Online Counselling and Mental Health Support for Distance Learners

We can offer video sessions if you are studying abroad or if you have special circumstances that make it impossible for you to attend appointments at the Counselling and Mental Health Service.

How to book

New First Step appointments will be released for the next day at around 4pm Monday-Friday. If you can’t find any available slots to book, this means that all appointments have been booked for the day so please check back again the next day.

The 'First Step' appointments can be booked via our online booking system HERE.

We are available to give guidance, advice and support. If you need to speak to someone urgently or you have repeatedly tried to book an appointment online and you have not been successful please let us know by calling our phone line which is open weekdays 9.00am - 4.30pm on 0161 275 2864.

The ‘First Step’ appointments can be facilitated either over the phone or on TEAMS. Once you are booked in to a 'First Step' appointment, a Triage and Support Practitioner (TSP) will contact you at the time you book on to. If you miss the call then there will be 2 further attempts to reach you within the time slot. If you miss the calls please re-book or if you need to speak to someone more urgently please call us.

A ‘First-Step’ appointment will give you opportunity to discuss difficulties that may be affecting your mental health. The TSP will then look at options to best meet your needs. Within this 20 minutes the TSP will ask you to briefly describe the main concern affecting your mental health, how this is impacting on you and for how long. They will help you think about what kind of support may be the most useful to you.

Please note we ask for you to:

  • use your university email to arrange the appointment if booking online
  • be in a private space for the duration of appointment
  • Please phone us or click HERE to book your appointment online.

Options for support within the Counselling & Mental Health Service:

Starting the Conversation

We understand that it may be hard to start a conversation about your mental health. Our TSP staff are trained mental health practitioners and will understand your anxieties and will support you with this process. Before your appointment it can be really helpful for you to think about what you may want help with. Our range of interventions are designed to enable you to learn more about your mental health and identify ways to enhance your wellbeing and cope more effectively. You may however be unsure about this and this can be explored during your 20 minute First Step call.

We have a diverse workforce here and all of our mental health practitioners and counsellors are experienced in working with diversity.

If you do not have access to a phone, are overseas or have some other difficulties with this process then please note other ways you can contact the service (see contacts below).

Our phone booking line is open from 9.00am - 4.30pm, Monday to Friday. If you want to reschedule, cancel or book an appointment please ring the service on 0161 275 2864.

You can email us at counselling.service@manchester.ac.uk