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Study support

When keeping up feels hard, you deserve support.

A supportive space for people struggling to keep up with their studies. Talk through academic pressure, lost confidence, and the personal difficulties making it hard to manage.

Book a support sessionSee how we can help
  • Support without judgement
  • Your wellbeing matters
  • At your pace

  • Feel heard

    Space to talk about what feels difficult

  • Feel supported

    Care for the pressure you are carrying

  • Your pace

    Support that respects your circumstances

Support when studies feel difficult

You do not have to carry the pressure alone.

Be Positive supports people who are struggling to keep up with their studies. You may be falling behind, feeling overwhelmed by expectations, losing confidence, or dealing with personal difficulties that make attending classes and keeping up with coursework feel harder.

Our sessions give you space to talk about what is happening and how it is affecting you. Together, we explore the pressure you are carrying, your emotional wellbeing, and the support you need to feel less alone.

This service offers emotional support with the difficulties surrounding your studies. It does not include choosing courses or careers, tutoring, or teaching study techniques.

KEEPING UP

Talk about the struggle to keep up

When lessons, assignments, or deadlines keep moving and you feel left behind, it can be hard to explain what is happening. We offer a supportive space to talk about the pressure, frustration, or embarrassment you may be carrying.

A young man looking down at an open notebook with his hand resting against his forehead

What we can work through

Put the difficulty into words
You can talk openly about missed work, struggling to attend, feeling overwhelmed, or worrying that you cannot catch up.
Understand what is weighing on you
We explore the feelings and circumstances around the difficulty, including pressure, exhaustion, and worries about letting others down.
Make room for support
Together, we consider what would help you feel less alone and more able to speak about what you need.

What this can support

  • A place to speak honestly about falling behind.

  • A clearer understanding of the pressures you are facing.

  • Support with the feelings that make reaching out difficult.

CONFIDENCE

Find encouragement when self-doubt takes over

Struggling with your studies can affect how you see yourself. If you feel discouraged, disconnected, or unsure you are capable, we can talk through those feelings and what has changed for you.

A young woman and a counsellor looking at reflection cards together

What we can work through

Explore feeling disconnected
We make space to understand when studying began to feel difficult and how disappointment, pressure, or exhaustion may be affecting you.
Work through self-criticism
We explore the way you speak to yourself when things go wrong and the impact of comparing your progress with others.
Recognise yourself beyond results
Conversations can help you acknowledge your effort, strengths, and experiences beyond grades or academic setbacks.

What this can support

  • Space to understand changes in your motivation.

  • Encouragement while you rebuild confidence in yourself.

  • A more compassionate response to setbacks.

ACADEMIC PRESSURE

Make space for the pressure you are carrying

Exams, deadlines, and expectations can feel especially heavy when you are already struggling to keep up. We offer emotional support with worries about performance, disappointing others, or what a result might mean for you.

A young man looking through papers while a counsellor listens beside him

What we can work through

Talk about performance worries
We listen to what feels frightening or overwhelming about exams, assessments, deadlines, and receiving results.
Explore expectations
We consider expectations from family, teachers, peers, and yourself, and how they affect the pressure you feel.
Support your emotional wellbeing
We explore ways to respond to stress and make room for rest, reassurance, and support during demanding times.

What this can support

  • A supportive place to discuss academic worries.

  • Greater awareness of the expectations adding to your stress.

  • Support with coping emotionally before and after assessments.

REACHING OUT

You can ask for help before things get worse

Telling someone that you are struggling can feel daunting, especially when you worry about being judged or misunderstood. We can help you talk through those concerns and find words for what you are experiencing.

A young man talking with a counsellor seated opposite him

What we can work through

Name what you need
We explore what feels hardest, what you wish others understood, and where you would welcome more support.
Talk through difficult conversations
You can work through worries about speaking with a parent, teacher, lecturer, or someone you trust about the difficulties you are facing.
Recognise sources of support
We consider the people and student support services you could approach, alongside the emotional support offered in our sessions.

What this can support

  • Words to help explain what you are going through.

  • Support with the worry of being judged or misunderstood.

  • A clearer sense of who you can turn to for help.

THE WIDER PICTURE

Bring the rest of your life into the conversation

Family difficulties, relationship worries, work commitments, and changes at home can make keeping up with studies feel much harder. You are welcome to talk about the wider circumstances affecting your wellbeing and ability to stay engaged.

A woman writing in a notebook at a table beside a closed laptop

What we can work through

Understand competing pressures
We listen to what is happening outside your studies and how responsibilities or difficult events are affecting you.
Talk about relationships and boundaries
We explore the expectations placed on you, conversations that feel difficult, and the space you need for your own wellbeing.
Make room for your needs
Together, we consider what support, understanding, or breathing space would help while you are dealing with a demanding period.

What this can support

  • Space to discuss personal concerns affecting your studies.

  • A clearer understanding of your needs and limits.

  • Emotional support that takes your wider circumstances into account.

How we work

Begin with what you are going through.

We take time to understand your experience, the pressures affecting your studies, and what support would feel useful. Sessions focus on your emotional wellbeing and the difficulties you are facing.

  1. 01

    Talk about what feels hard

    We start with your experience of studying, where you feel behind, and what has been weighing on you.

  2. 02

    Understand the pressures

    Together, we explore the stress, expectations, self-doubt, or personal circumstances that are making it difficult to keep up.

  3. 03

    Find support that fits

    We focus on your wellbeing, ways to cope with pressure, and the support you feel ready to ask for.

  4. 04

    Keep checking in

    We review how you are feeling and what is helping, adjusting the focus as your circumstances and support needs change.

Start a conversation

Finding it hard to keep up with your studies?

Tell us a little about what has been difficult. We can talk about the support you need and a starting point that feels manageable.

Ask about study support

A simple conversation is enough to begin.