Healthy Mind
Sometimes the answer to a healthy mind can be as simple as a quiet chat over a coffee, sometimes the problem may lie deeper and the solution will be harder to reach. Whatever is on your mind, as a LUU member of staff you will have access to a number of support services to help you cope with all the difficulties that life can throw at us.
Staff Counsellor
LUU staff have access to the University staff Counsellor, Dr John Adams.
Your concerns do not have to be work related and you can refer yourself to him for any difficulty of an emotional or psychological nature.
This service is free and you can contact John by phoning 0113 237 0309 and leaving a voicemail with your contact details. Your call will be returned as soon as possible to arrange an appointment. John will be discreet when returning your call.
The Chaplaincy
The chaplaincy is open to all staff to meet, pray, worship, share, reflect and ask questions religious and non religious alike. Chaplains are normally available to offer support in listening, guidance prayer and friendship. At the very least a Chaplain can provide a friendly face, a cup of coffee and a good listening ear.
The Chaplaincy is based in the Emmanuel Centre which is located at the main entrance of the University campus on Woodhouse Lane. More details about the service can be found at www.leeds.ac.uk/chaplaincy.
The Employee Assistance Programme
LUU also provide a telephone helpline for advice and support. The service is free and completely confidential. The helpline can advise in the following areas:
Counselling e.g. managing stressful situations, addictions and debt counselling
Legal Advice e.g. advice where an injury has been caused by someone else’s negligence
Personal Tax advice e.g. general advice on personal tax issues
Medical advice e.g. how to access details of hospital waiting lists
Bereavement advice e.g. information of locating wills
State Benefit advice e.g. entitlement to state benefits
The helpline can be accessed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. All you need to do is give your name and confirm that you are an employee of LUU. The helpline number is 0207 173 7797.
Stress
Stress is a word that is often used to describe the way that a person feels when the demands of work or life in general feel too great upon them. Stress is very subjective, what one person may find to be stressful situation another wouldn’t and vice versa.
There can be lots of negative physical and mental side effects of stress. These may include headaches, stomach problems, dizziness, fatigue and feeling down, anxious or irritable. These can also lead to more serious and longer term health problems including heart disease, high blood pressure and depression. That’s why it’s a good idea to know a bit about the subject and be aware of what you can do about it! For example, talking about how you’re feeling, making a plan, exercising, lots of sleep, a healthy diet and making time for yourself are all simple yet effective ways to combat stress.
The NHS provide a useful guide about stress, including a tool to help you identify if you are the type of person that is more prone to stress and some simple yet effective ways to manage the symptoms. Click here to visit the NHS guide to stress.
If you believe you are suffering from stress please tell someone about it! At work this could be a colleague, your manager, a member of the HR and Admin department or any of the services available to you described on this page of the intranet.