The Centre for Psychological Counselling and Mediation has been launched at the university as part of the "The New Opportunities for the University" project. It can be used by both staff members who feel burnt out professionally and students experiencing a crisis.

The meetings are held in Polish, English or sign language. The Centre was established in cooperation with the Association for Equal Access to Education – "Your New Opportunities".

– I often come across a fairly common opinion that a psychologist is for those who are weak, oversensitive, or not doing well in their lives. The stereotype according to which children are made to believe that “boys don't cry” confirms the conviction of boys, and then men, that a “real man” copes with his problems on his own. However, more and more parents are attaching importance to ensuring that their children are aware that all emotions are needed and that they can be dealt with safely. That boys also cry and can be sad, and that adults sometimes, when they have a problem, also look for support from a psychologist or therapist – says Mateusz Kur, a psychologist from WUST’s Centre for Psychological Consultation and Mediation.

This is why the course offers support not only to students who, for various reasons, have found themselves in a crisis, are unable to cope with the reality around them, or the isolation caused by the pandemic, online activities, and the frequent lack of contact with their peers. The psychologist also offers assistance to WUST employees who experience professional burnout.

Between stress and burnout

– Until recently, professional burnout was regarded as a high level of stress. In fact, there’s a difference between stress and burnout. Stress has a physical effect on you at first. Professional burnout, on the other hand, is already an emotional problem. So those welcome to approach me are people who have noticed some changes in the way they operate, their approach to work, performance versus requirements, and those who experience a lack of satisfaction with their work – explains Dr Kur.

The psychologist recalls that in 2020, professional burnout has been recognised by the WHO as an occupational syndrome. It is not an individual disease but an occupational syndrome, which means that it can affect any one of us.

– The remote learning situation caused quite a bit of chaos at first. We all had to orientate ourselves somehow. I think it has changed the way we see ourselves as teachers; it has changed the way we function as well as the level of stress – says Dr Kur.

Therefore, the centre offers support to employees in the following areas: a better understanding of the problems faced by students with disabilities, preparation of amenities or the way of working with students with disabilities, communication problems between students and the university and vice versa, and conflict situations during classes or the examination session.

A new place, a new role... difficulties settling in

– I also help people adapt to a new place or role. This may apply to students who come to the city their remote hometown. I imagine that such a change can be stressful, whether you are a student or an employee. You can experience a kind of difficulty here.An important aspect of the centre's activities is to help students with various types of disabilities who can expect support in the areas of education and socio-professional activation within the framework of the “Your New Opportunities” association.

The psychologist Mateusz Kur encourages all those in need of support to contact him online, make a phone call, or meet him in person at the headquarters of the Association "Your New Opportunities", (163 Hetmańska St., room 210-215) or at Wrocław University of Science and Technology (25 Wróblewskiego St., room 6.1) during his weekly duty on Tuesdays from 12:00 p.m. to 04:00 p.m. and Wednesdays from 08:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

You can make an appointment by e-mail: m.kur@tnm.org.pl or by phone: 516 005 583. For more information about the centre, please click on the link.

Mateusz Kur is a qualified psychologist and cultural anthropologist. He is interested in the holistic approach to the human being, which allows him to combine "different modalities in cognitive and emotional terms, as well as in terms of working with the body" in therapeutic practice. He is familiar with the issues of disabled people, including the deaf, thanks to his knowledge of the sign language. His many years’ experience in working with foreigners supported by his very good command of English and study background allows him to operate in the field of support for people from different cultures.