Counselling services

At Student Health and Wellness, we have lots of resources available to support your mental health. There are many different types of support available because one size doesn't fit all. Check out our stepped care model, it will help you determine the type of support that is right for you. You can also refer to WellU and Staying Healthy for more information on health and wellness topics.

 

Stepped Care

stepped care logoWe 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.

 

Individual Counselling

Counselling at Student Health and Wellness is a free, short-term, client-centred, non-judgmental service. Licensed/registered, professionally trained counsellors provide one-to-one counselling to students. 

Booking an appointment is easy. 

Counselling Staff

All of our counsellors are trained, experienced staff that are aware of the unique issues and/or challenges that may affect post-secondary students. Please visit the Meet Our Team page to learn more about the Student Health and Wellness Counsellors.

Thunder Bay

Counselling is provided by in-house counsellors.

Orillia

Counselling is provided on campus or virtually in partnership with the #Ready2Talk CFS Counselling Clinics.

Catholic Family Services (CFS) is an accredited registered charity offering inclusive, affordable, and accessible professional counselling, mental health education, and mental wellness programming. To learn more about Catholic Family Services visit the CFS webpage.

What to Expect

Counselling is an active process where you and your counsellor work together to find ways to resolve issues and/or address your concerns. To get the most out of your sessions:

  • Come prepared with issues to discuss with your counsellor; set a specific counselling goal -- often times people find that one session is extremely beneficial in beginning to make changes and work toward goals.  When you arrive for your first appointment, you will be asked to complete an intake form (please come 10 minutes early to allow time for this).
  • Actively work on counselling goals between sessions.

When there is a need for follow up, counsellors work with their client to determine the best course of action -- this may include recommending that they continue to use same-day appointments as needed (“one-at-a-time” therapy), developing a plan for on-going therapy sessions or referral to specialized services.

Confidentiality

During the first counselling appointment, you will be given information about confidentiality and your counsellor will review this with you. Confidentiality is a legal obligation and priority of Student Health and Wellness. Information is not released outside the Student Wellness team without permission from you. See the policy information. There are however specific circumstances, as identified by law, where a health professional is required to disclose certain information. 

A counsellor will break confidentiality: ​

  • If you are at immediate risk to harm yourself
  • If you intend to harm another person
  • If you or your counsellor has a strong reason to think that another individual may be at risk of harm based on information that you provided in your session
  • If you have a complaint about a regulated health professional (e.g., doctor, nurse, psychologist, chiropractor, massage therapist...) with respect to their inappropriate sexual behaviour towards you, and you provide us with that individual’s name, we are required to report this complaint to their regulatory body
  • If you are involved in a court case and the judge thinks that counselling is relevant to the case, your file might be subpoenaed.
  • If there is a reasonable suspicion that a child (under 16 years of age) is at risk of emotional and/or physical neglect or emotional, physical and/or sexual abuse. We are required by law to report this to the Children’s Aid Society immediately

Let your counsellor know if you require more clarification regarding the confidentiality or privacy of your information.

Referrals and Resources

You can learn more about the variety of campus and community resources and services available to you by meeting with one of our counsellors; they may be able to assist you with the referral process if required. A list of resources is also available on our Resources page.

In Case of Emergency or Student Health and Wellness Closure

If You or Someone You Know is in Crisis

We encourage students to access the following resources should they require them:

  • The confidential and free post-secondary student helpline, Good2Talk, that students can call for professional support 24/7/365. Their toll-free number is 1-866-925-5454
  • Crisis Response Services is a 24/7 crisis line staffed by Canadian Mental Health Association
    • Thunder Bay- 807-346-8282
    • Orillia- 705-728-5044
  • Suicide Hotlines Across the World 
  • In case of an emergency, call 911.
    • For Thunder Bay Campus security, call 807-343-8911.
    • For Orillia Campus Security, call 705-330-4008 ext. 2009 
National Programs
  • Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868
  • Crisis Service Canada
  • Wellness Together Canada provides free online resources, tools, apps and connections to trained volunteers and qualified mental health professionals when needed https://ca.portal.gs/
  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
  • First Nations and Inuit Hope for Wellness Help Line: 1-855-242-3310
    Service is available in Cree, Ojibway, Inuktitut, English and French.
  • Naseeha: 1-866-627-3342
    Youth Peer to peer support helpline and text line for Muslim and non-Muslim youth in the USA and Canada. Lines are open from 9AM to 6PM PST.
Ontario Programs

Ontario’s 24/7 helpline for post-secondary students. Call 1 866 925 5454, text GOOD2TALKON to 686868, or chat via Facebook messenger

ConnexOntario provides free and confidential health services information for people experiencing problems with alcohol and drugs, mental illness and/or gambling. We are funded by the Government of Ontario. Our system navigation and information service is live answer 24/7, confidential, and free.

  • BounceBack

BounceBack is a free skill-building program managed by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). It is designed to help adults and youth 15+ manage low mood, mild to moderate depression and anxiety, stress or worry. Delivered over the phone with a coach and through online videos, you will get access to tools that will support you on your path to mental wellness. To submit an online referral, go to bouncebackontario.ca, or access the online videos at bouncebackvideo.ca

A global online peer to peer support community for student, available 24/7 anywhere in the world

Offers immediate help to all Indigenous peoples across Canada, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Phone line or online chat.

Out of Jurisdiction Supports
  • Resources across Canada
  • iCALL-iCALL endeavours to provide professional and free counselling through technology-assisted mediums such as telephone, email and chat to anyone in need of emotional support, irrespective of age, gender, sexual orientation or race, and transcending geographical distances while ensuring confidentiality.
  • Crisis Text Line- Crisis text lines for US and Canada, Ireland and UK
  • Child Helpline International- a network of helplines for children and youth in more than 140 countries