Who we are
We offer appointment-based support to help you manage your mental health and wellbeing during your time at university.
Our professionally trained counsellors/mental health practitioners help people from many different backgrounds and cultures. The counsellors work according to the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) or the British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC) Code of Ethics and Practice.
Our staff are happy to talk to you about anything that’s bothering you, from an inability to study, poor concentration and depression, to relationship problems and bereavement.
We understand it may be difficult to ask for help, but we encourage you to get in touch. All sessions are confidential – see our code of practice on confidentiality and data protection on our Counselling and mental health - privacy statement page.
How we can help
Register for support
Important update: counselling service
The Counselling and Mental Health Service is making some improvements to better support you!
What’s happening over the winter period:
To align with the University’s winter closure period the Counselling service will be pausing new registrations from Friday 19 December 2025 to Monday 26 January 2026.
During this extended period, there will be a reduced service, as the team will be working on enhancements that will be available for students at the end of this period.
What support will continue during this period?
- Ongoing support for students already engaged with the service.
- Continued progress of the current waiting list.
What improvements are being made?
Over the winter period, the team will be:
- Finalising changes to help students access support more quickly.
- Refreshing the registration process to make it clearer and easier to navigate.
- Strengthening referral pathways so students are matched with the most appropriate support from the outset.
- Updating internal systems to support a more responsive service.
Need support during this time?
You're not alone - support is still available:
Support pathway sessions (In January 2026 only)
- Brief, informal drop-in sessions to learn about counselling services, understand how to register, and get guidance on accessing support.
- Cavendish Campus: Fridays, 12–1PM
- Harrow Campus: Tuesdays, 12–1PM (except 27 January 2026)
- No appointment needed. Speak with a counsellor for up to 15 minutes. These sessions are informational, not therapeutic support.
Spectrum Life - 24/7 Free Support
- Call anytime: UK: +44 800 031 8227
- International: +353 1 518 0277
- Online support: via the Spectrum.Life digital platform. You can sign up with your Westminster email address and using the code UWMSAP.
- Immediate help, wellbeing resources, online workshops and self-help tools
In a crisis?
- Emergency services: If your safety is at immediate risk, please call 999 or go to your nearest Accident and Emergency department.
- You can also Get help from 111 online or call 111 and select the mental health option.
Please see the Student FAQ about the Counselling Service Winter Pause.
Types of support
When you’ve registered with us, a counsellor will assess your situation and talk you through the support on offer. Types of support include:
- One-to-one appointments with counsellors/mental health practitioners online or face-to-face at our Cavendish and Harrow campuses
- Group sessions to explore personal and academic difficulties in a confidential setting with other students
- Workshops on a range of wellbeing topics
Enhanced counselling support - partnership with Brent Centre for Young People
The University of Westminster Counselling and Mental Health Service is pleased to offer expanded therapeutic support through our partnership with Brent Centre for Young People, a specialist organisation dedicated to providing mental health services for young people in the community.
What this means for you:
- We have specialist counsellors from Brent Centre for Young People now embedded within our service offering support for the Harrow Campus.
- They work as part of our team and follow the same professional standards and confidentiality protocols.
Data collection and service improvement:
As part of this partnership, Brent Centre for Young People will collect information, which is stored confidentially and always used anonymously to:
- Evaluate the impact and effectiveness of the therapeutic support provided
- Improve service delivery for current and future students
- Meet funding and reporting requirements
All data collection follows GDPR regulations and University of Westminster data protection policies. All data collected is strictly confidential and used anonymously, meaning your personal information is protected and cannot identify you in any reports, presentations or publications.
If you have any questions about this partnership or data collection, please email [email protected].
If you are in an emergency or crisis situation
If your safety is at immediate risk, please call 999 or go to your nearest Accident and Emergency department.
You can also Get help from 111 online or call 111 and select the mental health option.
Need support today?
If you are not in crisis you can speak to a mental health professional 24/7 via our service partner Spectrum.Life Helpline:
- UK: +44 800 031 8227
- International: +353 1 518 0277
For sources of support outside office hours, download our crisis and urgent support leaflet below:
Workshops and events
The service runs workshops and events throughout the year.
To find out about these activities, keep an eye on the student events listing on the Student Hub homepage or get in touch with us at [email protected].
Our locations
If you have booked a face-to-face counselling appointment, you can find us at the following locations:
Cavendish Campus
We are based on the first floor of 115 New Cavendish Street, London W1W 6UW.
Harrow Campus
We are based in the Wellbeing Suite, close to the reception at the Watford Road entrance of the Harrow Campus.
Related pages
Contact us
You can call or email us using the details below: