Counselling

The Department of Counselling and Advisory Services is available to help address personal, emotional and psychosocial challenges that get in one’s way during academic experience at Reformed Church University.  Thus assisting clients realise attainment of their academic and personal goals.  Services are available at individual or group level through diverse facilities.  The Counsellor works in collaboration with other specialized counselling systems such as Chaplaincy, Health Services and Academic Departments.  There are also several teaching and non -teaching voluntary counsellors.  So help is all around you.  Talk to someone you trust.  Get connected to a helpful system.

Objectives

  • To enable the student to:
  • Freely make choices and take responsibility of self in managing finances, resources, relationships, time management, etc;
  • Make/apply informed decisions on any issues, be it social, academic, etc and Carefully explore situations /problems from the individual’s point of view.

Activities

  • Counselling students and staff.
  • Orientation
  • Registration of club members.
  • Display the ‘Drug Abuse newsletter
  • Counselling students as part of academic counselling
  • Counselling students who are victims of drug and substance abuse
  • Visitation boarding houses and hostel for counselling sessions and awareness campaigns

Vision
Our vision is to be the centre of excellence in the provision of counselling and
advisory services to the University community.

Mission
To excel in the provision of on/off-campus counselling and advisory services that
are readily accessible and sensitive to the diverse needs of our students and staff.

Core Values

  • Confidentiality
  • Excellence
  • Efficiency

Other Counselling Services Available

Faculty and Departmental Focal Persons

These are individuals that have volunteered their services within the Faculties and Departments with a goal of enhancing academic counselling services.  Details of such persons can be accessed through your Faculty Deans’ office.

Peer counsellors

The Department has trained student peer helpers within the student body.

Reverends

The Faculty of Theology and Arts has reverends who can help on spiritual issues and social issues.

Faculty Volunteer Counsellors

Each Faculty has a Volunteer Counselor whose details are available with Faculty Administrator.  In the event that you need individual or group counseling, you may consult your Faculty Administrator and or your Faculty Secretary

Chaplaincy

For spiritual issues, academic issues and social issues feel free to consult the Reformed Church University senior Chaplain Health Services Department. During the semester, Health Services/Clinic is open for 24 hours. You are free to consult them

Activities

  • Crisis and preventive counselling interventions
  • Ongoing psychosocial supportive counselling
  • Peer counselling/natural helping skills training for interested groups
  • Diverse outside classroom learning opportunities such as HIV/AIDS : life skills, gender dynamics, sexual and reproductive health issues and stress management
  • Creating synergies with other systems such as academic departments

Common challenges faced by clients/students

  • Anxieties about aspects of academic issues and problems often complicated by underlying socio-economic challenges and family conflict.
  • The toll or aftermath of painful experiences such as death in a family unresolved /unfinished bereavement issues, lost valuable spousal relations, lost academic credits
  • Corrosive fear of letting family down, and
  • Suicidal thoughts