Guidance Counsellors 

This year at St Stephen’s we have three counsellors on the Guidance and Counselling Team with Ms Murat returning from Parental leave. 

The Guidance and Counselling team can support young people to overcome social and emotional barriers to educational success and are happy to take referrals from students and parents. Please call or email the counsellors directly if you would like your young person to access them. Young people regularly see guidance counsellors for issues like self-harm, anger, low mood, stress, worries, changes in family configurations, bullying, friendship and other factors affecting their wellbeing.

The Guidance Counsellors will work with students individually or in small groups to help them develop skills for social, academic and personal growth. The Guidance Counsellors can also refer students and their families to external agencies such as Headspace, Child and Family Connect and Child and Youth Mental Health Services. Guidance Counsellors will similarly work with school teams (APS, Heads of House, Student Diversity) to enhance student wellbeing and advocate for students.

Our guidance counsellors are available as follows:

To book an appointment with a counsellor at St Stephen’s, students can:

1. Approach one of the counsellors in the school grounds or email the counsellor directly and ask to see them. 
    
2. Ask their Pastoral House leader to refer them to the counsellor.
    
3. Ask their parent/carer to email or phone the counsellor.

Please note that Guidance Counsellors are required to keep confidential records. They only share information when:

• Students are at risk of harm.
   
• A student asks them to share information.
   
• The law demands sharing of information (court orders, mandatory reporting of harm to a young person).

We look forward to working with all our wonderful students and families in 2024. 

Katharina Lane, Peter Graham and Havva Murat-Maksuti | Guidance Counsellors