*Reggie, Master of Psychology
“Honestly, I know nothing about the Uni’s mental health services. I would be pretty reluctant to seek mental health support through the University considering how the University has treated serious concerns and issues brought up by students in the past. Still, between the insane costs for private therapy and the massive shortage of psychologists (not helped by the small size of the clinical psychology postgrad cohort), it is definitely important that the University offers mental health support to students. I would hope that it is accessible for all students who need it, regardless of their background and the relevance of their issue to the University or their studies.”
Stella, Conjoint Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts
“My perception of the accessibility of University mental health services is that they’re easy to obtain and difficult to maintain. It seems like you can get an appointment with ease, but when it comes to the duration of appointments, the frequency, and the quality, that’s where it all falls down. I also think it’s similar to a lot of public mental health services, in the sense that they (rightfully) prioritise those in dire need due to a lack of resources, so you almost have to prove to them that you fit into this category. That’s a damaging thing to have weighing on you, to ensure you get the care you deserve, and it’s testament to our country’s overall ‘hospital at the bottom of the cliff’ mentality.”
Ben, Bachelor of Engineering
“Personally, I haven’t used the mental health services, but I have a few friends who have. They had more general issues like just starting to feel a bit stressed over the workload, kind of the basic stuff that most students go through. I think it’s probably trash for a specific issue though, purely because they can only offer so much through a University.
So, if you have a specific problem that needs more attention, the services are probably pretty inaccessible in terms of actually providing the support you would need. There are a lot of more specialised centres outside of the Uni, but then again that’s a student budget problem since those are pricey. I would say the concept is good, but probably not the most accessible for a lot of students.”
Ryan, Bachelor of Commerce
“They’re super inaccessible. I remember in first year; they sort of mention the counselling services and you think ‘oh yeah I could just give it a quick look’ and then that look turns into 20 years of your time. The demand for the service is too much for what they can give back, so it’s hard to get appointments that fit with your schedule. You can be waiting a long time to see someone, which I guess is the negative of the service being free. I think students appreciate that it is there if they need it though, it’s the thought that counts, right?”
Kate, Bachelor of Arts
“I think accessibility may be less of an issue, and the bigger issue is how it’s promoted. Mental health services aren’t just for if you have a problem and the basic ‘lie on the couch tell me your problems’ stereotype. The fact the University offers that is great, but other services should be promoted too. There’s a lot of services that can benefit student health and wellbeing that aren’t specifically classed under Mental Health and Wellbeing, like how AUSA is able to offer a lot of socialising events and self-care/study help sessions. That stuff is all still beneficial, even though it’s not directly from the University itself.”
*Name changed at request of the student
