The Center was founded by Rector Act on 26^th October 1990 and in 2002 it started operating as the official Laboratory of the Psychology Section of the Psychology, Pedagogy and Psychology Department (Official Government Journal N.99), under the name "Psychological Counseling Laboratory for Students". The Laboratory is a member of FEDORA (European Forum for Counseling in Higher Education) and a founding member of FEDORA-PSYCHE (industry FEDORA for the psychological counseling for students, www.fedora.eu.org).

The main purpose of the Laboratory is to support and help students to cope efficiently with problems that may occur during their student life. Specifically, the main objectives of the Laboratory are:

• Coverage of teaching and research needs for both undergraduates and graduates of the Department of Philosophy, Pedagogy and Psychology, School of Philosophy, as well as other departments of the University of Athens, concerning issues associated with the lab activities.
• Different types of collaboration with research centers and academic institutions, either locally or abroad, provided that the scientific objectives coincide and are consistent and complementary with the Laboratory objectives.
• Organization of scientific conferences, seminars, symposium conferences and other scientific events, creation of publications and editions and invitations of well-known scientists from Greece and abroad.
• Provide services to individuals as described in PD 159/1984 (A 53).

The action of the Laboratory of Psychological Counseling Students is multilayered and is based on the Laboratory objectives. Firstly, psychological and counseling psychotherapy is being practiced on an individual and group basis. In addition, the Laboratory also provides psychosocial support to students with disabilities, as well as foreign students. It also provides consulting services via computer (tele-counseling), while it undertakes a number of research activities. Research is being conducted in the Laboratory mainly concerning the attitudes and psychosocial needs of the student population. The third objective of the Laboratory concerns education. Each year, two to three postgraduate students of the department of Clinical Psychology, University of Athens, are trained on psychological students’ counseling. In addition, training programs and exercise skills on psychological students’ counseling are being provided to executives of Counseling centers and Universities. The fourth activity of the Laboratory concerns primary prevention and includes seminars, workshops, and conferences aiming to raise awareness among the student population on various academic subjects and social or mental health issues that concern them directly. The fifth activity of the Laboratory concerns its publications.

The sixth activity includes Laboratory collaborations with other institutions of mental health, or other, with the aim, on the one hand, to gain a more fulfilled functioning and, on the other hand, to conduct joint research or intervention programs. This action also includes collaborations with European programs designed to inform and exchange experience on issues related to student counseling. Finally, the seventh activity of the Laboratory is to provide counseling, psychotherapy and education to individuals or organizations outside the University. This activity will in the future open up to the general population and the wider community.

The Section of Psychology of the University of Athens is responsible for the scientific work and supervision of the Laboratory. Apart from the permanent staff of the Laboratory, services on a voluntary basis are offered by external scientific collaborators. The Laboratory staff is also comprised by students of the Clinical Psychology Graduate Program that are studying and exercising for their internship at the Laboratory.

The Laboratory is targeted to students of all Departments of the University of Athens and provides support and counseling on several issues:
a) Studies - student life (e.g. exam stress, difficulties in studying, adapting to student life).
b) Relationship problems (e.g. friends, classmates, family, partner).
c) Other personal problems including anxiety (e.g. poor performance, lack of interest, physical implications with psychological isolation problems). Experts working in the Laboratory do not belong to the University Department.

 
Contact info:

Tel.:  +30 210 727 7554, +30  210 727 7553