagnosed mental health condition. A Needs Assessor considers each student they meet on an individual basis and make recommendations for support. This could include alternative exam or assessment arrangements, assistive technology or IT equipment.
In some cases it might be recommended that a student is matched with a specialist member of staff called a Mental Health Mentor. Mental Health Mentors are there to support students who, for reasons associated with a mental health condition, may need help to engage with their academic studies or university experience.
All students can book an appointment to meet with a Mental Health Advisor to discuss their mental health, at any point during their studies.
The best way to contact the mental health and wellbeing team is via the Student Hub. They can help you to fill out relevant forms and book an appointment where needed.
Appointments can be face-to-face or online. They usually last for about 50 minutes.
After requesting an appointment with a Mental Health Adviser, you'll receive an email from the Student Hub with the appointment date, time, adviser's name, and whether it's in person or online.
Face-to-face appointments take place in one of the consultation spaces in the Loch View Wellbeing Suite in the Cottrell Building.
Please come to Loch View at your appointment time and wait for the mental health adviser. We recommend attending the appointment on your own but if you'd like to bring a supporter, they can wait in the Loch View Suite. If you want to bring a supporter to join you in the appointment please contact your mental health adviser or the Student Hub in advance of your appointment.
Online appointment take place via MS Teams.
Your appointment email from the Student Hub will contain a link to the MS Teams appointment.
We advise you to attend the appointment on your own to protect your confidentiality. Please make sure you are in a private space where you cannot be overheard or be distracted by someone else.
At your appointment time, click on the link in the email and you'll be taken through to the MS teams appointment.
Hear from Christine Taylor, a Student Advisor in the Mental Health team as she talks about what happens when you meet a member of the team.
At your appointment, the mental health adviser will introduce themselves, explain their role, and discuss confidentiality, including situations where they may need to share information if there could be a risk of harm to you or others.
They will ask about your reasons for booking the appointment, allowing you to share any mental health concerns or anything that's worrying you. You can also discuss ways to stay well if you’ve had past difficulties.
During your conversation the mental health adviser may ask questions about your background, relationships, and interests to better understand your situation in terms of your mental health.
Your mental health advisor will then move on to how they can best support you. That might involve tips to help you manage stress and anxiety in the short term, or coping techniques that can help you long term. They may signpost you to some external resources or agencies that can support you (e.g. your GP) or they might make a referral to another team within Student Support or the University. In some cases the adviser may refer you to an external agency but will always ask for your consent to do so.
After your initial appointment, the mental health adviser will let you know if a follow-up appointment is needed or may suggest getting in touch again if you feel you would like another one. They may also email you a summary of your discussion.
The conversation you have with your mental health adviser is confidential. They will not discuss this with your tutors, family or anyone else without your permission.
However, if they believe you pose a significant risk of harm to yourself or others, they may need to act to minimise the risk. They will always try to involve you in any decisions and act in accordance with your wishes.
Find out where you can get support at any time.
There are a number of other external services and organisations that can support your
The 24/7 Student Support helpline is a free, confidential service that provides in-the-moment emotional wellbeing support to all students.
We respect the privacy of everyone who uses our University Support Services. Read our full documentation on confidentiality and data sharing.