(approved in the Academic Senate of 05/11/2019, minutes no. 133 and in the Board of Directors of 06/11/2019, minutes no. 106)
The university represents a fundamental context for the cultural, social and psychological growth of students. It is not limited to the transmission of knowledge, but must promote the development of abstract, creative and problem solving skills, essential for the formation of socially integrated individuals with real professional skills. Therefore, for UNINT and its DRC Research Center, it is crucial to support the growth of identity and subjectivity through active and continuous listening to the individual, in order to facilitate the study path and the construction of the social personality of students. In this perspective, psychological support becomes an important resource for the well-being and integral development of students.
The listening desk UNINT – COUNSEL offers a safe and welcoming space where students can explore and address their personal, emotional and academic difficulties. Through individual and confidential meetings with experienced professionals, the service aims to support the psychological well-being of students, facilitating the management of stress, anxiety and relational problems.
Furthermore, the helpdesk promotes awareness and personal growth, providing useful tools to improve coping skills and promote a balance between academic and personal life. With an empathetic and non-judgmental approach, the listening helpdesk aims to be a point of reference for all students, contributing to creating a more inclusive and supportive university environment.
Goals
Through these objectives, the listening desk UNINT – COUNSEL aims to support students in their university journey, promoting their psychological and social well-being.
The desk aims to:
- Support in adaptation: Provide assistance to students in dealing with the difficulties of adaptation related to entering the university world, including doubts about choices, managing the freedom of organizing study and social relationships.
- Support and listening to women victims of violence, creating a safe and welcoming space where they can share their experiences and receive professional help. Through individual and group interventions, we promote awareness, resilience and empowerment of women, favoring their path to healing and rebirth.
- Managing Anxiety and Loneliness: Help students manage anxiety and feelings of loneliness that can arise during their studies, especially at critical moments such as approaching graduation or comparing themselves with their peers.
- Reflection on experiences: Provide a safe space to reflect on negative experiences, allowing students to understand and make sense of their distress, rather than trying to eliminate it.
- Promoting well-being: Foster students' ability to recognize and appreciate small successes, counteracting feelings of frustration and helplessness.
- Access to psychological counseling: Offer facilitated access to psychological interviews, with the possibility of further meetings based on individual needs.
Organization
The desk, coordinated by Alessandro Frolli, is managed and organized in a space identified by the University in which the following can be organised:
- individual interviews with the children upon specific request (these conversations will not have a therapeutic value but will represent a moment of discussion and listening);
- individual and group interviews with teachers, a space dedicated to comparing and sharing effective educational and teaching strategies;
- Information meetings on socially relevant issues (such as social media, bullying, cyberbullying, deviant behaviors, specific learning disabilities);
- questionnaires and interviews (anonymous) to detect specific disorders and evaluate the general state of well-being.
Specifically, the psychological counseling service is aimed at students of the various degree and doctorate courses and all research fellows. The psychological helpdesk team is made up of psychologists, psychotherapists and psychotherapy specialists with cognitive-behavioral training to represent a first reception service capable of analyzing the questions and providing brief consultations and indications for any subsequent services.
Opening hours, contacts and how to book
The counter is open from Monday to Wednesday from 10:00 to 18:00 and on Thursday and Friday from 10:00 to 14:00.
To book, you must send an email to drc@unint.eu indicating NAME SURNAME and any appointment preference.
The student who requests it is given an appointment within a short time, the date and time of the interview (from one to four interviews), as well as the name of the psychologist who will carry out the consultation.
For many young people, a limited number of interviews is a sufficient opportunity to understand their difficulties. For others, a more prolonged intervention may be necessary. This possibility is not provided by the UNINT – COUNSEL desk, but the student can be helped to orient himself towards other Services.
