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Mental health and wellbeing

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The Mental Health & Wellbeing (MHWB) Team is an inclusive and accessible service for all LSBU students. We provide a safe and confidential space to talk through how you're doing, what's going well, any challenges you are dealing with and what could help you manage these challenges. Our aim is to help you feel confident and well, and to have safe and successful study.

All current LSBU students.

Come and speak to us if you are experiencing personal, emotional or social challenges, particularly if they are impacting your studies. Some things you may be experiencing are:

  • Stress
  • Worry or panic
  • Relationship difficulties (including with friends, family, partner or children)
  • Unhappiness or low mood
  • Loneliness
  • Bereavement (grief)
  • Life stressors (for example housing or financial issues, or if you’ve been victim of a crime)
  • Loss of interest or pleasure in activities
  • Low motivation
  • Seeing or hearing things that other people don’t seem to be
  • Extreme and/or swiftly fluctuating emotions
  • Suicidal thoughts and/or intentional self-injury (get immediate support here)

We’d particularly encourage you to speak with us if you have an existing mental health diagnosis (such as anxiety, depression, personality disorder, eating disorder, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia).

You will be entitled to adjustments on your course – register with the Disability and Dyslexia Support Team to get these put in place.

If you are an interrupted student and have any concerns about your mental health and wellbeing, please email studentlife@lsbu.ac.uk for more information/support.

We also offer pre-entry mental health appointments to relevant students. If you think this might be you, check out this article: What pre-entry mental health support is available?.

Because each student is different, the support you’ll receive from us will be tailored to your individual needs.

Support might include:

  • Confidential and collaborative discussion with a Mental Health & Wellbeing Advisor
  • Developing a support plan with next steps
  • Self-help resources
  • Support in accessing counselling services
  • Liaison with other university staff and referrals to other teams
  • Liaison with external support, such as GP or NHS mental health team
  • Signposting to relevant external agencies

Check out these FAQs:

What happens in a Mental Health and Wellbeing appointment? - LSBU MyAccount

We want to make sure you're feeling as prepared as you can to study at LSBU. This includes making sure you understand the support available to you here, and making sure we know how best to support you.

Our Mental Health and Wellbeing Case Coordinator offers pre-entry appointments to any applicants who:

  • have a complex, diagnosed mental health experience like Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, Psychosis, Personality Disorder, Eating Disorder or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • are currently or have recently been supported by formal mental health services, including Childrens and Adolescents’ Mental Health Services (CAMHS), a Community Mental Health Team (CMHT), or a private mental health service
  • have spent time in hospital in relation to their mental health
  • have previous or current experiences of self-harm or suicidal behaviour
  • have previously left higher education due to mental health challenges
  • are currently accessing support from Social Services or another Local Authority Service
  • have significant health concerns/ learning differences that impact their mental wellbeing

If any of the above applies to you, please email us at studentwellbeing@lsbu.ac.uk or call the Student Life Centre on 02078156454 to request a pre-entry appointment.

If you're not sure if you would benefit from a pre-entry appointment, please still get in touch and share a bit of information with us about what's going on for you - we can help you understand the best next step for you.

Current LSBU students can send us an enquiry or book an appointment with a Mental Health Advisor via MyAccount. Appointments are available in person, via telephone or online. Check out these FAQs:

Changing and cancelling your appointment

Once you've made your appointment, if you need to check or amend the details, including rescheduling, you can find these under the 'MY SUPPORT' tab on the MyAccount homepage.

If you cannot make the appointment, please cancel this through MyAccount. We are a busy service and this can free up space for those that need the appointment.

Waiting times / what to do whilst waiting for an appointment

Ahead of your appointment, you will be sent a pre-registration form. Please complete this before your appointment to allow us to provide you the most appropriate support.

If there are any concerns related to suicidality, self-injury, and/or safeguarding, our duty processes ensure an appropriate and proportionate response (we have a duty advisor each day).

Otherwise, the waiting time for an appointment can be up to 10 working days during the busy semester. There are lots of things you can do whilst waiting for your appointment. You can:

From time to time, we all find things difficult. You may have come across this page looking for information about the support LSBU provides to it's students, perhaps after noticing a change in someone you care about who studies at LSBU.

This might be a change in their motivation, engagement with their studies, or mood. Maybe they're making decisions that you believe are not in their best interests. Maybe they just don't seem their usual self. Whatever's going on, check out our guidance below.

Supporting Some Else’s Mental Health: A Step-by-Step Approach

  1. Choose the Right Time and Place
    Timing and environment are crucial when initiating a conversation about mental health. Choose a private, quiet, and comfortable setting where the person feels safe and free from distractions.
  2. Express Concern Without Judgement
    Begin the conversation by expressing your concern in a non-judgmental and compassionate manner. Use "I" statements to avoid sounding accusatory. For example, "I've noticed you've seemed really down lately, and I'm worried about you" is more supportive than "You never seem happy anymore."
  3. Listen Actively
    Listening is one of the most powerful ways to support someone. Allow them to share their thoughts and feelings without interrupting or offering advice. Show that you are paying attention through nodding, maintaining eye contact, and using verbal affirmations like "I see" or "That sounds tough."
  4. Validate Their Feelings
    Acknowledge their feelings and experiences without minimizing or dismissing them. Phrases like "That must be really hard for you" or "I can see why you feel that way" validate their emotions and show that you understand their perspective.
  5. Avoid Giving Unsolicited Advice
    While it's natural to want to fix the problem, unsolicited advice can sometimes feel dismissive. Instead, ask how you can help. Phrases like "What can I do to support you?" or "Is there anything you need from me?" empower the person to guide the support they need.
  6. Encourage Them to Access Support
    Encourage them to seek support if they haven't already.Mental Health Support at LSBU - Where can I find resources to help me manage my wellbeing?
    You can read more about how the Mental Health and Wellbeing Team support students here: What does the LSBU Student Mental Health and Wellbeing Team do?External Mental Health Support
    * GP support - GPs can provide initial advice and treatment and refer you on to specialist services.
    * Talking Therapy – you can self-refer for free Talking Therapy in your local area using this link: Find an NHS talking therapies services - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
  7. Take Care of Yourself
    Supporting someone with mental health issues can affect your own sense of wellbeing. Ensure you are also taking care of your own mental health by seeking support from friends, family, or external services if you feel this may be helpful.

Contacting LSBU’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Team
If you're worried about the mental health and wellbeing of an LSBU student, you can let us know by emailing studentwellbeing@lsbu.ac.uk

We will always take your concerns seriously and respond appropriately. We will not usually share any information with you about an LSBU student without the student's specific consent. In some situations, we may get in contact with a student's Emergency or Trusted Contact - you can find out more about this here: Emergency and Tursted Contact Guidance.

In an emergency where there are immediate safety concerns, please contact emergency services by calling 999.

Check out these FAQs;

I'm concerned about another students' mental health - what should I do?

I am a parent/carer and concerned about my son or daughter. What can I do?

How do I raise a safeguarding concern and access support?

What should I do in an emergency situation?

If there is an emergency and you or someone else is at risk of immediate harm, do not hesitate to call 999.

If you are on an LSBU campus, you can also contact the security team on 020 7815 6666 or via the Safezone app. The security staff are all Mental Health First Aid Trained.

If it is not an emergency but you need to speak to someone immediately, please use one of the recommended support lines below.

  • NHS Good Thinking – information and resources, plus free access to wellbeing apps for London residents, aimed at helping you to improve your wellbeing in particular around anxiety, stress, sleep and low mood.
  • The Black Students Mental Health Project - information and resources developed by and for the Black community at LSBU. Find blogs, articles and podcasts about maintaining positive wellbeing and addressing challenges you may encounter whilst studying.
  • Togetherall is a safe place where you can connect with others about what’s going on in your life - big or small.
  • Students Against Depression - information and resources for students about, including downloadable self-help worksheets on Depression, Anxiety and Sleep.
  • Anxiety UK – support and advice for those affected by anxiety. For further information you can call 08444 775 774 (Monday to Friday, 9.30am – 5.30pm).
  • Reading Well –  recommended self-help books, which can be recommended on prescription by a health professional or can be taken out of most libraries in England who are part of the Reading Well scheme.

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