Professional counseling, online and in-person support, peer assistance, and educational programmes give students several ways to seek help and strengthen their well-being.
SEMARANG, Indonesia — Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES) provides students with access to mental health support through free counseling services, professional guidance, peer counseling, and educational activities. During 2025, university service units, faculties, and student organisations complemented these services with programmes addressing academic pressure, emotional awareness, stress management, and personal well-being.
Students can access support through the Guidance and Counseling Laboratory at the Faculty of Education and Psychology (FIPP) and the university’s Career and Counseling Center. Services address academic, personal, and career-related concerns, with options for both in-person and online counseling.
An Institutional Framework for Mental Health Support
Rector Regulation No. 117 of 2024 on Mental Health Services provides the institutional framework for psychological support at UNNES. Article 3 covers individual counseling delivered by psychologists or trained counselors, psychotherapy, emergency mental health assistance, and educational programmes.
The regulation provides for services to be delivered free of charge or at affordable rates. Article 5 makes support available to members of the academic community who experience mental health difficulties or require assistance, with access through direct visits or appointments. These provisions establish mental health support as a university responsibility.
Professional and Peer Counseling through the BK Laboratory
The Guidance and Counseling Laboratory, commonly known as Lab BK, provides an access point for students seeking assistance with personal, emotional, or academic concerns. Located within FIPP’s Guidance and Counseling Study Programme, the laboratory offers professional counseling and peer counseling through separate registration routes.
The university reports that free counseling is available to students, with access both on campus and online. Peer support through the Peer Counselor Community (PCC) provides an additional option for students who wish to discuss their concerns with trained peers.
Students can visit the BK Laboratory service page and select “Konseling Professional” for professional counseling or “Konseling Sebaya” for peer counseling. The page links directly to the respective registration forms and includes a laboratory contact option, making the available routes visible in one place.
Counseling and Study Support through LPPP
UNNES also provides free student counseling through its Language Services, Education Training, Career Guidance, Counseling, and Disability Center, within LPPP. This service offers another institutional route for students seeking guidance on academic challenges, personal difficulties, and career development. unnes.ac.id
Students can obtain counseling and disability-service information through the center’s published WhatsApp contact, +62 851-7951-0121. The official service information page provides further details about the center and its activities. Lembaga Pengembangan Pendidikan dan Profesi
Support for final-year students was demonstrated through “Fleksibilitas Mental: Kunci Menyikapi Tantangan Penyelesaian Studi” (“Mental Flexibility: The Key to Responding to Study Completion Challenges”), held on 21 May 2025 at the Prof. Satmoko LPPP Building.
The programme brought together 91 students from different study programmes who were completing theses, scientific publications, or MBKM reports. Facilitated by counseling practitioner Drajat Edy Kurniawan, S.Pd., M.Pd., the session explored academic pressure, difficulties choosing research topics, relationships with supervisors, and perfectionism.
Interactive discussion and personal reflection encouraged participants to identify their challenges and consider more flexible responses. The activity connected counseling education with the practical pressures students encounter near the end of their studies.
Heartline and Student Peer-Support Development
Student organisations complemented university counseling services through UNNES Well-Being. In March 2025, the Mental Health Ministry of BEM KM UNNES organised a four-session peer-counseling training programme facilitated by Iis Amalia, S.Psi., M.Psi., Psikolog.
Training covered peer-counselor responsibilities, counseling role-play, and self-reflection. These activities were intended to develop listening skills, self-awareness, and an understanding of the responsibilities involved in supporting fellow students.
UNNES Well-Being also introduced Heartline, an online peer-counseling service. Its 2025 programme information described availability from Monday to Friday, 08:00–20:00 WIB, with 60-minute sessions and up to three sessions per student, generally scheduled once a week. Registration was offered through the form linked in the UNNES Well-Being Instagram biography.
Heartline provided a structured opportunity for students to talk about their experiences and receive peer support. This role complements the professional counseling available through university service units.
Approachable Spaces for Sharing and Emotional Expression
The Heart2Heart Counseling Box, organised by UNNES Well-Being in collaboration with Setia Sekata, offered an informal setting for sharing feelings and experiences. Held at Kedai Romo from 27 March to 11 May 2025, the activity aimed to make supportive conversations approachable and welcoming.
On 17 May 2025, UNNES Well-Being organised MINDWELL 2025, themed “Let the Inner Child Speak: Accept, Heal, and Rise,” featuring psychologist Kuriake Satori, M.Si. The programme provided another opportunity to discuss emotional experiences and personal well-being.
Later, UNNES Mental Health 2025 included creative-expression activities described by organisers as art therapy and a talk show entitled “Untangling Together: Acceptance Through Eternal Love,” held on 11 October 2025.
Speakers included psychiatrist dr. Soesmeyka Savitri, Sp.KJ, creator Iwan Santosa, and psychologist Ihfan Nugroho Saputro. The activities encouraged expression and discussion around acceptance and emotional well-being, complementing the university’s individual support services.
Digital Education and Understanding Student Needs
UNNES Well-Being extended mental health education through Spotify discussions addressing experiences familiar to students. Topics included feelings of inadequacy in “Kenapa ya, aku nggak cukup baik buat semua orang?” and the pressure to remain positive in “When Positivity Becomes a Pressure: Let’s Talk About Toxic Positivity.”
A podcast collaboration with Ponpes Fathimah Al-Amin explored coping mechanisms. These digital resources offered opportunities to engage with mental health topics beyond scheduled campus events.
The programme also conducted a mental health survey to better understand students’ experiences and support needs. This added a channel for gathering student perspectives alongside counseling and awareness activities.
Mental Health Awareness across Campus
University and faculty activities throughout 2025 addressed mental health from several perspectives. An academic colloquium on 25 February, themed “Mental Health in the Modern Era,” discussed emotional learning in counseling and responses to personal and social challenges.
On 17 September, the seminar “Menjaga Jiwa, Meraih Asa: Strategi Mengelola Stres di Era Modern” addressed stress management and mental health awareness. A student executive board talk show and campaign on 10 October connected mental health discussions with sexual-violence prevention and a safer campus environment.
The November Justitia programme on 17 November included a mental health workshop and seminar for Generation Z students and staff, addressing academic stress, emotional regulation, and balance between study and personal life.
On 9 December, Psychology students from the 2023 and 2024 cohorts organised the KAWAN.DENGAR Mental Health Campaign 2025 in the UNNES area. Through a booth campaign and mini talk show themed “Self Awareness: Your Mind Matters, Your Life Is Precious,” participants explored awareness of their emotional, mental, and physical states.
Multiple Routes to Student Support
UNNES’s provision gives students several ways to access assistance: professional counseling, online and in-person appointments, peer support, study-completion guidance, and mental health education. Free counseling reduces financial barriers, while digital registration and student-led communication help make support easier to find.
The university’s service units provide continuing access to counseling, supported by activities that encourage students to recognise their needs and become more comfortable seeking guidance.
