Individual counseling
At P.A.R.T.S, student counselor Raquel Carvalheiro offers first-line and short-term counseling for students who might face different problems such as anxiety, stress, self-harm, self-esteem, eating disorders, body/gender issues, disassociation, depression, difficulty adapting/homesickness, panic attacks, relationship issues, pain and injury, trauma, performance anxiety and so on.
However large or small it may feel, students are welcome for any type of problem or question.
If a student needs more specialized care or therapy, the counselor supports them by redirecting them to suitable external help in Brussels. This entails finding the right psychologist/therapist, psychiatrist, or social worker for the student.
The counseling service is free and confidential (unless the student is at risk), and available for all students to access.
Students can make an appointment by contacting Raquel Carvalheiro via email.
Group sessions
The student counselor also proposes and facilitates group sessions. They are free and non-obligatory. These sessions take 90 minutes and the students are divided into two groups.
There are two types of group sessions:
→ open discussions without a pre-defined topic
→ sessions with a specific theme (e.g. ‘time management’, ‘body’). These topics are not fixed. They vary according to each generation’s needs and requests. Both the students and the school management can propose certain themes.
Financial support
P.A.R.T.S offers financial support to access mental and physical health services. At the moment we are working on a new initiative that’s called Therapy and Medical Fund. More info will follow soon.
External help and resources
Here you can find an overview of websites and resources related to mental health & well-being. Please note that this is a non-exhaustive list. If you want more information or suggestions, you can always contact Raquel Carvalheiro.
Learn more about Raquel Carvalheiro
Raquel Carvalheiro (she/her) holds a Master’s degree in Social and Cultural Psychology, as well as a specialisation in Health and Clinical Psychology. She has over five years of experience in psychosocial intervention and health promotion, particularly with vulnerable and at- risk communities. She is skilled in intercultural competence, crisis intervention, harm reduction, and person-centred approaches, with a strong emphasis on safeguarding and inclusion. Her practice is grounded in humanistic principles, valuing diversity and the intersectionality of identities. Her guiding principle is to create safe and supportive environments where individuals feel respected and comfortable in their vulnerability.
Committed to continuous professional development, Raquel integrates cognitive-behavioural and somatic approaches into her work and continues to refine her practice through ongoing training and clinical supervision. She is also passionate about research, with a particular interest in the social determinants of health and mental health, and in how research can inform policy and systemic change.