Kalsi S

According to the Australian Institute of Health & Welfare (2022), suicide is the leading cause of death among Australians aged 15 – 44. Notably, student suicide has has emerged as a pressing global challenge (Universities UK & Papyrus, 2018), garnering substantial attention from mental health professionals in universities, particularly in the UK (Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2011).

In Australia, international students have been identified as a group at heightened risk of mental ill-health (Orygen, 2020). As a result, there is a call for targeted initiatives aimed at increasing awareness around suicide and promoting help-seeking behaviours within this demographic (Universities Australia and headspace, 2020)

This workshop draws on findings from my doctoral research, which explored therapists’ experiences of working with suicidal students, including international students, in UK universities. Although rooted in a UK context, the findings hold relevance for Australian universities, who, like their UK counterparts, are grappling with more complex and severe presentations, coupled with growing demands for counselling services (ANZSSA Heads of Counselling Services survey, 2018).

This session provides a unique opportunity to gain firsthand insights into therapists’ experiences and the specific challenges they encounter when supporting suicidal international students within a university counselling setting.

Attendees are invited to reflect on their own experiences of supporting suicidal international students. Furthermore, the workshop will offer constructive recommendations for improving support for this vulnerable demographic in universities.

Biography:

Dr Sonia Kalsi is a registered Psychologist with a career in mental health spanning 26 years. She has worked in universities in the UK and Australia for 15 years, as a student counsellor, mental health advisor, doctoral researcher, coach, consultant, trainer and manager of a university counselling service.

Sonia’s research area of interest is student suicide. She has completed doctoral research on student suicide and her work has been published in the University and College Counselling Journal, UK.

Sonia currently manages her own private practice, providing psychological treatment to university students and offering consultancy and training on student suicidality to universities.