Teacher-Led Counseling: A Key Approach to Enhancing Student Mental Health at Universities

Language classrooms, where speaking, presenting, and interaction are central, can often heighten students' anxiety and stress. Communication-related stress, combined with broader academic pressures, can negatively affect both mental health and learning outcomes. In alignment with SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 4 (Quality Education) and Saudi Arabia's educational vision, which prioritizes student well-being alongside academic excellence, this study explores the role of teacher-led counselling—particularly by English language teachers and academic advisors—in supporting student mental health and emotional regulation. This mixed-method study was conducted at a Saudi university with 150 students aged 18–25. Quantitative data were collected through structured questionnaires targeting both students and teachers, while qualitative insights were drawn from university documents, mental health policies, and students' narrative reflections. An experimental group of 21 students from English-speaking skills classes, who reported anxiety, stress, or depression, received teacher-advisor counselling interventions. A matched control group was retrospectively identified from the remaining participants who reported similar anxiety levels but did not receive counselling, allowing for quasi-experimental comparison. The analysis, grounded in narrative analysis and Interactional Sociolinguistics, examined how students narrated experiences of anxiety and positioned themselves emotionally in classroom interactions. Findings highlight that teacher-advisor counselling significantly supported emotional coping, reduced communication anxiety, and improved language performance. The study also identified challenges related to teacher readiness and institutional support for mental health initiatives. Emphasizing the intersection of language education, communication anxiety, and student well-being, the research proposes a communication-centred, advisor-integrated model for early mental health intervention in higher education.