FAQs
- How to get started in counselling?
- Make an appointment: You can make an appointment online or through phone call. You can also come to our office located on 2/F, Pommerenke Student Centre during office hours. Our front desk will help you arrange an Initial Assessment Session.
- In the Initial Assessment Session, you will talk to our counsellor for about 20 minutes. During this session, your needs and the urgency of your situation will be assessed.
- After the session, you will be matched with a Case Counsellor and a full Intake Session will be scheduled for you. The Intake Session usually lasts for around 50 - 60 minutes.
- Make an appointment: You can make an appointment online or through phone call. You can also come to our office located on 2/F, Pommerenke Student Centre during office hours. Our front desk will help you arrange an Initial Assessment Session.
- Who is eligible for counselling services?
- All registered full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students of CUHK are eligible for counselling service offered by WACC free-of-charge.
- All registered full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students of CUHK are eligible for counselling service offered by WACC free-of-charge.
- What if I feel too overwhelmed to wait for a scheduled appointment?
- If you feel too overwhelmed and have an impulse of hurting yourself or a risk of physical harm, please call the police or use the emergency service of a nearby hospital. Please call the Security Unit (Tel: 3943 7999) if you are on campus. Please also seek help from the hall warden or the tutor if you are in hostel.
- Call or come to WACC during office hour for a quick consultation if needed; Duty counsellor will provide support as the situation may require.
- Please call the CUHK 24-hour Emotional Support Hotline (Tel: 5400 2055), or seek help from counselling hotlines and online counselling operated by organizations in the community for support after office hour.
- Inform our counsellor in the Initial Assessment Session of your urgent concern. Waiting time varies depending on your urgency and availability of counsellors, but an Intake Session would be made as soon as possible.
- If you feel too overwhelmed and have an impulse of hurting yourself or a risk of physical harm, please call the police or use the emergency service of a nearby hospital. Please call the Security Unit (Tel: 3943 7999) if you are on campus. Please also seek help from the hall warden or the tutor if you are in hostel.
- What should I do if my friend is in an emergency situation?
- Stay calm and composed; ensure your own safety first and avoid handling the situation alone; call for help from relevant units.
- Call the Security Unit (Tel: 3943 7999) immediately, especially when there is risk of physical harm or in life-threatening situations.
- Call WACC for a consultation if needed; Duty counsellor will provide support as the situation may require.
- Call the hall warden or tutor if you are in hostel.
- If your friend cooperates and is able to quiet down, escort your friend to UMSO or WACC for a rest and stabilizing the emotion.
- If you are not on campus, you should call the police immediately.
- Stay calm and composed; ensure your own safety first and avoid handling the situation alone; call for help from relevant units.
- How to encourage a friend to seek counselling?
- Discuss with your friend on your reasons for encouraging him/her to seek counselling. Listen non-judgmentally.
- Invite your friend to make an Initial Assessment Session online or through phone call. You may come with him/her to WACC for the Initial Assessment Session if both of you agree.
- What are the goals of counselling?
- Counselling can enable students to seek emotional release in a safe and supportive environment, achieve greater self-understanding through self-reflection as well as acquire skills to actively cope with personal concerns and difficulties.
- Effectiveness of counselling depends on the extent to which the Counsellor and the student can establish an open, trusting and constructive relationship. Mutual consensus regarding the objectives of and expectations towards counselling is also important. Ultimately, however, the student’s readiness to seek help, active participation and determination to overcome obstacles and challenges through personal changes will be the key determinants of success in counselling.
- Counselling can enable students to seek emotional release in a safe and supportive environment, achieve greater self-understanding through self-reflection as well as acquire skills to actively cope with personal concerns and difficulties.
- People said ‘it is better to be self-reliant than to depend on others.’ Would ask for help be a sign of weakness?
- Facing stressful or painful experiences can be overwhelming at times, and it often takes courage and determination to overcome adversities. Instead of fostering dependency, a primary goal of counselling is to empower students to help themselves. Through the counselling process, students are encouraged to manage their emotions, understand the nature of their problems, develop different perspectives as well as learn effective coping skills.
- Facing stressful or painful experiences can be overwhelming at times, and it often takes courage and determination to overcome adversities. Instead of fostering dependency, a primary goal of counselling is to empower students to help themselves. Through the counselling process, students are encouraged to manage their emotions, understand the nature of their problems, develop different perspectives as well as learn effective coping skills.
- Is it true that ‘only abnormal people or people with serious mental problems will seek counselling’?
- Psychological counselling has preventive, remedial and educational functions. Apart from helping students who are experiencing various emotional disturbances or personal crises, counselling is also a learning process which facilitates self-exploration and personal growth. Through counselling, students can work on immediate concerns and developmental issues such as university adjustment, studies, emotional management, personality, relationships, and family relationship etc. Counselling can also help students to increase self-understanding, develop self-confidence as well as pursue personal growth and wellness.
- Prevention is always better than cure. Early detection and management can often expedite the resolution of problems while avoidance and procrastination can result in the escalation of minor disturbances into major difficulties.
- Psychological counselling has preventive, remedial and educational functions. Apart from helping students who are experiencing various emotional disturbances or personal crises, counselling is also a learning process which facilitates self-exploration and personal growth. Through counselling, students can work on immediate concerns and developmental issues such as university adjustment, studies, emotional management, personality, relationships, and family relationship etc. Counselling can also help students to increase self-understanding, develop self-confidence as well as pursue personal growth and wellness.
- Would the Counsellor tell me what to do and help me solve my problems?
- The Counsellor will not impose his/her values and opinions on students but will help students gain deeper understanding into their thoughts, feelings, needs and behaviour. More importantly, the Counsellor will encourage students to assume personal responsibility for their actions, develop objective and rational perspectives as well as make choices and changes appropriate to their individual circumstances.
- Is it true that ‘only a Counsellor whose background and experiences are similar to mine can understand my situation and difficulties’?
- Through professional training and clinical experience, the Counsellors have developed the necessary sensitivity and empathy to understand, accept and respect students from different backgrounds. They are also able to take into consideration individual student’s unique experiences, needs and value system when exploring problems and solutions.
- Through professional training and clinical experience, the Counsellors have developed the necessary sensitivity and empathy to understand, accept and respect students from different backgrounds. They are also able to take into consideration individual student’s unique experiences, needs and value system when exploring problems and solutions.
- Would the Counsellor disclose my personal secrets or the contents of our counselling sessions to others?
- Under normal circumstances, the Counsellor will safeguard the student’s rights to privacy and ensure confidentiality regarding the contents of counselling. Hence, personal information or matters discussed within counselling will not be disclosed to third parties without the student’s knowledge and consent. However, in cases where the student’s personal safety or that of others is at stake, the Counsellor is obliged to notify relevant parties in order to safeguard the well-being of the person concerned.
- Under normal circumstances, the Counsellor will safeguard the student’s rights to privacy and ensure confidentiality regarding the contents of counselling. Hence, personal information or matters discussed within counselling will not be disclosed to third parties without the student’s knowledge and consent. However, in cases where the student’s personal safety or that of others is at stake, the Counsellor is obliged to notify relevant parties in order to safeguard the well-being of the person concerned.