Email Counselling

Email counselling involves the client typing their feelings, problems or concerns and sending them by email. The specially trained Email Counsellor reads and responds with a therapeutic reply in a given period of time. This consists of a series of exchanges however is not done ‘live’ like a chat.

Who is Email Counselling For?

We are aware that for various reasons face to face counselling may not be an option for some students and by offering an email option ensures that counselling is still available. Through the exchange of emails, the hope is to establish an open relationship where you feel able to talk freely about issues on your mind that are causing you difficulty in your life and to explore a way of dealing better with these

Response time for emails

The counsellor will commit to respond to your emails once a week as a general rule. However, if there is any technical or other problem likely to cause a delay you will be informed of this. If you have had no response after this time you should contact the Student Counselling Service on 0131 650 4170 or email student.counselling@ed.ac.uk.

Suitability for Email Counselling

The counsellor will have an assessment email exchange (or face to face if appropriate) with you to establish whether or not email counselling is appropriate for you and if it is not, will suggest alternatives.

Length of Email Counselling Contract

The Student Counselling Service offers short term counselling. The length of the contract will be agreed with the counsellor at the start of the sessions.

Registration for Email Counselling

If you are interested in email counselling you should submit an application in the same way as for face to face counselling but indicate on the form that the request is for email counselling.

Before submitting the online form It is essential that you read our Confidentiality and Data Protection section.   As you will be receiving emails from us, the confidentiality clause works both ways and signatures are required from both you and our counsellor who is offering email counselling.

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