Psychological Counselling Sessions for Students & Employees

Ongoing stress in your partnership, conflicts among friends or in your shared flat, as well as continuous disputes with your family can seriously affect your well-being and your ability to concentrate. We support you in clarifying stressful relationship situations, work out alternative ways of communicating with you and give you the opportunity to develop a clearer position towards others. Of course, we are also available in the event of separations, lovesickness or experiences of loss.

Have you lost your motivation somewhere along the way? Do you notice how you put off tasks?

If you have the impression that your motivation, your self-organization or your ability to concentrate are affecting your performance, we will go on a search with you! Our focus is on the de-velopment of individual strategies that build on your resources and strengths, take into account personal obstacles and bring you closer to solutions in realistic steps.

Exhausted or constantly under power? The tasks and demands just don't get less, although you are already giving your maximum?

Being on fire everywhere, not quite being able to do justice to any task and not being able to develop your personal potential anymore; you are not alone with these feelings. We support you in prioritizing tasks, in using your energies in a goal-oriented way and in working out steps towards a balanced and sustainable self-organization.

Do you worry a lot during the semester about how to cope with the learning material? Do you show strong nervousness during the learning phase? Do you have a paralyzing fear of exams? Have you already experienced a blackout during an exam, even though you had studied well?

Come to us at an early stage, so that together we can improve your handling of learning stress or test anxiety. We will develop strategies to ensure adequate preparation for exams and show you how to learn efficiently so that you can take exams with less internal pressure. We take into account your personal situation and learning preferences. We discuss possibilities of strategic preparation, realistic time planning, reduction of negative comparisons with others, reduction of pressure from the social environment as well as increasing confidence in your own abili-ties.

In addition to specializing in a subject, studying is often a time of personal orientation and of trying out and finding a suitable life plan. Questions about one's own identity may arise: How do I want to live? What values do I want to pursue and what gives me meaning and satisfaction? What is my social background and what cultural identity do I want to live?

These questions often involve far-reaching decisions and sometimes it seems impossible to find the right path for oneself. Talking to psychological counselors gives you the chance to re-flect on your personal values and to actively deal with various decision-making options and their consequences. You are welcome to contact us with study-related, professional or private questions and we will help you find new perspectives and make decisions that suit you.

There are stressful events after which nothing seems the same as before, such as after the loss of a close person, experiences of violence, sexual violence, accidents or serious illness. Such experiences can deeply shake one's own world view and self-confidence and lead to symptoms such as restlessness, nightmares, sleep disorders or cause agonizing memories. Within the framework of psychological consultations, we support you in processing such situa-tions.

What are sexual boundary violations and what can trigger them?

Possible sexual boundary violations range from verbal harassment to inappropriate physical contact to physical assault or rape. Individuals of any gender identity can be affected. An experience perceived as transgressive can trigger anger or rage, but also lead to crushing feel-ings of powerlessness or generate feelings of shame or guilt. It is not uncommon that it is difficult to talk about it and those affected doubt the correctness of their own feelings and reactions.

What can you do as a person affected?

Have you experienced a behavior, an attitude or a remark as transgressive? An important first step in coping with a stressful boundary violation can be to name a boundary violation as such for yourself and to acknowledge your own reactions to the event. Clearly communicating your own boundaries, seeking support or dealing with the event again can be further steps. We would be happy to support you in a confidential conversation to help you cope with boundary violations in the best possible way and to restore your boundaries and a sense of respect. If you are in an acute and highly stressful situation, please let us know so that we can offer you an initial consultation as soon as possible.

Reach out for help – we are here for you

Contact one of the contact points. The Psychological Counseling Service, the Diversity & Inclusion Office, the Ombudsman's Office and the Whistleblowing Office are available to help you. Further Information

Have you observed a boundary violation with another person?

We are happy to support you if you are unsure how to act.

Have you crossed a person's personal boundary?

Contact us if you are unsure how to handle this.

We are here for you

Contact person of the Psychological Counselling Services of the University of St.Gallen: Katharina Woog

We are of course also available to all students during the start week

Other point of contact for general information on protecting individual boundaries and the integrity of all students and employees: Dr. Anna-Katrin Heydenreich, Diversity and Inclusion.

Of course, our counseling services are confidential.

Is everything getting too much for you at the moment? Are you finding it difficult to cope with your current life situation?  Are you unable to calm down or are you overcome by negative thoughts and emotions? Have you lost your zest for life or do thoughts of not wanting to go on living come to your mind? Do you have the feeling you cannot cope with the situation alone?

Sometimes it is not easy to take the first step and seek professional support.

Do you feel anxious, down, disgruntled or just not comfortable in your skin? Would you like a psychological professional to help you better understand what is going on inside you, what you are thinking and feeling?

Look for a conversation with us! Together with you, we will reflect on your situation in a resource- and solution-oriented way and work out ways to improve your quality of life and over-come psychological symptoms. In a protected space, you can address ambivalences or doubts and work out approaches to make your life feel coherent again. If necessary, we can also recommend other specialists to you.

Do you sleep poorly, have trouble concentrating, or find it hard to get really excited about anything? Do you suspect you may be developing an anxiety disorder, or have you often looked up depression on the Internet to see if the symptoms apply to you? Are you possibly concerned that someone close to you is developing a mental health disorder and would like to better understand the dynamics behind it?

Perhaps you have already received a diagnosis yourself and are looking for a professional connection in St.Gallen. Please feel free to contact us. We will take stock of your situation, explain specific disorders or refer you to a suitable professional in the city of St.Gallen.

Are you new to the HSG or to Switzerland? Have you suffered a culture shock or even a "reverse culture shock" after living abroad?

Moving to a new place to live and work can overwhelm you emotionally. Many things are different at the beginning in a new place: new people, new norms and rules of behavior, and many things you have to organize run differently. Sometimes you feel lonely in such a situation, missing your familiar surroundings and close people. If you would like to talk about your experiences, we will be happy to help you and support you in arriving better in the new environment.