There are a number of ways to access the support we offer. You can fill in an online referral form, phone us at 0191 515 2933, or email us at wellbeing@sunderland.ac.uk

Student Wellbeing opening hours are: 

• Monday 9am - 5pm
• Tuesday 9am - 5pm
• Wednesday 9am - 5pm
• Thursday 9am - 5pm
• Friday 9am - 5pm

Wednesday we are open until 8.00pm for appointments only. 

SilverCloud – Self-Help CBT programs you can access 24/7, There are modules covering providing space from anxiety, stress, depression, creating a positive body image, and many more. Read more and sign up through our website

Togetherall – A space where you can anonymously talk about how you feel alongside a range of free online modules that cover anxiety, depression, phobias, stress, and many more. It also has free resources such as a private journal and a goal setter. Register by clicking here.

Student Space – A website with a range of information and advice from friendships to lockdown and self-isolation. As well as free 24/7 confidential text, phone, webchat, and email support. Tel 0808 189 5260 (3 pm to midnight), Text ‘Student’ to 85258, email students@themix.org.uk or from 4 pm-11 pm you can webchat on their website.

All students are offered an initial appointment, for some students this may be all they need. Our counselling service offers a short-term brief therapy model in which we currently offer up to 4 sessions.

We will contact you via Compass with your Initial Assessment date and time. Your practitioner will contact you at the time set for your appointment, Please note that this call may show on your phone as a number withheld or a private number. 

The call should take approximately 40 - 45 minutes. This initial conversation is to get an idea of what your current difficulties are and an opportunity for us to advise the best next steps to take. This might include referring you to see a Counsellor, a Wellbeing Advisor, or other Services. 

If you are unable to attend and appointment please email wellbeing@sunderland.ac.uk or call us at 0191 515 2933. 

Please note we require 24 hours notice of cancellation. The Wellbeing Service is extremely busy and if you fail to attend without giving us 24 hours notice we may not be able to offer you another appointment. Your referral to the Service could be closed after repeated missed appointments and should you wish to re-engage with the Service you will be required to complete another Wellbeing Referral form.

As you can imagine we're a very busy service, should you need to cancel your appointment we would appreciate 24 hours’ notice but we know this is not always possible. 

If you have missed an appointment do not let that stop you from getting in touch with us at wellbeing@sunderland.ac.uk or 0191 515 2933 and letting us know. 

If you feel you no longer require support from our team, please let us know either by email or calling. 

Meet the Team

Not a problem, what is really important is feeling able to communicate honestly and develop a relationship. Ideally, speak to your worker but if you do not feel this is possible, please contact Gail Jamison (Operations Manager) Gail.jamison@sunderland.ac.uk

Extenuating Circumstances are circumstances that are exceptional, outside your control, that have prevented you from either demonstrating or acquiring the skills, knowledge, competencies required for the assessment. Should you experience this and are currently accessing our service we can provide confirmation of this.

If you have not previously accessed the service but are filling out an Extenuating Circumstances form currently, we cannot provide retrospective evidence. Your GP would be able to help with this instead. If you need any further clarification please email at wellbeing@sunderland.ac.uk.

An Extension should be used where an additional 72 hours would compensate for any disruption caused by circumstances usually outside of your control that are unforeseeable and unpreventable. If those circumstances are so exceptional, that 72 hours is not enough to offset the impact, you should consider extenuating circumstances before the deadline and bear in mind the university’s fit to sit policy. Please read the Student Union's page on Extensions here. 

Please get in touch with us about any concerns you may have, do not hesitate to email wellbeing@sunderland.ac.uk or phone us at 0191 515 2933

it's also really important when you are dealing with other people's emotional needs that you look after yourself as well.

If your concern is during Wellbeing out of hours, your friend also has the option of wider support from services across the local area.

• Out of Hours Support 0191 515 2451
• Samaritans: 116 123 / jo@samaritans.org
• SANEline 0300 304 7000, Open 4.30-10.30pm daily
• Mental Health Matters 0800 013 0626 5.00-9.00pm. They are also open 24 hours on weekends and Bank Holidays
• Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust Crisis Team (for people who are experiencing a Mental Health Crisis) 0303 123 1145.
• If you feel your friend is in immediate danger, you can call the police at 999. 

This can depend. If you are already seeing a counsellor outside of University, then we would not duplicate these services. However, if you require some support around issues separate from the counselling i.e. academic or housing-related issues, we would be more than happy to help and/or signpost you to the correct services.

Yes. You are still classed as a student at the University of Sunderland even if you are on a placement as part of your course. We offer evening sessions on a Wednesday between 5.00 - 8.00pm. Please let us know if these times would be more suitable for you when you make your referral.

A maternity rest room is designated for expectant mothers to rest and for new mothers to express breast milk. Rooms are available across campus:

City Campus – Room 121, 1st Floor, Edinburgh Building

Please contact Wellbeing Team by email wellbeing@sunderland.ac.uk or dial 0191 515 2933 to book a timeslot within the building’s normal opening hours.

St Peter’s Campus – Room 406, Reg Vardy Building

Please contact Facilities Helpdesk on 0191 515 3366 to book a timeslot within the building’s normal opening hours.

The support we provide is a confidential service to students. There are however exceptional circumstance where, in the interests of safeguarding, members of staff have a duty of care to share with a third party.

These exceptional circumstances include the following:

• If a student discloses an intended act of treason, or terrorism (Terrorism Act 2000)
• If a student discloses ongoing abuse of, risk or danger to a child (Children Act 2004)
• If a student is presenting at risk of serious harm to themselves or others
• If a member of Wellbeing Staff is required by court of law, or an officer of the law, to give evidence.
• If a student requests that we pass on information on to a third party we will obtain their written consent before disclosure.

To read our full confidentiality policy click here.

For staff to understand when to refer please check our 'when to refer policy'  The policy sets out the parameters of the referral process.