Talking therapy

SST is a flexible approach to therapy sessions, which enables you to book appointments one at a time, as and when you need them. We aim to book these as quickly as possible - typically we offer appointments within 7 to 10 working days, depending on your availability. 

These sessions are a form of Brief Solution Focussed Therapy, designed to help you address, without delay, a particular difficulty you are experiencing. The therapist will work with you proactively to help you identify the resources you have to manage the situation and to clarify how you could move forward. For many students, the chance to meet quickly for a single session with a therapist, at a time that they need it and is sometimes all they may need to support them at a difficult time.

SST is the talking therapy you are most likely to be offered at Solent, but it is not appropriate for everybody. If this is the case you may be offered up to six sessions of counselling or CBT straight away, or you may be referred to counselling or CBT after accessing SST.

Single-session therapy consists of: 

• Single-session therapy preparation   
• Therapy session (50 minutes) 
• Booking these one at a time, as and when you need them, as many times as you need.

Single-session therapy preparation is a set of questions that will help you to think about your situation in a way that will enable you to get the most out of your time with the therapist. These questions are sent to you with the offer of the 50-minute therapy session and you can email us your responses for your therapist to read ahead of your appointment. This is not a requirement of attending the therapy session, but students are finding this helpful for them to get the most from their therapy.  

You can book a single-session therapy appointment at any time whilst you are a student here at Solent by submitting the online self-referral form.

If SST is not appropriate you may be offered counselling. Counselling can provide a quiet, safe and confidential space for you to meet with a counsellor one-to-one with whom you can build a trusting relationship. The counsellor will listen to you and help you reflect on and explore whatever is causing you difficulty or distress. They will not judge you or tell you what to do but will enable you to develop greater self-awareness and confidence moving forward.

Counselling is offered in a block of up to six sessions. The sessions last for 50 minutes and occur at the same time each week to fit with your availability.  

If SST is not appropriate you may be offered Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT).

The CBT we offer here is a type of talking therapy that focuses on your behaviour which can, in turn, lead to a change in the way you think and feel about a situation.

You will work alongside your therapist to identify, understand and then challenge any behaviours which may be causing you difficulties through the use of coping skills and strategies. This approach requires a full commitment to attend each and every session and also has in-between-session work issued at each appointment (which underpins and builds on the work done in each session). 

Finally, because of its behavioural focus, you may be required to engage with safe, carefully managed, 'behavioural experiments' to help lead to the change you require. If you don't feel you can commit to each of these elements, the CBT we offer here may not be the right type of talking therapy for you - if you would like a more reflective space to process feelings, the ongoing counselling may be more appropriate.

CBT is offered in a block of up to six sessions. The sessions last for 50 minutes and occur at the same time each week to fit with your availability.

Confidentiality is really important to us

We understand how difficult it can be to come and talk with someone, and we take confidentiality very seriously. Please see the confidentiality and data protection section for more information.

To refer yourself for talking therapy please complete the online self-referral form, selecting talking therapy as your preferred service.

If you feel unable to complete the form for any reason please don't hesitate to contact us for assistance at  therapy.mh@solent.ac.uk.