College based support

This might include: 

• the occasional or regular chat about how things are going
• talking through an event or experience that has impacted you
• Thinking through the things that are impacting your life the most, how to manage them, and when you might need extra support
• Disclosing experiences such as sexual harassment, or racism or other discriminatory experiences (Ryan and Mary are the College Discrimination and Harassment Contacts, but you can choose to disclose to whoever you feel comfortable with)
• Referrals to other sources of support. 

Here are the best ways to get in touch: 

Email the whole team to ensure that we can reply to you as soon as possible.

You can also book an appointment with Ryan or Mary via the online system.
Please note that Mary and Ryan are located in E, on the little corridor opposite the JCR.   
Signage will be updated shortly, but in the mean time follow the signs to 'community heath practitioner'.

You can also contact us individually by email:

• Mary Simuyandi (Head of Wellbeing)
• Ryan Hegarty (Community Health Practitioner) is a Mental Health Nurse and qualified CBT therapist
• If you have a health related query please use the team email address and we will signpost you to the most relevant source of support. 

You can also contact the Porters' Lodge (01223 338300) for advice, and to arrange for a member of the health and wellbeing team or your tutor to make contact. 

Tutorial Support

The Tutors are a really helpful first port of call if you are not sure where to turn. Your personal tutor can offer advice about all sorts of practical matters such as applications for exam access arrangements, applications for hardship bursaries, and navigating the college and University processes that may seem complicated when you first encounter them. Tutors are also able to offer pastoral support: together with the Health and Wellbeing Team, they can help students who may feel overwhelmed by any issues that arise during their time at Catz, from changing personal circumstances to world events. Our Tutors work closely with theHealth and Wellbeing Team: they all have experience and training in supporting students, and may also encourage you to access further support and help if you need it. 

The Chaplain 

The Chaplain works alongside the Health and Wellbeing Team and Tutors, offering pastoral support to students of any faith or none. You can contact the Chaplain by email to make an appointment to talk about anything that is on your mind, including relationships and friendships, worries and concerns about yourself or others, as well as spiritual matters. 

Academic Support

All undergraduates have a Director of Studies who oversees their academic work. If you are worried about any aspect of your academic work it's often helpful for your DoS to be updated about your concerns; they may be able to suggest what academic support may be useful. if your mental or physical wellbeing is impacting your academic wellbeing, or vice versa, your DoS, tutor and the Health and Wellbeing team will want to work together to help you get the support you need. 

College based counselling

There may be situations in which your needs can't easily be met through the Health and Wellbeing team, the NHS or the University provision. The Health and Wellbeing Team are happy to talk through your options in this case; please do get in touch. 

Support in a crisis 

If you are experiencing a mental health crisis and are not sure you can keep yourself safe, please call 999. 
The porters can provide immediate support for you, and help you access further support, whether that is via the tutorial system, the health and wellbeing team, or the NHS.
For urgent, non-emergency mental health advice via the NHS, you can call NHS111 (option 2) if you are in Cambs/Peterborough, or the equivalent for your local area if you are not in Cambridge.

What other support is available?

There is a lot of support available within College and University, through the NHS, and through charitable organisations. You can find out more about all of these through the links on the main welfare hub page.