You don't need to overhaul everything. You might just need to shift gears.
Shifting Gears offers one focused conversation for up to 50 minutes with an experienced and qualified professional, usually online. Choose one issue you would most like help with and leave with greater clarity and helpful next steps.
Who is it for?
University of Westminster students aged 18 or over who identify as men, including trans men, who would like to look at a problem differently or try a new approach.
Register with the Student Counselling and Mental Health Service using the online registration form. Mention “Shifting Gears” in the box headed “Please provide a brief outline of what’s been happening”.
What could I discuss?
Anything that is getting in your way, including:
- stress, pressure or feeling overwhelmed
- lack of confidence or motivation
- relationship or performance worries
- feeling stuck, or unsure what to do next
What is the session like?
- one focused conversation with an experienced professional, usually online
- no long-term commitment
- you choose what you want to talk about
- helpful ideas and next steps while staying in control
Why a single session?
We have found that a single focused conversation is often enough to help people move forward. If further support is needed later, then the Student Counselling & Mental Health Service can be used.
Designed with students
Shifting Gears was co-designed with male students at Westminster who wanted support for students that was brief, practical, straightforward and useful.
Confidentiality
What you discuss will be kept confidential between you and your practitioner. We would only need to share information in rare circumstances, such as a serious concern about someone’s safety or when legally required to do so.
Evaluation
We are evaluating Shifting Gears is see how helpful it is to students. Taking part in the evaluation is optional and will not affect your access to Shifting Gears. The evaluation has been approved by the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Research Ethics Committee (ETH2526-1112).
Who are the Shifting Gears practitioners?
Professor Windy Dryden is Emeritus Professor of Psychotherapeutic Studies at Goldsmiths, University of London, and a leading therapist, trainer and author specialising in single-session therapy and Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy.
Claire Addison is a UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) accredited integrative therapist specialising in brief and single-session therapy with diverse student populations, including extensive work supporting male students in higher education.
Who is running this project?
A team from the University of Westminster is guiding the project, including Prof Damien Ridge, Dr Tina Cartwright, Dr Alison Fixsen, Dr James Kempley, Eve Nwanari and Chantal Gautier.
Professor Damien Ridge, School of Social Sciences, is a British Association of Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP) accredited psychotherapist whose research focuses on mental health services and recovery.
Dr Alison Fixsen is a senior lecturer in the School of Social Sciences whose research focuses on critical mental health, self-care and community-based approaches to wellbeing.
Chantal Gautier is a Chartered Psychologist, a senior lecturer in the School of Social Sciences, and a UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) and College of Sexual and Relationship Therapy (COSRT) accredited sex and relationships therapist.
Dr Tina Cartwright is a health psychologist registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), whose research focuses on designing and evaluating interventions to support health and wellbeing.
Eve Nwaneri is a British Association of Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP) accredited Counsellor, as well as the Counselling and Mental Health service manager at the University of Westminster.
Dr James Kempley is the research associate working on the Shifting Gears project.
Need urgent support?
Shifting Gears is not an urgent or crisis service. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 999.
Urgent medical advice: 111
NHS 24/7 Mental Health Crisis Line (CNWL Single Point of Access): 0800 0234 650
Spectrum.Life 24/7 wellbeing helpline: 0800 031 8227 (UK) or +353 1 518 0277 (international). Access Spectrum.Life online.