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 15 years. We are well known and respected by the International students 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 times, 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 Administration 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 studies workload and future qualifications, 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 do for local students; they may have fallen into a bad accommodation, or have lost a loved one back at home, they may be victim of crime, or lost a very important relationship that can easily lead to serious problems with schools academic performance that can later lead to complication with student visa compliance , at HD psychology we understand these issues and have for many years helping those international students in needs.
Sometimes some 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/difficulties can come into play.
The usual consequences of International Students mismanaging their mental health state can include bad 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 to 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 facing 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 by 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 and 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 reason to why they were not able to attend their school or failed the expected academic progress.