We believe that when it comes to mental health, a tailored approach works best. Traditional face-to-face therapy is relatively inflexible and increasingly students like you, are seeking customized services to fit their busy lives.
Our stepped care model offers many options and you are encouraged to "step on" and "step off" at the right time, and in the right place for you. Check out our stepped care model to see where you fit.
Feelings of stress are a normal part of life and motivate us to move forward however, when stress is too intense or too prolonged it can negatively impact our lives. Many post-secondary students report feelings of stress before big events like exams, class presentations, or times of financial or family worries.
Self-care plays a significant role in keeping oneself physically and mentally healthy. Self-care is different for each person, however, some basic self-care includes things like: eating regularly and nutritiously, having a good sleep routine, positive self-talk/reassurance, exercise, making time for yourself a priority, reward theory (having something to look forward to), meditation/mindfulness practices, relaxation techniques (breathing, muscle tensing/relaxing), yoga, or having support persons easily accessible.
If you're struggling with difficult feelings and need to talk to someone quickly, including if you're not ready or able to access other types of support, helplines can help by letting you talk through your feelings and experiences without judgement. Some services are staffed by professional counsellors, some by trained listeners and some by peers with lived experience.
The counselling process occurs when a client and counsellor set aside time to explore difficulties which may include the stressful or emotional feelings of the client. This can enable the client to focus on feelings, experiences or behaviour, with the goal of facilitating positive change. Counselling can be both short-term and long-term, depending on the issue(s) presented and the plan agreed upon between the counsellor and the client. Oftentimes, people find that one session is extremely beneficial in beginning to make changes and work toward goals.
When there is a need for follow up, counsellors work with their client in order to determine the best course of action -- this may include recommending that you continue with using same-day appointments as needed (“one-at-a-time therapy”), developing a treatment plan to work on through on-going therapy or referral to specialized services.
| Thunder Bay |
Student Health and Wellness Student Health and Wellness (SHW) offers same day/next day counselling appointments for students from Monday-Friday with some virtual appointments on evenings and weekends. Call 807-343-8361 or visit lakeheadu.ca/shw-couns. It is important to recognize that SHW is not an immediate crisis centre. It is possible that mental health concerns students have may be out of the SHW counsellors’ scope of practice. Such issues include but are not limited to:
If this is the case, SHW counsellors will refer the student to a mental health provider in the community in order to ensure that students have a wide range of access to services that will better suit their long-term needs. |
| Orillia |
It is important to recognize that Student Health and Wellness (SHW) is not an immediate crisis centre. It is possible that mental health concerns students have may be out of the SHW counsellors’ scope of practice. Such issues include but are not limited to:
If this is the case, SHW counsellors will refer the student to a mental health provider in the community in order to ensure that students have a wide range of access to services that will better suit their long-term needs. You can request an appointment through mySuccess. |
Are you feeling desperate and hopeless, worried you might hurt yourself or someone else, or having suicidal thoughts and alone with no one to talk to? Please get help immediately! Please do one of the following:
Call 9-1-1.
