Counselling Service
A professional, confidential and free service available to all students at MTU Kerry Campus.
The Counselling Service at MTU offers a safe, open and non-judgemental place to discuss whatever your concerns are.
Talking it over with a trained professional can sometimes help students to see things more clearly, make choices and develop more effective ways of coping. Counselling aims to enable students become more resourceful in their academic, social and personal lives.
Whatever is on your mind, we are here to listen and help you to achieve your full potential during your time spent at MTU. You may wish to explore academic, personal or mental health concerns.
You can speak with a Counsellor about any issue, no matter how big or small.
In addition to one-to-one counselling, the service also organises a series of lunchtime workshops on various aspects of well-being.
Students are asked to follow national HSE guidelines regarding self-isolation and social distancing, as appropriate.
For information on developing strategies to reduce anxiety caused by Coronavirus, please click on the following link:
https://www.stpatricks.ie/media-centre/blogs-articles/2020/march/coronavirus-anxiety?mc_cid=3b38ac63fe&mc_eid=034bf42ba0
Request Appointment:
Student Support Services Office
Email: supportservicesKerry@mtu.ie
Counselling Queries:
MTU Kerry Campus Counsellor,Clotilde O’Keeffe Lyons
Email: Clotilde.OKeeffeLyons@mtu.ie or studcounsellorKerry@mtu.ie
Procedure to book an appointment to meet the counsellor:
- Firstly, email supportserviceskerry@mtu.ie to request a link to the Counselling Services Registration Form.
- Complete and submit this form.
- Support services will then book your initial appointment with the Counsellor via Microsoft Teams app by sending the details to your student account only.
Please note that only your MTU student email address will be used, therefore keep an eye on this for your booking/response.
Daily emergency appointments are reserved only for students requiring urgent support.
Cancellation Policy:
There is a very significant demand for appointments in the counselling service and many students have to wait to see a Counsellor. We endeavour to see people as quickly as possible and one of the ways we minimise waiting times is to reduce the number of unused appointments.
You can help by giving as much advance notice as possible if you need to cancel your appointment as we can then offer that appointment slot to someone else.
If you cancel your first appointment with less than 24 hours notice or on two or more occasions, you may be moved to the bottom of the waiting list before being offered another appointment. If you are engaged with the counselling service and cancel an appointment with less than 24 hours notice on two or more occasions, you may lose one of your counselling sessions. To cancel your appointment, email studentserviceskerry@mtu.ie or contact your individual counsellor directly.
Further Information
Concerned about your Wellbeing?
If you are concerned about your wellbeing, please visit the University’s Health centre, your own GP, A&E, or contact Emergency Services.
Out of hours service:
- Southdoc 1850 335999 (out of hours)
24 Hour Services
- Ambulance / Gardai / Fire Services: 999 or 112
- A&E: Kerry University Hospital (KUH) : +353 (0) 66 7126222
24 Hour Helplines
- Samaritans: 116 123
- Pieta House: 1800 247 247
- Kerry rape & Sexual Abuse Centre 1800 633 3333
Online resources at this time:
- Jigsaw Kerry - https://jigsawonline.ie/
- HSE Mental Health Services - https://www2.hse.ie/wellbeing/mental-health/minding-your-mental-health-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak.html
- Aware Services - https://www.aware.ie/information/covid-19-and-awares-services/
Download: For a full list of services and helplines (pdf format)
-
The service is run by a Chartered psychologist with a specialism in psychotherapy. She has worked both here and abroad with people presenting a wide range of personal issues and from a range of different cultures/backgrounds.
Clotilde (Clo) O'Keeffe-Lyons,
Student Counsellor - Ext No: 1690/2260
-
The service is located on the North Campus in the U BLOCK U214 and on the South Campus at Room A124c.
However due to the current restrictions the service is operating remotely online using the Microsoft Teams app.
-
After completing the registration form you will receive your initial appointment with the Counsellor where you can discuss your concerns/worries. Together we then decide what the best course of action needs to be for your circumstances. Some students need one or two sessions and others need more. It really depends on what is happening for you at that time and the nature of the problem.
Counselling provides a confidential space for people to share their concerns and worries. Personal issues and concerns can weigh heavily on us. They can affect our view of ourselves, of others and of the situation in which we find ourselves. Being listened to in a non-judgmental way can provide a sense of release and relief. It can provide reassurance that our concerns are worthwhile and that we are valued as people. In addition to airing our concerns, counselling aims to help us clarify what it is that concerns us and then to identify and explore our options so that we can live in a more personally satisfying way.
Sessions last one hour and take place usually once a week at a designated time.
-
We all go through times that are difficult either personally, in our relationships or in our study. Many people though find that it can be hard to talk to friends/family during these times. This is quite normal for us all. The Counselling service offers you the opportunity to talk to a Counsellor in private to help you resolve these issues.
Most personal, relationship or identity problems can be helped through counselling. This includes anxiety, stress and depression, family and/or relationship difficulties, sexual problems and identity issues. It includes talking over difficulties you might experience adjusting to new situations, for example, settling into college, dealing with dilemmas or difficult decisions as well as specific problems related to your course: study skills, motivation, exam anxiety, and procrastination.
No issue is too small to seek help with. Don’t hesitate to contact us for an appointment. If you can tackle these problems early, they do not become so big that they interfere with your time at the university. It is important to seek help in time.
-
Counselling will help you to clarify your issues of concern, to explore the alternatives and decide on the course of action that helps you best.
Counselling is not about giving advice. Counselling is about you. You are the best person to decide what it is you want and how best to get it. The counsellor's role is to facilitate you in identifying what it is you need and how you can best achieve it.
-
The Counselling service operates within the terms of confidentiality as laid down by the Psychological Counselling in Higher Education, Ireland (PCHEI) Code of Ethics. This means that personal details are not disclosed to anyone outside the service without your expressed permission, except in exceptional circumstances regarding safety. This will be explained to you when you come to see the Counsellor. It is a separate service to the academic services of the University so there is no feedback to academic staff without your consent.
-
If appropriate referrals will be made to a variety of psychological, therapeutic or mental health services within the community. The counsellor will talk to you about this if it seems the best way to proceed.