St Bede’s College offers a professional Counselling Service through our dedicated Wellbeing Centres.
Four full time school Counsellors and Psychologists are available to students, their families and staff. They offer support through individual counselling sessions, group support, family work and in consultation with teachers. Counselling occurs at the pace and comfort level of each student.
Our Counsellors also respond to the perceived needs of the College through the curriculum and other school activities to enhance the wellbeing of the College community. This may include running or implementing programs such as Anti-bullying, Social Skills, Resilience Building and other education programs relating to mental health.
Services Available
Our College Counselling Service is available to help students, their families and staff with a range of issues that include:
- Emotional problems such as anxiety, grief and loss, depression, low self-esteem
- Family issues such as separation/divorce, parenting difficulties, parent-child or sibling relationships
- Peer and social issues such as bullying, peer relationships and social skills
- School related issues such as transition, motivation and organisation
- Stress Management
- Anger Management
- Developmental Disorders
- Drug and Alcohol issues
- Sexuality and Sexual Identity
- Health and general wellbeing
- Involvement in the development of school-wide policies and practices on wellbeing related issues.
Referral
Students may be referred by College staff, parents or other professionals (e.g. family doctor), or students may refer themselves.
Due to the specific nature of some presenting issues, the Counsellors will refer to and liaise with other mental health professionals or community based services outside the College for more intensive and longer term support.
Confidentiality
Discussions with students are confidential and treated with dignity and respect without discrimination or judgement. In most cases any information that is shared outside the counselling environment is done so with the consent of the student/parent.
There are instances where the Counsellors are bound to share information with others (Parents and relevant Senior Staff Members) even without the student’s consent. These may include situations when:
- they are at risk
- a serious crime has been committed
- there is a serious risk of harm to self or others or where
- there has been a subpoena served to present documents to Court
Counsellor Contacts
Parents may contact a Counsellor by phone 03 9582 5999 or email Scott Cadby using the link below:
- Mr Scott Cadby, Wellbeing Coordinator Mentone
- Mr Tyler Bierman, Wellbeing Counsellor Mentone
- Mrs Pooja Gupta, Wellbeing Counsellor Bentleigh East
- Mrs Robyn Bierman, Wellbeing Counsellor Bentleigh East
