Student Support

Guidance and Counselling

Mount Aspiring College provides a Pastoral Support service that allows students to develop their maximum potential academically, socially, mentally and emotionally.

What does a School Counsellor do?

Counselling provides an opportunity for students to talk about problems and concerns in a safe place with someone who will support them. The role of a guidance counsellor is to listen without judging or criticising, to help find out the cause of problems and to help students cope with the situation they are in. They regularly play a key role in planning and implementing programmes and services to enhance student wellbeing and work towards reducing barriers to a student’s progress.

They are able to work alongside families towards supporting our students and work closely with external agencies, to ensure families and students are able to access the resources available within our community.

Students and the counsellor can negotiate how frequently you attend appointments and for how many sessions. You can also bring a support person or friend if you wish.

We use skills, knowledge and therapeutic approaches to assist students to:

• Explore thoughts, feelings and behaviour and their meaning
• Externalise their issues and explore their impact
• Find solution-focused strategies to use
• Identify their strengths
• Learn key emotional competencies
• Strengthen their sense of self, and self esteem
• Source key information, other services and resources relevant to their situation
• Help clients to explore their difficulties and concerns, and to develop their capabilities and resilience
• Foster conditions in which a client can grow and develop as a person
• Promote awareness of and respect for difference
• Advocate for those who are disempowered
• Improve how students feel about themselves
• Safely get through moments of crisis and manage ongoing risk

Common issues our counsellors are able to support students and families with include:

• Stress
• Inability to concentrate
• Low self esteem
• Bullying and harassment
• Loss and grief
• Behavioural issues
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Friendships
• Relationships
• Sexuality
• Trauma
• Lack of motivation/goal setting
• Drugs and alcohol
• Issues at home with parents, siblings and blended families

Confidentiality

Both our School Counsellors belong to NZAC (NZ Association of Counsellors). There are a number of guidelines relating to confidentiality and practice that the Guidance Counsellors must adhere to.

Counsellors may need to talk through how best to support students. At times this could include involving someone else, with the student’s knowledge and permission. Only rarely, when a student or someone else is at risk, counsellors may not keep confidentiality, because their duty is to prevent harm. If at all possible they will talk this through with the student before acting.

Appointments

There are three main ways of making appointments:

1. Students can pop in before school, during interval or lunch break, or between classes, to make an appointment.
2. Students can email or text to make an appointment, or talk to a teacher or dean to make a referral.
3. You as a parent/ caregiver can contact the guidance counsellors directly.

If you wish to get in touch with our Guidance Counsellors you can contact us on: 03 443 0496

Or email us directly at Janice Vermeulan on vermeulenj@mtaspiring.school.nz

Location

Our counsellor's office is next to the main gym foyer

Doctor

Students also have free access to a doctor who visits the school every Monday at lunchtime in URSPACE. No booking is required and students can come in and wait to see her.

Support and Wellbeing Links

Reaching Out

Support Flyer