Well-Being · SST
You don't have to carry it alone.
Every student deserves to feel heard, supported, and safe. Here's the support that's around you at SST — and how it all fits together.
Counsellors, peer support and faculty all work together at SST so help feels accessible and judgement-free, whichever door you walk through first. No single person carries the whole picture — and no single person has to. Below is a quick look at who's part of it, and what each of them can offer you.
Counsellor
Structured, confidential one-on-one sessions with Ms. Ishika Mehta, for ongoing or more serious concerns.
Peer Support (ERs)
Emotional Responders — fellow students trained to be your warm first point of contact. No appointment. No judgement.
Faculty
Teachers equipped with Psychological First Aid to notice distress, listen calmly, and connect you onward.
Before we begin
Let's clear up a few myths
A few ideas that stop people from reaching out — and why they're not true.
Next: meet the peer-support layer
“An ER is a fellow student trained to listen first — not to fix, diagnose, or judge, but to help you feel less alone with whatever you're carrying.”
This year, a group of students at SST have been trained as Emotional Responders (ERs) — a peer-support layer that sits alongside our counselling services. They're students you already share hallways, classes, and hostels with, trained to notice when someone's struggling, respond calmly, and connect them to the right kind of help.
ERs aren't therapists and they don't replace professional care. Think of them as the first, most reachable step — someone nearby who can sit with you, help you name what you're feeling, and walk with you toward whatever comes next, whether that's a friend, a breathing exercise, or a session with the counsellor.
The people behind it
Meet the Emotional Responders
12 trained students, ready to be your first point of contact — say hello whenever you see them around campus.
Know the difference
Emotional Responder vs. Counsellor
Both matter, and they work together — but they play different roles. Here's how to tell which one to reach for.
Emotional Responder
- ✦A fellow student, trained in peer listening and Psychological First Aid (PFA) basics.
- ✦Your first, easiest-to-reach point of contact — no appointment needed.
- ✦Great for everyday stress, a rough week, or just needing someone to sit with you.
- ✦Listens without judgement, helps you name what you're feeling, and helps you figure out your next step.
- ✦Not trained to diagnose or treat — and will help you get to a professional if that's what's needed.
- ✦Keeps what you share private, except where your safety (or someone else's) is at risk.
Counsellor
- ✦A licensed mental health professional trained in clinical counselling.
- ✦Offers structured, confidential one-on-one sessions by appointment.
- ✦Best for ongoing support, diagnosis-adjacent concerns, or when things have been heavy for a while.
- ✦Can support you through more serious or complex mental health concerns, including urgent situations.
- ✦ERs can help you take this step if reaching out on your own feels hard.
How are you feeling right now?
No matter how you feel, you're welcome here.
What might be weighing on you
Common Stressors
College brings a lot of change at once — feeling uncertain or overwhelmed sometimes is a normal part of it, not a sign something is wrong with you. Browse by what stage you're in — scroll sideways within each row.
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Tools that actually help
Resources for Tough Days
Whatever stressor brought you here, these six simple, physical strategies can help bring you back to calm — try one, or a few, whenever things feel like too much.
Slow your breathing
In for 4 counts, hold for 4, out for 4, hold for 4. Repeat a few rounds — or use the guided tool further down this page.
Notice around you
5 things you see, 4 you feel, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, 1 you taste.
Cool your body
Splash cold water on your face, or hold something cold for a minute.
Ground yourself
Feel your feet on the ground beneath you. Notice the weight, the contact, the stillness.
Move
Take a short walk outside to change the environment and release tension.
Stay connected
Reach out to, and stay around, someone you trust — an ER, a friend, or family.
Worth understanding better
Depression, Anxiety, Panic Attacks & Burnout
These are some of the most common things students carry silently. Knowing what they can look like makes it easier to recognise in yourself or someone else — and easier to ask for help.
Depression
Clinically, this refers to Major Depressive Disorder or a Depressive Episode — a diagnosis made only by a qualified mental health professional, not something to self-label or diagnose in a friend.
- Depressed mood, or a marked loss of interest/pleasure in most activities, most of the day, nearly every day
- A significant, unintended change in appetite or weight
- Sleeping much more, or much less, than usual
- Being visibly slowed down, or restless and agitated, in a way others notice
- Persistent fatigue or loss of energy
- Feelings of worthlessness, or excessive or inappropriate guilt
- Reduced ability to think, concentrate, or make decisions
- Recurrent thoughts of death, or of suicide
Anxiety
Feeling overwhelmed or constantly on edge, even when nothing's obviously “wrong.”
- Racing or repetitive worried thoughts
- Restlessness, tension, trouble sitting still
- Muscle tension, rapid heartbeat, stomach knots
- Avoiding situations that make you anxious
- Trouble sleeping because your mind won't switch off
Panic Attacks
A sudden wave of intense fear that peaks within minutes — frightening, but not dangerous, and it does pass.
- Racing heart, chest tightness, shortness of breath
- Dizziness, shaking, sweating, tingling
- A sudden fear of losing control or “something terrible happening”
- Usually peaks within 10 minutes and eases within 20–30
Burnout
When ongoing academic or personal pressure leaves you emotionally and physically drained.
- Feeling exhausted even after resting
- Growing cynical or detached about college/work
- Dragging through tasks that used to feel manageable
- A shrinking sense of accomplishment, even when you're doing okay
Something to work through on your own time
Worksheets & Tools
Printable, downloadable worksheets you can use on your own, with an ER, or with the counsellor. Tap any one to download it.
General Well-Being
A quick 2-page overview: common transition stressors, calming strategies, and a fillable "tough days" planNavigating Changes
Coping & Self-Compassion
Depression & Anxiety
Grief & Loss
Self Esteem & Relationships
Time Management & Motivation
Emotional Regulation & Mindfulness
Supporting someone else
If you notice someone struggling
Here's how students and parents can each help — in the way that fits their role.
For Students
- Notice — withdrawing, mood or behaviour changes, skipping classes/meals, talk of hopelessness.
- Pick your moment — somewhere private and low-pressure, not in front of a group or right before class.
- Reach out privately — “Hey, I've noticed you've seemed off lately, I'm here if you want to talk.”
- Listen, don't fix — you don't need advice or the right words, just presence.
- Avoid comparisons or minimizing — “others have it worse” or “just relax” tends to shut people down, even when well-meant.
- Don't promise total secrecy — if you're worried about their safety, it's okay to involve someone else.
- Point them toward support — an ER, the counsellor, or a helpline. Offer to go with them.
- Check in again later — one conversation is rarely the end of it. A follow-up “how are you doing since we talked?” matters.
- Respect their pace — they might not be ready to act on your suggestion right away, and that's okay.
- Look after yourself too — supporting a friend can be heavy. Talk to an ER if it's weighing on you.
For Parents
- Notice changes — withdrawal, irritability, sleep or appetite shifts, sudden disinterest in things they loved.
- Ask gently, without minimizing — avoid “it's just college stress,” try “you've seemed different lately, want to talk?”
- Listen more than you advise — resist jumping straight to solutions or academics.
- Stay calm — a big reaction can make them shut down or hide things next time.
- Separate the person from the performance — reassure them your support isn't conditional on grades or outcomes.
- Normalise seeking help — talk about mental health support the same way you'd talk about seeing a doctor for a physical illness.
- Encourage professional support gently, and offer to help them find it rather than insisting.
- Respect their privacy where you can — trust builds when they feel some conversations can stay between them and their ER or counsellor.
- Stay in the loop, not in control — check in regularly without making every call about grades or plans.
- Take care of your own worry too — it's okay to reach out to the counsellor yourself if you're unsure how to help.
- If they mention hopelessness or self-harm, contact SST's counsellor immediately — don't wait it out.
For faculty
Psychological First Aid — A Guide for Faculty
What to do when a student reaches out to you in distress. You're not expected to be a therapist — PFA is a simple, bounded framework: Look, Listen, Link. It has a clear beginning (noticing distress), a clear middle (listening and helping the student stabilise), and a clear end (connecting them onward, or simply resuming your day).
1. Look
Check for safety, urgent needs, and signs of serious distress before you engage.
2. Listen
Make contact without pressure. Ask about their needs. Help them feel calm, without rushing to fix anything.
3. Link
Help them access basic needs, give information carefully, and connect them onward with consent.
Full Guide
Includes do's and don'ts, grounding tools, and how to refer a student onwardThis matters — and it's okay to talk about it
Suicide Prevention
Suicide is preventable, and talking about it openly saves lives rather than putting the idea in someone's head. India's Mental Healthcare Act (2017) also decriminalised attempting suicide — someone in crisis needs support, not punishment. If you're worried about yourself or someone else, please use the steps and numbers below.
Myths & Facts
Warning signs to watch for
- Talking about wanting to die or being a burden
- Expressing hopelessness or being trapped
- Withdrawing from friends and activities
- Giving away belongings or saying goodbye
- Sudden calm after a period of deep low mood
- Increased substance use or reckless behaviour
What to do — the QPR approach
A simple way to respond if you're worried about someone: Question, Persuade, Refer. This sits alongside the Look, Listen, Link approach used for Psychological First Aid (PFA) more broadly.
Question
Ask directly and calmly: “Are you thinking about suicide?” Being direct doesn't plant the idea — it shows you're willing to hear the answer.
Persuade
Listen without arguing, judging, or minimizing. Gently persuade them to accept help: “Will you come with me to talk to someone?”
Refer
Don't leave them alone. Connect them to an ER, Ms. Ishika Mehta, or a helpline — and stay with them until they're safely supported.
If someone is in immediate danger
Stay with them.. Don't leave them alone, even briefly.
Ask directly if they're thinking about suicide or have a plan..
Remove access to immediate means if it's safe for you to do so..
Don't promise secrecy — their safety comes before keeping a secret..
Get them to help immediately — call/message Ms.. Ishika Mehta or an ER, or call a helpline together.
In a life-threatening emergency, call 112 or get to the nearest hospital right away..
My guide for tough days
Take a minute to fill this. Having a plan helps make difficult days more manageable.
Your first call: Ms. Ishika Mehta
SST's Mental Health Counsellor — reach out directly, any time you're worried about yourself or someone else