Our services

When you register through our online self-referral form or by emailing counselling@napier.ac.uk, you will be asked to complete our registration form. At this point, you can choose which service you want to access - single session therapy (see information below) or ongoing therapy.

We will process your registration form and send you an email with instructions on how to book your appointment via MyFuture. The initial appointments can be face to face, online, or on the phone. If you have problems booking online, please email counselling@napier.ac.uk for assistance.

If you have chosen ongoing therapy, you will meet a practitioner from our wellbeing team at your initial appointment to discuss what support is best suited to your needs. They will ask you questions about your current issues and what you would like support with.

We offer a wide range of support to you designed where relevant to complement the services offered by the NHS. However, we do not seek to replicate NHS services and cannot provide psychiatric support, psychological interventions or specialist therapeutic services. At your assessment appointment, where appropriate, we may signpost you to other services including to the NHS.

Do you have a specific issue you're struggling with and want to talk things through with someone who can help? Single session therapy gives you the chance to discuss the problem and get advice on how to come to the best decision for you.

Maybe you're feeling stressed about exams or studying, looking for supporting evidence for extenuating circumstances, or you're having an issue in a personal relationship that you'd like to talk through. Our practitioners can offer you strategies and different ways of coping. We will provide a safe and supportive space to help explore your concerns and possible options to move forward.

SST is a one-off session, but if you need further support you can book an additional SST session or move to ongoing therapy within our Counselling and Mental Wellbeing service.

If you think SST might be right for you, please choose the single session therapy option on the first page of our registration form.

If we agree at your initial appointment that counselling is your pathway to support, our counsellors can offer up to five sessions.

Our counsellors are here to listen, empathise and support you with a variety of approaches to help you process and set goals relating to your academic or personal life. With your counsellor, you can explore old and new experiences, helping you build up emotional resources when dealing with relationship issues or with feelings of anxiety or depression.

If we agree at your initial appointment that cognitive behavioural therapy is your pathway to support, our therapists can offer up to five sessions.

Our therapists are here to listen, empathise and offer a structured approach using CBT intervention tools that focus on challenging unhelpful thought patterns and behaviours. Together, we can work on reframing how you view the world and find tools and strategies to improve how you manage your mental health.

If we agree at your initial appointment that mental health advice is your pathway to support, our advisers can offer ongoing support at different times when you need it throughout your university experience.

Our Mental Health Advisers offer therapeutic, emotional support as well as practical advice and coping strategies for students with short- or long-term mental health difficulties. We work in partnership with other University departments and will work with you to access the support you need. If required, we will also liaise with academics, external agencies, and your GP.

Nature therapy, also known as ecotherapy, is individual therapeutic support delivered outdoors to improve health and wellbeing. It recognises the powerful role of nature in healing, growth, and our connection to the natural world.

Walking side by side outdoors can feel less intense and confined than a therapy room, making it easier for some people to open up and share difficult experiences. It can help you feel calmer, more grounded, and more in touch with nature and your authentic self.

Sessions outdoors are undertaken in natural spaces near our Edinburgh Napier campuses. We can discuss your suitability and preferences for this approach at your initial wellbeing appointment.

Read more about the benefits of nature therapy.

Mindfulness is a mind-body approach that helps you to address and manage stress and anxiety. It is based on traditional meditation practices that help you to stay present in the moment, rather than worrying about the future or regretting the past.

For more information about booking mindfulness appointments, please contact counselling@napier.ac.uk or call 0131 455 2459.

The University's Report and Support service enables anyone who has experienced sexual violence, hate incidents, harassment, or misconduct of any kind to report anonymously or to ask for support from a trained adviser.

If you've been subjected to any form of misconduct, you can also seek information about support organisations through Report and Support.

• If you are informed that you are suspected of academic misconduct issues such as plagiarism or collusion and you need practical support and guidance with the investigation or appeals process, you should contact the ENSA Advice team. We can also support you if you also need help to manage your wellbeing - please register to use our service.
• If you are struggling with your programme and would like to improve your academic skills, we encourage you to access the University's Academic Skills support services.