Student wellbeing can be broadly defined as a student’s overall development and quality of life that underpins every aspect of a student’s schooling, from their ability to learn in class, to their ability to build positive relationships. It is a fundamental component of the school experience, and is just as important as academic learning.
Student wellbeing can change day to day, month to month and year to year. And it is affected by changes happening inside, as well as the changes in the world around us. Wellbeing doesn’t mean our students feel good all the time. But it does mean that they have the skills, the resources and the capacity to cope with stress and the ensuing emotions in adaptive ways. To further this aim, KGS offers Wellness Counselling services to our students, with counsellors / School Psychologists available in all three sections of the Karachi Grammar School, in order to provide a safe space, where students can share or unburden and talk about things they may feel uncomfortable talking about with someone else, without fear of judgement, and in complete confidence. The Wellbeing Counsellors also act as experts who provide relevant and essential information to our students, not only through one on one counselling, but also through assessments, focus groups and group sessions or assemblies, through which many common issues can be addressed. The aim and the purpose and most certainly the hope is to create a more open, a more accepting, a kinder and a more nurturing environment in our school, where students can flourish.
Neha Gazdar, Head of Wellness Counselling, is a Certified Practising Counsellor registered with PACFA (Australia) and an alumna of Monash University, Australia and RMIT University, Australia, dedicated to fostering emotional well-being and resilience within the school community. She is an experienced and compassionate School Counsellor with a track record of supporting students’ personal, social, and academic development. Skilled in evidence-based counselling techniques, collaboration, and cultural sensitivity. Committed to creating a safe and inclusive environment, tailoring counselling services to meet individual needs. Upholds confidentiality and ethical practice. Dedicated to empowering students, building resilience, and making a positive impact on their lives. With extensive overseas experience and a passion for creating a safe and inclusive environment, she believes in the power of teamwork to drive positive change. She has successfully led initiatives such as R U OK? Day, Stress Management Olympics, and Meet and Greet sessions that promote mental health awareness and emotional intelligence. Known for innovative strategies like Peer Connect club and Empathetic Leadership, she empowers students and staff to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. Through a collaborative approach, she is committed to nurturing a culture of compassion, safety, and holistic growth within the school.
My name is Misha Agha, and I am the Wellness Counsellor at KGS. I’ve done my Bachelor’s degree from the University of Warwick, UK, and my Masters in Psychology from California Southern University, USA. I have also completed my diploma at CPPD, UK, which is the Center of Personal and Professional Studies, a counselling training school. I have over 5 years of clinical experience in schools and private practice and as a Psychologist with a training in Humanistic Integrative Counselling I use an eclectic approach in my work and specialize in helping students dealing with anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and other pathologies.
As a Wellness Counsellor at Karachi Grammar School, Mrs. Amna Tariq is committed to supporting the mental well-being of children and adolescents. A skilled Clinical Psychologist, she holds an MSc. in Child and Adolescent Mental Health from King’s College London and has been actively working in the field for several years. Her research at the Michael Rutter Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience(IOPPN), King’s College London, explored the link between conduct disorders in children and parental discord. She has also worked closely with O- and A-Level students as a psychometrician in collaboration with the British Council, Pakistan. Mrs. Tariq specializes in psychological assessments, offering a comprehensive evaluation of children’s strengths and challenges across social, academic, psychological, and emotional domains. Her expertise allows her to guide young individuals through mental health challenges, helping them build resilience, enhance well-being, and reach their full potential.
Arham Hashmi (Wellness Counsellor – Middle Section) Contact: counsellor.hashmi@kgs.edu.pk Arham Hashmi, with undergraduate education in Clinical Psychology and Creative Writing from Skidmore College in New York, has worked in mental health and counselling for over three years now. From working directly with patients at Goodwill Industries’ residential facilities, conduction applied behavioural analysis (ABA) at Proud Moments, to developing and running wellbeing programs for students studying abroad at CEA CAPA London, Arham’s interest oscillate between the topics of grief, trauma, emotional regulation, goal setting, relationships, as well as of change and transition, especially with young individuals. Arham is also a certified Crisis Counsellor with intensive training is Peer Counselling too. While in college, they led the Peer Health Education program for three years. At the Middle Section, alongside working with students one-on-one, Arham aims to add onto the everyday wellness activities, bring nuance to kind and supportive student connections, enhancing the student/staff experience on campus. Incorporating their other interests of dancing, movement, storytelling and writing, Arham plans to work a lot with the creativity and intrigue that resides within each teenager, and facilitate their understanding of their thoughts, actions and behaviour. Arham firmly believes in the human-centric approach to counselling, and keeps student advocacy and safety in focus throughout their work.
Adviser
In addition to being a Careers & University adviser for the past many years, Ayesha is the Head of the Economics Department at Karachi Grammar School. She works closely with students in both capacities to ensure that they are preparing intellectually and socially for their futures. She has attended national and international college counselling conferences and strongly believes that the process requires complete honesty and commitment for success.
Adviser
Currently teaching Economics to A Level students, Sitwat has been involved with the education sector since 2002. She has been a College Counsellor for seven years at Karachi Grammar School.
nOur Structurenu2018The Counselling Department comprises 10 experienced Counsellors and a dedicated office staff. We are an integral part of the studentsu2019 educational experience at the College Section, and we work in close collaboration with students and families to ensure that the college planning and application process is personalised and meaningful. In addition to the college application process, the Counselling Department facilitates well-informed selection of academic subjects at the O and A level and meaningful engagement in activities.nnu2018Our Portfolio Advisors work with students in Years 10-12, guiding them and encouraging them to take part in activities that will help them explore their academic and personal interests, strengthen their existing skills and develop new competencies. In the second term of Year 12, students start one-on-one meetings with a Counsellor who will guide and support them throughout Year 13.u2019
u2018Structured super- and extra- curricular activities and meaningful community service help our students to gain the most benefit from their time in the College Section. Through participation in these activities, students extend their learning outside the classroom and gain a stronger understanding of their personal values and goals for the future.nnu2018The skills and knowledge gained through participation in club activities, sports, competitions and independent exploration of subjects beyond the curriculum all prepare them for competitive college admissions and rigorous university level studies. Thorough this proactive engagement with their interests, students demonstrate their enthusiasm for learning and their desire to contribute positively to the communities of which they are a member.
u2018In Year 12, students work with their counsellors to identify target universities that are the best match for their interests and requirements, and that give the best potential for offers of admission and financial aid, if required. The summer of Year 12 is an important time for students to focus on researching university options, writing resumes, and making headway with application essays.nnThe application process itself begins early in Year 13; with application requirements and deadlines varying based on country and university. Students work on crafting an application that will best represent their strengths and accomplishments, provide context for their achievements in and out of the classroom, and demonstrate their interest in the programmes and universities that they are applying to. Our counsellors work closely with students and parents to guide them through the process (including the all-important essays) to ensure the best possible outcome for each student. Counselling and application support are ongoing throughout the year, through final school transcripts and dispatch of A Level results.u2019
For the Alumni Talks programme, recent graduates of KGS are invited to share their experiences with current students in a series of country-specific and occupation-specific panel discussions.
KGS hosts a college fair with visiting representatives from colleges and universities in the United States, and also organises information sessions for university representatives from other countries including Canada, Hong Kong, Turkey and the United Kingdom, as well as Pakistan.
All applicants invited to departmental interviews at Oxford or Cambridge were offered the opportunity to take part in mock interviews with relevant subject teachers and with alumni studying in those subjects at Oxford/Cambridge.
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