Welcome to the Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine. As you journey through your degree to working in health and health care, the Office of Student Affairs and Service Quality is here to support your learning journey.
I’m Jess – I’m the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Service Quality for the Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine. SASQ will be an important conduit for you throughout your degree, as we are able to direct you to appropriate support services, assist you with pathway programs, and celebrate your exciting moments with you. Part of the SASQ portfolio is also to ensure that we produce values-driven Bondies – excellence, truth, respect, and accountability are at the core.
Bond University sets itself apart with the “wrap around” support and personalised approach to learning. This is certainly the case with our support services, too. As a practicing Registered Nurse, wife, and mother, I understand the challenges of transitioning to the workforce, juggling life’s curveballs, and building strong networks. We’re here to help you succeed.
Health Sciences & Medicine | Student Affairs and Service Quality (SASQ)
Meet the SASQ Team
- Associate Dean Student Affairs and Service Quality: Assistant Professor Jess Stokes-Parish
- Manager, Student Counsellor: Felicity Miller
- Manager, Student Affairs and Service Quality: Audrey Chung
- Student Affairs Officers: Sally Wilson and Lauren Seppanen: [email protected] (Bachelor of Biomedical Science, Bachelor of Health Sciences, Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science/Performance, Doctor of Physiotherapy, Master of Occupational Therapy, Master of Nutrition and Dietetic Practice, Master of Healthcare Innovations)
- Medical Program Student Coordinators
- Phase 1 (Years 1-3): Sarah Blundstone and Tania Wyatt - [email protected]
- Phase 2 MD & Graduates: Tennille Borefelt and Marisa Mansfield - [email protected]
The Student Affairs and Service Quality (SASQ) Office provides student support services within the Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, we:
- Support all students, one by one, to help to achieve their potential
- Coordinate the Staff-Student liaison committees (SSLC) chaired by ADSASQ (Program representatives collaborate on ensuring a quality experience and meet twice a semester)
- Monitor academic progress, academic warning and exclusion processes
- Facilitate the re-admission of excluded students
- Facilitate student academic appeals processes
- Manage academic integrity and student misconduct issues
- Manage the implementation of Learning Access Plans (LAP) for students registered with Accessibility and Inclusion
- Coordinate student representation
- Negotiate resolution of student issues
- Advise on enrolment changes and withdrawal without academic/financial penalty
- Liaise with Student Assist on Graduation processes and Student Excellence awards
- Assess applications for extensions, credit, and internships
- Assess exchange and articulation proposals
- Provide psychological wellbeing services by our faculty psychologist (more information on these services is below under 'Student Wellbeing Services')
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Crisis, after-hours and emergency issues
Student Health and Wellbeing is not a crisis, after-hours or emergency response service. If you are experiencing a crisis please contact Emergency Services on 000 or refer to the other emergency contact details below;
- Always ring 000 in an emergency
- Acute mental ill health assistance - Queensland Health Acute Care Team: 1300 642 255
- Lifeline Telephone Counselling 24 Hrs Line: 131 114
- Sexual Assault Helpline: 1800 010 120
- Domestic Violence Line: 1800 811 811
- National Hotline for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault on 1800 737 732
- Suicide Callback Service
- Lifeline Crisis Online Chat Service | Lifeline Australia
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Bond University Services
Student Counselling Service
Tel: +61 7 5595 4002
Email: [email protected]Medical Clinic
Tel: +61 7 5595 4043
Email: [email protected]Accessibility and Inclusion Office
Tel: +61 7 5595 4002
Email: [email protected]Security
Tel: +61 7 5595 1234 (24 hours)
Email: [email protected]Nyombil Indigenous Support Centre
Tel: +61 7 5595 5616/7Academic Skills Centre
Tel: +61 7 5595 4783
Email: [email protected]Career Development Centre
Tel: +61 7 5595 3388
Email: [email protected]Student Assist
Tel: +61 07 5595 4049
Email: [email protected]Respect now, always campaign
Sexual harm is never okay. Bond has specialist staff trained in responding to serious incidents and providing the appropriate support and privacy to victims of harassment and cooperates with Queensland Police by assisting with enquiries and investigations.
Response to sexual misconduct
Bond University takes very seriously its responsibility to protect students and staff from sexual misconduct. If you are victim of and require support for sexual harm, sexual exploitation and intimidation, stalking, and relationship violence. -
Support Services beyond Bond University
- 16 Personalities
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
- Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement
- Australian Psychological Society tip sheets
- Beyond Blue (for depression and Anxiety)
- Black Dog Institute
- Butterfly Foundation
- Care Collaborate Connect
- Centre for Clinical Interventions
- Doctors’ Health Advisory Service QLD (for Medicine students)
- Domestic Violence Prevention Centre, Gold Coast
- Drs4Drs
- eMHprac - e-mental health in practice
- Emerging Adulthood
- Emerging Adults - information for parents
- The Happiness Trap
- Head to Health
- Headspace
- MindSpot Clinic
- The Migrant Centre
- MoodGYM
- Multicultural Families Organisation
- National Eating Disorders Collaboration
- New Access Coaching Program
- Parenting the emerging adult
- Queensland Government - Mental health and well-being
- Reach Out
- Relationships Australia
- SBS - How to overcome exam anxiety
- TEN -The Essential Network for Health Professionals-Blag Dog Institute
- This Way Up
- When Bad Things Happen
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LGBTIQ Services
Bond University strives to provide a learning environment that is safe and supportive and we actively encourage all students to understand and respect individuality and diversity. Find our more about information and support services offered to the Bond community.
Students and staff can interact with sexually and gender diverse students and allies, or help support diversity and inclusiveness at Bond by joining the Bond Pride Alliance.
Support Services:
Diverse Voices Peer to peer telephone and internet counselling
Queensland AIDS Council - Sexual health and wellbeing
The National LGBTI Health Alliance
Trans Student Educational Resources -
COVID-19 Resources
Dealing with COVID-19 anxiety: Mental Health First Aid Australia
Supporting You Through the COVID-19 Pandemic: This Way Up (online courses for FREE due to COVID-19, including specific resources for support through the pandemic).
29k App (offering free courses, exercises, and meditations).
Act Mindfully (offering free mindfulness recordings and exercises).
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) (information on safety, mental health, working from home, seeking help, and tips for helping others).
Lifeline (Lifeline is now offering support via phone, text or online chats).
Black Dog Institute (articles, digital tools, and resources).
Coursera (free courses taught by top instructors from world-class universities and companies)
Future Learn (free high-quality learning wherever you are, with online courses created by leading universities, business schools, and specialist organisations)
Future Learn - Mindfulness and Wellbeing Courses (explore the art of of mindfulness and discover how mental well-being can better help you meet the challenges of modern life)
TEN - The Essential Network, an app supporting Health Professionals to manage life and work through COVID-19.
Introducing our Student Counsellor
Felicity Miller has created a safe and respectful environment for students to access free and confidential psychological support. Felicity is a registered psychologist, and whilst based in the faculty, she operates independently of the teaching and disciplinary framework. This means that counselling with Felicity remains private and independent of academic progression. Read on for more information on Felicity, counselling and confidentiality.
Student Wellbeing Services include
- Psychological counselling for students (individual or small group)
- Consultation services to students and staff
- Referral to BU services and external agencies as appropriate
- Proactive psychosocial-educational workshops on relevant issues, typically embedded within programs
- Psychological First Aid (best practice in crisis response)
- Mental Health First Aid (see below)
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Counselling
Felicity has provided counselling to thousands of tertiary students, helping them navigate issues that affect health and wellbeing, studies and university life. She has a strong interest, additional training and experience in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), while also drawing on Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Solution Focused therapy, Narrative therapy, and Motivational interviewing as appropriate. Felicity employs strategies including mindfulness to help clients identify issues, explore alternatives and make their desired changes.
Students report that counselling can help significantly with issues like:
- Adjusting to university life
- Navigating the transition into adulthood and independence
- Finding personal meaning, life purpose and confidence
- Working through significant changes including life/family/health events
- Relationship challenges or conflicts
- improving wellbeing and daily functioning
- Mental health issues such as anxiety or depression
- Fatigue and stress management
- Exploring your personality, your values and your motivation
- Academic, study-related or placement concerns
- Responding to a crisis, including Psychological First Aid protocols
- Interpersonal skills and concerns
- Dealing with loss and grief
- Motivation V procrastination
- Perfectionism V discovery
- Sexuality and gender issues
- Managing substance use and its impacts
- Harassment and discrimination
- Concerns about someone else
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Contact Felicity
Felicity Miller
Student Counsellor
Faculty of Health Sciences & Medicine
Email: [email protected]
(If your issue is time-sensitive, please do not solely rely on email)
Mobile: 0437 820 627
Location: (Main Campus) Building 5, Level 1, Room 14
And visiting the Bond Institute of Health and Sport, Gold Coast University Hospital, Tweed Hospital and The Wesley Hospital -
Book a Counselling Appointment
Individual 50-minute appointments are available throughout the week, either face to face, or via telephone or Skype. Priority will be given to time-sensitive issues, with longer-term or chronic issues possibly being referred externally.
You can make an appointment using our online bookings.
If there are no suitable times available online, contact Felicity to arrange an alternative time.
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Counselling Intake Form
Please download and complete the Intake Form and return email to Felicity prior to your initial appointment (with signature) or bring a hard copy to your first appointment.
NB: To reschedule or cancel an appointment, please advise as soon as possible so the appointment can be offered to someone else. If you require an urgent appointment, please call rather than email, or access other services. -
Confidentiality & management of client information
All psychologists in Australia are registered with AHPRA and follow the Australian Psychological Society's Professional Code of Ethics (2007) .
Personal information is collected to enable assessment, referral and management of your situation. Collected information is managed in accordance with the Information Privacy Act (QLD) 2009. For Information on how Bond University specifically manages your personal information visit the Bond University Privacy page or access a copy of the University’s Information Privacy Policy
An electronic case management system is used which ensures appropriate levels of access to personal information, to facilitate the appointment and referral management process and for unidentified data analysis. Personal files are stored for seven years after the last date of consultation. Files may be accessed on request, subject to the exceptions in the National Privacy Principles (NPPs) contained in schedule 3 of the Privacy Act 1988 (Commonwealth).
Personal files and information are kept secure and confidential by Student Wellbeing except when:
1. The file is subpoenaed by a court;
2. Failure to disclose will place the client or another person at risk;
3. Prior approval has been obtained by the client to:
a) Provide a written report to another professional or agency (including academic staff)
b) Discuss the information with another person -
Mental Health First Aid
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is much like physical First Aid, in that it empowers community members to provide effective initial support to someone who is developing a mental health problem, has a worsening of an existing mental health problem or is in a mental health crisis. The first aid is given until appropriate professional help is received or the crisis resolves. Felicity is an accredited MHFA Master instructor, offering this important course to staff and students right across the Faculty.
Mental Health First Aiders learn the signs and symptoms of mental health problems, where and how to get help and what sort of help has been shown by research to be effective. Staff and students can choose between completing Standard MHFA over 2 days, or MHFA for Tertiary Students which is a blended option, involving online modules followed by a 4-hour workshop with Felicity. Both options lead to 3-year Mental Health First Aider accreditation, which is internationally recognised. Watch iLearn for course offerings, and contact Felicity with any questions.
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Felicity Miller biography
Felicity has provided counselling to tertiary students for most of her adult life and wouldn’t have it any other way! It was HSM’s serious commitment to wellbeing via this unique Student Wellbeing role within a faculty, that attracted Felicity to Bond University, after 12 years as a Senior Psychologist with the Counselling Service at James Cook University in Cairns.
Felicity holds a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) and Graduate Diploma of Education from the University of Wollongong, a Master of Education from Deakin University, and a Post Graduate Diploma of Psychology from Charles Sturt University. Felicity has experience as a full-time, on campus student, and a distance/external part-time student, and has a deep appreciation of the unique challenges of being a university student.
Evidence-based psychological interventions to ensure students stay well, study well and embrace their potential is Felicity’s focus. Her aim is to encourage and support students to build resilience and insight, to learn how to manage difficult thoughts, feelings and experiences, and to cultivate long-lasting healthy vitality and wellbeing through committed, values-based actions.
Her personal and professional passion since 2006 has been Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and she is currently enrolled in an Advanced Diploma in Hypnotherapy, to add to the range of techniques she can choose from to support each student most effectively.
If you’re curious about counselling, would like to explore your wellbeing, personality style and values, or want some guidance navigating your life right now, make an appointment now!
You can read student testimonials below