Taking care of your wellbeing at uni!

Real stories and practical tips to help you through uni life ❤️

Formal Support

Before we look at the section of the wellbeing plan that asks you about your professional support networks, let’s explore a few of them. A big part of helping us to feel safe, supported and validated is by knowing there is always support available to us, beyond just our friends and family.

‍‘Formal’ support services are professional services designed to help people navigate life’s challenges, including mental health, physical health, and wellbeing concerns. These supports can look like social workers, counsellors, psychologists, general practitioners (GPs), or psychiatrists.

Support at NIDA

At NIDA, you have access to a range of free or low-cost formal support services both on campus and in the broader community.

However, it’s important to acknowledge that accessing formal support can look and feel different depending on your situation. For instance, international students may encounter different processes, costs, or visa requirements, while students living regionally or interstate might face location-based barriers. It’s completely normal to feel frustrated or uncertain about where to start.

While we can’t change every systemic barrier overnight, we can empower ourselves with knowledge about the options available and how to access them. Being aware of your choices can make a big difference when you or someone you care about needs support

Click on the buttons in each headings to find some examples of the support available through NIDA Student Support Resources!

NIDA Counselling

NIDA Counselling

NIDA’s counselling service provides a safe, confidential space to talk through personal, emotional, or study-related concerns, with access to up to 10 free 50-minute sessions per year for all students.

NIDA’s counselling service can help you:

  • Manage stress
  • Improve wellbeing
  • Build resilience
  • Navigate relationships
  • Maintain balance between your training and personal life
Explore NIDA Counselling

Study Access Plan (SAP)

Study Access Plan (SAP)

NIDA is committed to supporting students’ individual learning needs. If you have a diagnosed learning need, a Study Access Plan (SAP) can help you access reasonable academic and environmental adjustments. You can explore eligibility by chatting with Counselling or Student Services.

NIDA's SAP can help you with:

  • Reducing barriers to learning
  • Feel supported in your study
  • Access fair adjustments
  • Navigate assessments with confidence
Explore Study Access Plan (SAP)

After-Hours Mental Health Support

After-Hours Mental Health Support

If you need support outside counselling hours, UNSW After-Hours Mental Health Support is here. Whether you’re in crisis or  feeling stressed or overwhelmed, you can reach out by phone or text.

After-Hours Mental Health Support can help you:

  • Get support when counsellors aren’t available
  • Talk through stress, overwhelm, or crisis
  • Access guidance and support anytime you need it

Available: Monday to Friday, 5.00pm to 9.00am

Explore After-Hours Mental Health Support

Formal support roles

GPs

A GP is often the first step in accessing formal mental health support.

A GP can:

  • Discuss your concerns confidentially
  • Prepare a Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP) that entitles you to Medicare-rebated psychology sessions
  • Refer you to specialists or allied health professionals

It helps to:

  • Be clear about why you’re attending
  • Write down your questions in advance
  • Let them know if you’re feeling particularly worried or unsafe

Psychiatrists

Psychiatrists operate similarly to psychologists in that they provide therapeutic mental health services, but what makes them different is that they hold both a psychology degree and a medical degree.

What does this mean? It essentially means that they have the qualifications to provide you with both psychological (talking therapy) and medical support (medications).

Usually, you’ll need a referral from a GP to see a psychiatrist or a psychologist, which can be subsidised through Medicare.

Psychologists

Psychologists are trained to help you understand and manage your thoughts, emotions, and behaviours.

They may use different techniques, including:

  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) - exploring how your thinking patterns affect your feelings and actions
  • Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) - learning skills for managing intense emotions
  • Exposure Therapy - gently facing fears in a safe environment


Finding the right psychologist can take time, and that’s okay. Sometimes it simply isn’t the right fit, even if the person is qualified and well-meaning. You’re allowed to keep looking until you feel comfortable.

National and Online Services

This is just a very small list of some of the other professional support services out there and available to you.

Lifeline

24/7 crisis support

13 11 14

Beyond Blue

Mental health support

1300 22 4636

Kids Helpline

For those under 25

1800 55 1800

13Yarn

For Indigenous Australians

13 92 76

QLife

LGBTQIA+ support

1800 184 527

Headspace

Youth mental health

headspace.org.au

eheadspace

Online and phone support

headspace Work and Study 

Vocational support

As we said earlier, every community will have different levels of access to different services - which is why it can be very worthwhile for you to create a resource of your own that is specific to your community! These services can act as a starting point for your personalised list.

There are other organisations that have valuable mental health resources. You could check outReachOut,Black Dog Institute, and Orygen.

‍You can call these services, and most of them have online chat rooms or SMS hotlines as well.

My professional and crisis supports

Let’s dive back into our wellbeing plan! The section titled ‘My Professional and Crisis Supports' is where you can note down professional support you trust or might want to try in the future.

  • Crisis support contacts, like Lifeline (13 11 14) and 13Yarn (13 92 76)

  • Names and contact details for professionals you can access if you need (like a GP, psychologist, counsellor from uni, or online services like eheadspace)

Having these written down means you won’t have to go searching for them in a stressful moment.They’ll already be there if you need them.

You’ve completed the fifth module! If you’d like to take a breather, this is a great time to pause. In the next module, you’ll be listening to Max’s lived experience story — so it might be the perfect moment to grab a tea or a biscuit! When you’re ready to continue, tap the button below.

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