HD Psychology has been actively engaged in advocating for international students in several ways.

At HD Psychology, we have been supporting international students’ mental health in Australia for over 20 years. We are well known and respected by the international student industry and the authorities, both in educational institutions and the government bodies in charge of these affairs.

At HD Psychology, we have been addressing issues faced by international students during this time, and we continue to advocate for the psychological well-being of international students in many ways. We offer counselling for students’ mental health and, should there be a need, we are here to present their mental health state to an educational institution, the Immigration Department, and/or the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT).

Initially, we came to understand that international students living in Australia had to cope with an extra layer of stress in comparison to local students.

International students not only have to deal with the study requirements and demands of their workloads and future qualifications, but they also have to deal with a new culture, language, and the isolation that comes with being away from their loved ones and those who usually support them during hard times.

For an international student, things may not present as straightforward as they may for local students. They may have fallen into bad accommodation, lost a loved one back home, been a victim of crime, or lost a very important relationship. This can easily lead to serious problems with academic performance, which can later lead to complications with student visa compliance. At HD Psychology, we understand these issues and have been helping international students in need for many years.

Sometimes, international students are not always aware of the delicate situation they may find themselves in.

In a case of moderate depression or anxiety, usually back in their own country, international students would approach family members and friends for consolation. In Australia, however, students find themselves in a foreign land without such support. The unfamiliar environment can lead to confusion and mismanagement of certain situations. In this case, depression, anxiety, and/or other related mental health disorders, issues, or difficulties can come into play.

The usual consequences of international students mismanaging their mental health state can include poor academic progress or extended absence without any record of their recent battle with these debilitating mental health issues.

International students may simply not be aware of the support network that is available to them in Australia. Consequently, they may suffer in silence until there is an inquiry into their whereabouts by their educational institution or the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), otherwise known as the Immigration Department.

At HD Psychology, we noticed that, at this crucial point, students’ stress levels and depression symptoms increase greatly as the concerned student faces serious negative visa consequences. The initial stress they were under meets with this new element of being threatened with the possibility of their expulsion from the course or the revocation of their student visa.

At this point, our detailed assessment of their mental health state and what has been happening in their life to get them to this point will be conducted. All parties involved will be informed of our findings and of the remediation needed to get the concerned international student back on their feet and back on their educational trajectory.

These students may not, previously or during the time of their depression, have seen any mental health specialist or physician and therefore don’t have any proof of their mental health issues. With our initial psychological assessment, they will be able to demonstrate the reasons why they were not able to attend their school or failed to achieve the expected academic progress.