Counselling team
Shelford employs a Psychologist and Counsellor who provide counselling to students from Prep to Year 12. The Counselling team liaises with the School Executive and works closely with each student's classroom teacher in the Junior School and Year Level Coordinator in the Senior School.
Our Counselling team works with individual students and contributes to Wellbeing classes and small group initiatives. The team also works closely with the Student Enrichment and Support staff regarding strategies to support the specific learning needs of students and refer students to external services as required.
Students seek counselling support at Shelford for a variety of reasons such as:
- academic stress and study skills
- external stressors
- friendships and relationships
- anxiety
- depression
- self-esteem and confidence
- conflict resolution
- supporting others
- social skills and emotional regulation.
Meet our team
Acknowledging that one in seven people aged 4 to 17 experience a mental health condition in any given year and that over half of lifelong mental health problems begin before the age of 14, Shelford’s Psychologist, Judy McKay and Counsellor, Charlotte Edmonds (pictured above) are aware of the critical importance of their work.
Throughout their schooling, students navigate critical periods of development and associated challenges.
‘Students will experience rapid biological, psychological, cognitive, emotional and social changes,’ explains Charlotte.
‘We hope to assist the students in navigating these changes to promote positive mental health outcomes,’ asserts Judy.
Judy and Charlotte work collaboratively to ensure every Shelford student receives the psychological support they need. At all times, one of them is onsite.
Judy and Charlotte hope the students feel comfortable seeking support and would like students and parents alike to know that they are here to support them. The mental wellbeing of students is a priority for our school.
School Nurse
Anna Noonan is our School Nurse. With over 20 years’ experience as a hospital nurse and having worked for five years as the School Nurse at Malvern Primary School and in the boarding house at Wesley College, Anna developed an interest in adolescent health and moved to Shelford at the start of 2018.
Anna’s work at Shelford is as diverse as our student population. Alongside providing ice-packs and band-aids to soothe playground bumps and scrapes, managing the health of our students with anaphylaxis and asthma and attending to the odd sprained ankle on the Sports Field, Anna also works closely with our school psychologists to provide comprehensive mental health support.
Anna’s manner with the girls is gentle, kind and maternal. She has a reputation for bringing calm into stressful situations, getting students the help they need.