Resources
Seek professional help if you need to
If you ever feel like you’re just not coping, please reach out for help. Deakin offers a range of free student support services to assist with your mental health and wellbeing:
Talk with a Deakin counsellor
If you want to talk with someone, we’re here for you. Our Counselling and Psychological Support (CAPS) team of highly skilled psychologists and social workers offer free and confidential support to Deakin students located in Australia. You don’t have to have a mental illness to benefit from talking with a counsellor. It’s free and confidential.
You’ll have a real-time telehealth appointment – which means you’ll speak to your counsellor over the phone or via Zoom.
Make a telehealth appointment online or call your local Deakin Health and Wellbeing Centre to book a time.
Starting a conversation about your mental health
Deakin Medical Centres (DMC) offers accessible and confidential medical services for all students and staff, provided by qualified and experienced medical doctors and nurses.
The DMC can be a good place to start when someone first starts to develop symptoms of mental illness, it is important. The DMC can assist with mental health treatment, referral, and management
You can book a face-to-face or telehealth appointment online or call your local Deakin Health and Wellbeing Centre to book a time.
Read about other students’ experiences
If you’re not ready to talk one-on-one, we recommend you visit our Ask Counselling blog, which is designed to help students experiencing a range of mental wellbeing issues with study-related impacts. It contains questions asked anonymously by students and answered by Deakin counsellors.
The questions are categorised by topics – such as anxiety, loneliness or family problems – so you can browse through these or ask your own question. You might find that other students are feeling the same way you are and learn some coping techniques.
Emergency support
For urgent support outside of business hours, please contact LifeLine (13 11 14) or SuicideLine (1300 651 251) straight away. They’re available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In an emergency, call Triple Zero (000).
Community support
There’s also some fantastic organisations, resources, and tools out there to help you achieve the best possible mental health:
- headspace has some great articles and resources if you just want to learn more about how you’re feeling.
- VicHealth has helpful resources to encourage healthy mental wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Beyond Blue can help you develop a plan to 'stay well' to manage individual symptoms and identify the best support services.