The University of Westminster has launched the Westminster Community Counselling Service (WCCS), providing counselling to residents in the City of Westminster. The WCCS aims to help address the growing demand for mental health support across the borough, particularly for under-served communities, and give graduates and trainees from the University the chance to put their studies into practice.
After a year-long pilot, the WCCS has opened its doors to the University’s wider local community. The service is led by Westminster’s Dr Nikolaos Souvlakis, Senior Lecturer in Psychology and Counselling, with the support of Professor Damien Ridge, Health Services Researcher and Psychotherapist, and Alan Porter, Head of Westminster’s School of Social Sciences.
The service will provide targeted support using evidence-based methods for treating depression and anxiety, which are two of the most prevalent conditions in the borough according to the City of Westminster’s Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA). Counselling will be delivered by graduates and trainees from the University’s two-year Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling, all of whom are supervised by highly experienced academic colleagues and supported through ongoing professional development.
WCCS is committed to addressing the rising prevalence of anxiety and depression, reducing the disproportionate mental health challenges faced by LGBTQ+ and ethnic minority communities, and tackling the stark health inequalities across the UK. The service will prioritise reaching the under-served population of the City of Westminster’s most deprived wards, where, according to the JSNA, around 28% of residents report high levels of anxiety overall.
The team aims for WCCS to become part of a wider University of Westminster community-based approach to health and well-being that integrates healthcare, education, research and community engagement. This aligns with the University’s Being Westminster strategic vision to contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society and its institutional commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
WCCS will also become an integral part of the wider research undertaken at the Westminster Centre for Psychological Sciences (WCPS), ensuring that the service is continually evaluated and kept up to date.
Dr Nikolaos Souvlakis
About WCCS, Service Lead Dr Nikolaos Souvlakis said: “With anxiety and depression continuing to rise, our aim is to offer timely, high-quality counselling to people who might otherwise fall through the cracks. The Westminster Community Counselling Service is agile, evidence-based and rooted in the diversity of our local area – making sure that people get the right support when they need it.”
Professor Damien Ridge, WCCS Deputy Lead, added: “This service reflects our University’s deep commitment to addressing inequalities. By prioritising those who often struggle most to access support, such as LGBTQ+ people, ethnic minorities and those in more deprived wards, we are taking a meaningful step towards closing the mental health gap in Westminster.”
Head of the Westminster School of Social Sciences Alan Porter said: “The Westminster Community Counselling Service is a unique training ground for our counselling students and graduates. It brings together education, research and community engagement in a way that embodies our School’s mission – to make a real difference in people’s lives.”
WCCS contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3: Good Health and Well-being and 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Find out more about studying Psychology and Counselling at the University of Westminster.
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