Greetings

Warm greetings to every student at Hokkaido University!

Currently, a crisis confronts the entire world—on a scale never before experienced. As our society and region attempt to address the enormous consequences of the coronavirus, the lives of Hokkaido students have been severely disrupted. The extent of the disruption might vary from student to student, but all of us have to deal with uncertainties about how to move on with life.

As we try to do so, finding a balance between maintaining the stable core around which our lives previously revolved and discovering new facets of life as society undergoes tremendous transformation are both crucial actions. Although finding this balance might sound profound and difficult, we can actually find it in every aspect of our everyday lives.

All animals, including human beings, repeat cycles of sleeping, waking, and eating. In human beings, however, these cycles break down extremely easily, more so than in any other animal. This happens especially in stressful environments where our concerns and worries multiply and our previously secure foundation may wobble precariously. On the other hand, moving forward and seeking new facets in our lives is how we connect our current selves to the future. If we cannot clearly see what lies ahead of us, we are forced to stumble into the future through the darkness. Thus, a stable foundation for our lives is necessary to ensure some degree of certainty.

If you feel like you have come to a standstill and you are confused about how to proceed in life and as a student, contacting the Student Advice and Counseling Centre (SACC) might be an excellent way to escape your current predicament.

You might hesitate to do so—perhaps you are unsure of where you are, or perhaps you are struggling to convey what you feel. Nevertheless, speaking to someone, anyone, who can help you express your feelings, is a huge step forward that will help you to effect change in your life. Please let us hear your voice, so we can connect you to a new future, and bring some stability to a world that seems to be crumbling around you.

The SACC provides the following services:

• The Student Counseling Office where students can seek advice about any topic
• The Accessibility Services Office for students who need additional support in their course of learning
• The International Student Counseling office, with English-speaking services catering both to international students studying at the university and to Hokkaido University students planning to study overseas
• The Peer Support Unit that enables our students to support their friends and classmates from the insightful perspective of a fellow student

SACC staff are eager to actively support every Hokkaido University student. The various units have specialized student-support staff who will listen attentively to what you have to say and provide thoughtful and meaningful counseling. Needless to say, our staff must protect the confidentiality of those they counsel. Your conversations with us will not be shared with any other parties. 

The coronavirus crisis has yet to subside, but the SACC has tried its best to maintain, and even expand, its student-support functions. We hope to continue to support the lives of all our students—your life—at Hokkaido University.

Jun Adachi, Director

Purpose/Major Services of the Center

The Student Advice and Counseling Center is the on-campus facility which plays a central role in providing consultation services to students.
Clinical psychologists and coordinators provide the following services to find solutions to the various needs of students.

What Is Counseling?

Counseling is effective for various issues.
If you are interested, do not hesitate to contact us.

Structure of the Student Advice and Counseling Center

The Student Advice and Counseling Center is the on-campus facility which plays a central role in providing the student counseling services.
We are here to ensure you live the best life with the following support structure.

Cooperation with Institutions/Support Organizations inside and outside the university

We take all measures to provide mental health support to students. We cooperate with support organizations within the university such as the Health Care Center, Harassment Services Office, the Learning Support Office, the Career Center as well as all departments/schools, or we can introduce you to outside clinics when necessary.
Do not hesitate to visit us as your confidentiality is fully protected when we work with organizations inside or outside of the university.

For the list of related organizations, see “Related Support Organizations of Student Counseling Office” page.
For the guidelines of the support organizations of Hokkaido University, see “For HU Students Support Guide(PDF)”.

Publications

You can see the overview of the SACC in the SACC brochure (PDF).
Please take a look if you would like.　
*Chinese version-簡体字（PDF） * Chinese version- 繁体字（PDF）