Comments on: Counselling Service admits breach of trust after releasing over 300 emails

By: Christina

Christina — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 15:05:48 +0000

I sent an e-mail last week to contact@nouse.co.uk (or whatever the contact e-mail is) regarding printing my letter. I have not heard back - please can someone confirm that it has been received/read?

My letter was basically saying that to my knowledge, there are no plans to shut down the Uni Counselling Service, as that hasty and somewhat histrionic sentence in my last paragraph suggests: ‘Don’t let them use this as an excuse to shut the service down.’

I know the service is continuing to experience cuts in their funding but I don’t want to scare people into thinking it will be done away with completely and I apologise if I gave this impression. No-one has said anything, but I thought I’d just get that in there.

Go counselling. Woop woop.

By: Oscar

Oscar — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 16:45:05 +0000

Christina, I think your point is so eloquently put and obviously very thoughtfully considered. I’ve also used the service before, and would echo what you’ve said about not being put off using the service. Your third paragraph, to me, is a brilliant summary of attitudes towards counselling.

Besides, there is no point blaming anybody for this. These things happen.

Also, the second-year PhD student who feels let down should remember that there is no shame or negativity to be associated with someone in a supervisory role receiving counselling. I found that counselling was ultimately character-building, and don’t wish to distance myself from having been there. Even therapists have therapists, and it doesn’t make them worse at their job.

By: Oscar

Oscar — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 16:44:13 +0000

Besides, there is no point blaming anybody for this. These things happen.

By: David

David — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 17:26:34 +0000

The circumstances in which the error was made have not been made clear. The Counselling Service has been doing a terrific job this term in spite of the construction work taking place on the former site of the LFA building. As a result of the disturbance, access to the building has been limited, and a map giving directions to the front door was sent along with the email in question. While a silly mistake to make, it is difficult to believe that any of the 344 people on the database would gain anything from misuse of the information on the email.

It should also be noted that the service is now operating in small rooms completely unfit for purpose as a result of the University’s lack of foresight.
It is too simple an interpretation of what happened to blame one individual.

By: Chris Northwood

Chris Northwood — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 15:55:54 +0000

I agree with Christina, I used the Counselling Service extensively last year and they helped tremendously in the difficulties in my life at the time, and I highly recommend them to anyone who feels they need them. Don’t let this one off administrative slip put you off, you’re never guaranteed total privacy when you go to them anyway, you may be seen walking into the building, or see other students whilst waiting in the waiting room.

By: Christina

Christina — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 15:12:56 +0000

PS: Feel free to publish the above in the next hard copy edition if you like. Including my name.

By: Christina

Christina — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 15:04:20 +0000

As an ex-student who used the Counselling Service throughout their degree, I would urge students not to be put off using service by this unfortunate turn of events.

I understand how embarrassing it may be for some people to feel they are associated with having problems or ‘needing’ to speak to a counsellor - my current e-mail address was one of the ones that got leaked. However, only people who were sent the e-mail by mistake will have the chance to know who else was on the list - and it won’t be terrifically interesting anyway!

People who go to counselling are as sane as everyone else. We may not even have bigger problems than the rest of the student population - we are just brave enough to admit we’d like to talk, in private, to someone who won’t judge us. Suggesting that we should be embarrassed because people know who we are suggests that there IS something to be ashamed about - there isn’t!

Please, please don’t let this regrettable error put you off seeking help if you want it. The counsellors at the university service do an amazing job and this is the first time to my knowledge that such a slip has been made.

I would urge anyone in doubt to make the most of this free service before the uni cuts off any more money to student welfare. Don’t let them use this as an excuse to shut the service down. They do a fantastic job and we should br proud of them both for the work they do and for the way they handled this situation. Thanks.