​My name is Yann and I am the school counsellor at Ardrossan Academy and Winton Primary (Primary 6 & primary 7).

A counsellor is a person people can talk to, privately, about anything they want. Often, people come to speak to me when they are struggling with a difficulty and they want to talk it through with someone who doesn’t already know them, because it’s not always easy to talk to a friend or a family member.
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As a counsellor, I offer a confidential (private) service at Ardrossan Academy, where I work with young people who are often struggling with different issues (anxiety, low mood, anger, loss, relationship issues, etc.). Together, we usually start by talking about what the difficulty is, before exploring healthy ways to cope. I also raise awareness to mental health and well-being issues at school assemblies or through displays in the corridors.
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To access counselling, there are two ways. You can talk to your guidance teacher or another trusted adult, who can refer you to me, and, once I get the referral, you and I will take it from there. You can also refer yourself by coming to me directly. If you are not sure whether counselling is right for you or not, you can always drop-in for a chat. My room is in the same corridor as the Guidance Base, in the B block, on the ground floor (BG10). You are very welcome to come in at any time when the door is opened.
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Supporting positive mental wellbeing is an important priority in our school and I strongly believe that looking after our mental health is as important as looking after our physical health, possibly even more.

Just remember: asking for help is really a sign of strength, not a weakness!