Master’s Students Offer Counselling at UKZN Psychology Clinic during COVID-19

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Master’s students in Psychology at UKZN are offering free online support for three sessions over the Zoom platform that cover individual counselling, group support and support for healthcare workers, to deal with the stresses of lockdown and the traumatic impacts of the COVID-19 crisis.

All interventions take place online.

The Psychology Clinic has received many requests for assistance, mainly for individual consultations. Most people are seeking coping strategies to deal with the impact of changes to their way of life.

Professor Duncan Cartwright, who heads the Clinic, said, ‘The COVID-19 crisis has impacted negatively on the students’ ordinary skills training. However, it has offered them an opportunity to fast-track their training in online counselling, a skill that is here to stay in the future.’

Cartwright added, ‘Given that virtually everything has changed since the crisis, many of us are struggling with adjustment difficulties, leading to an elevated general stress response. Although we can’t do much about the realities related to lockdown etc we can address how we respond and its impact on our mental health. Our responses may not always be negative, however; crises such as this often force us to reflect on our lives and clarify what is really important to us.’

To connect with the Clinic, email hattinghd@ukzn.ac.za or WhatsApp 078 512 1959.

Words: Melissa Mungroo

Photograph: Supplied