Richmond Psychology Association

The Richmond Psychology Association (RPA), founded in 2011, aims to further educate Psychology students, encourage awareness about relevant psychological issues beyond the classroom, and help support student mental health and well-being.

For details on Leadership team for Richmond Psychology Association or PsiChi, the International Honour Society, click the button or contact Dr. Ira Konstantinou, Head of the Psychology department.

A group of people holding certificates stand by a Richmond University sign, smiling and posing for a photo indoors.

What we do:

RPA is passionate about supporting students like YOU by working to complement students’ academic journeys, as well as supporting their mental health by advocating for a university-wide culture of wellbeing. We host events including talks by experts in different areas within Psychology, career development workshops, dog therapy, suicide prevention, kindness campaigns, yoga, Virgin Active day passes, mental health awareness, and exam stress management.

The RPA is affiliated with the British Psychological Society (BPS) and Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology.

We recognise the pandemic’s toll on our mental health and are actively working to support student wellbeing at this time of crisis.

In Fall 2019, PsiChi chapter leaders started the Wellbeing Project, in which data was collected from students, faculty, and staff on their wellbeing. This data has been analysed and a report was produced with outcomes and recommendations for a whole-university approach to promote mental health and wellbeing.

Our main goals with this project are to:

  1. Optimise and expand upon existing mental health support
  2. Improve provision of mental health resources
  3. Deliver a graded approach to mental health training
  4. Implement a standard procedure for managing and intervening with mental health crisis. As a first step to addressing this, we have created a resource package and flowchart which contains all information you may to navigate your mental health needs and seek support as a member of the Richmond community

Read our comprehensive guide to mental health and wellbeing support at Richmond, Click here.

This resource is for everyone, students, faculty, and staff and it includes guidance on appropriate management of mental health on-campus, what support is available, how to help yourself cope with mental health, how to support a friend or colleague experiencing difficulties, how to seek professional mental health help within and outside of the university, helplines, support groups, training, and specialised support for student employees, members of the LGBTQ+ community, students struggling financially, and individuals with long-term physical/mental health conditions or disabilities.

Contact [email protected] for more information on how you can get involved, what opportunities are available, and how we can best support you. We are here for you and happy to help.

We are not qualified or able to offer direct mental health support, however, we are able to direct you to someone who is.

For 24/7 mental health support, call SAMARITANS at 116 123, or text “SHOUT” to 58258.

Additional Resources

For general mental health psychoeducation and support in London, visit good-thinking.uk and in Leeds, visit mindwell-leeds.org.uk.

Flowchart for managing mental health on campus, including emergency contacts, counseling resources, and steps for feeling emotionally distressed or experiencing suicidal thoughts.