Counselling & Guidance Centre
Our main goal as European University of Lefke is to make sure that you, our precious students spend your years in the European University of Lefke happily, successfully, harmoniously, peacefully and prosperously. There are many issues that we all want to discuss and share in every stage of our lives. We, as European University of Lefke Student Development and Counselling Centre are always ready to share our students’ problems, listen to and find solutions to these problems together. In addition, in this rapidly changing and developing society, we are always at your side to enlighten your path, in which you can face oppositions, and problems that will affect you in a negative way. Our aim is to help you to cope with these problems as a person who can adapt to the changes.
Student Development and Counselling Centre is provided with two counsellors, one of whom is an expert.
Our Aim
It is possible to list our aims which we work up in our endeavours as Student Development and Counselling Centre as follows;
- It is the first function of the counsellors to help individuals to identify themselves with their own developmental and individual characteristics as well as their needs. In addition to this, to help them in making healthy decisions that will make them happy and peaceful;
- To help individuals in the direction of discovering their own interests and talents, expressing themselves easily and explaining themselves;
- To help students who failed to comply with the university for various reasons and who perceive themselves lonely, unsuccessful and worthless, to find the source of their problems and to find solutions to these and other problems, to obtain different perspectives and to look at events from different perspectives as well as to raise awareness.
Our Principles
Our principles that are obeyed in the context of professional ethics are, firstly, the principle of confidentiality, neutrality, respect for peoples’ rights and volunteering.
Principle of Confidentiality: It is the most sensitive principle that every individual needs. The individuals who apply to our centre do not want the issues they shared to be transferred to another person without their permission in any way. Without the knowledge and consent of the clients who apply to our centre, no information can be given to any institution or person.
Principle of Neutrality: Every individual who applies to our centre is equal and valuable regardless of their religion, language, race, nationality and gender.
Principle of Respect for Peoples’ Rights: The fundamental rights and freedoms of individuals and their private lives are respected at our centre.
Principle of Volunteering: Every individual has the right to apply to our centre at their own discretion, without any pressure or force.
Services Offered at Our Centre
Individual Counselling Service: In individual conversations, the opportunity to speak in a safe environment with a professional in the field about the issues that concern their own development and their personal problems is provided. The duration of the interviews are 45-50 minutes and the continuity and frequency of the interviews are determined by the joint decision of the client and the consultant. A joint effort is being conducted with the client to identify their personal problems and to achieve the objectives identified with the consultant.
Group Counselling Service: is the group counselling with people (clients) who come together under the frame-work of a common theme. Examples of these common themes include, exposure to any kind of trauma such as floods and earthquake, social anxiety, test anxiety, and lack of self-confidence. Under the leadership of the counsellors, group members support each other in the matter of their common problems, discover solutions for the problems together and apply these solutions in their lives. In other words, in addition to the specific techniques and initiatives of the counsellor, the group itself serves as a tool for change or recovery. Group counselling makes them feel that they are not alone, helps them to see other people with the same problem as them and how they deal with the problem. It also enables clients to get support from the other members of the group about the problem in order to overcome the problem faster and more effectively. Group members also have opportunities such as obtaining feedback from the group and working on such feedbacks. The groups usually consist of at least 8 and maximum 12 people.
Within the scope of group counselling, psychodrama groups are carried out. In this context, two psychodrama groups are formed in line with the applications of the students; each year in two semesters.
Psychodrama helps individuals to reconsider the problems that they are experiencing, to stimulate the problem they are experiencing and to question this problem and to find the basic source of the problem. Psychodrama can be defined as a technique for acting. With performing and acting the problem, the individual who is looking for solutions to their problems can have the chance to see past and current problems, to make up for their regrets, to anticipate the future, to take care of their anxieties and difficulties, to gain new formations to their old behaviours. Individuals in the psychodrama group interact with other members of the group in a group environment in order to gain awareness about themselves and this technique is known as an effective group therapy technique.
As an international university with students from all around the world, EUL believes in supporting students with different race, culture or identity in relation to mental health and other related issues. Hence we understand minority issues and provide a supportive space for our students to access psychological support within EUL. Students can get an appointment from a counsellor who will work with them.
In addition to these services, during the orientation week which is organized for our newcomers at the beginning of each new academic year, conferences about the adaptation process are held and the students are informed.