As international student in pandemic Germany you may have been experiencing a lot of intense and challenging emotions over the past weeks. Being physically distant from loved ones too far away to visit when wanting to be close to them is already difficult during normal times. However, travel restrictions, massive economic turmoil and the threat of a potentially harmful virus make going abroad even more difficult than before. The Psychological Counselling Service is aware of the issues faced by international university staff and their families during these difficult times and offers support in maintaining mental health.

Psychological Counselling Service

Just to give you an idea of typical concerns raised in counselling sessions, please see below a list of issues, we are prepared to support you with (amongst all other mental health concerns that may not be directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic, of course!)

• The fear of losing my financial security is distracting me from my studies. What can I do?
• My parents have pre-existing conditions and are at an age that makes them vulnerable to experiencing serious health problems should they contract the virus. I am afraid they could get seriously ill and wonder how I could persuade them to protect themselves.
• Since face-to-face teaching has been suspended and I cannot meet with fellow students for discussing materials and assignments, I have great difficulty concentrating on lectures and home works. How can I get back my focus?
• Two times a week I went to the gym. On weekends I liked to party. Those outlets have become impossible to pursue. I am worried, if this lasted much longer, I will feel increasingly isolated and relapse into depression. How can I prevent this from happening?

If you wish to talk to a counselor about these or any other mental health-related concerns, please do not hesitate to send an email to the Psychological Counseling Service Team at ! They will be happy to invite you to a phone or videotelephony consultation at your earliest convenience.