Programs - Student Wellness Centre

GradChats: Drop-in for Graduate Students

Thursdays, 6:30pm (Various Dates)

Location: Virtual

GradChats is a biweekly casual, virtual space for graduate students to connect across shared experiences of a general theme. A graduate student from the SWC’s Graduate Wellness Team will be co-facilitating the drop-in each week. Students who join will be able to walk away with new ideas on how to understand and deal with the…

Managing Your Worry and Anxiety (Registration Required)

Tuesdays 1:45-3:15pm

Location: In Person: PGCLL 207 (inside Wellness Lounge)

The managing your worry and anxiety group is a 4 session in person psychoeducational group with about 10-12 participants. In this group, participants learn tips and tricks to manage anxiety/stress as well as some Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) concepts. CBT is an evidence-based treatment for anxiety as well as other difficulties with mood. This group…

Mend Your Mood (Registration Required)

Fridays 1:00 - 3:00 PM

Location: In Person: PGCLL 207 (inside Wellness Lounge)

This group will focus on developing a better understanding of depression while learning evidence-based skills to change patterns that trigger depression symptoms. Pre-group meeting required. For more information or to register, please email Michelle Charles (MSW, RSW) at charles2@mcmaster.ca.

Emotion Regulation (Registration Required)

Tuesdays 10:30 AM - 12PM

Location: In Person: PGCLL 206 (inside the Wellness Lounge)

Emotion Regulation is a group designed to teach you about your emotions and how to regulate them in both ongoing and highly stressed situations. This group provides both psychoeducation and tangible tools that can support you in managing overwhelming or unwanted emotions. Note: This group will be starting in October 2024 For more information or…

Walk in Nature

TBD

Location: In Person

Connect with nature and leave your worries behind as you unwind on a walk through Cootes Paradise! Lead by a Health Promoter from the Student Wellness Centre, you’ll go on a walk through Cootes Paradise and meet new people! Learn new skills from some mindfulness exercises, make new friends, and connect with the beautiful nature…

Free Fruit Fridays

Fridays Starting at 9am (while quantities last)

Location: Wellness Lounge - PGCLL 201

Need more fruits in your diet? Drop by the Wellness Lounge for some free fruit on Fridays!

Food for Thought: Cooking Classes

Various Times

Location: In-person Cooking Sessions

Cooking Classes Learn cooking skills in a relaxed and interactive environment. These cooking sessions will provide the opportunity to explore and practice topics related to cooking skills, knife skills, meal planning, nutrition, and food safety. Join us to learn useful kitchen skills and meet new people who are looking to learn as well. All skill…

safeTALK

safeTALK is a half-day alertness training that prepares anyone over the age of 15, regardless of prior experience or training, to become a suicide-alert helper. Most people with thoughts of suicide don’t truly want to die, but are struggling with the pain in their lives. Through their words and actions, they invite help to stay…

Grief Support Sharing Circle (Drop-In)

Thursdays, 2:30PM to 4:00PM (Monthly)

Location: In Person: PGCLL 206 (inside the Wellness Lounge)

A mutual support group for students who are experiencing loss or anticipatory grief due to the death of a loved one. Find support through: facilitated reflective exercises, education about grief and loss, peer sharing and support, creative, mindfulness, and self-compassion based exercises. Drop-In Dates: September 5th, October 3rd, November 7th, and November 28th. You are…

Embracing Gender Diversity (Drop-In)

Tuesdays 5:30-7:30pm

Location: In Person: PGCLL 206 (inside the Wellness Lounge)

This bi-weekly, in-person drop-in group welcomes all gender-diverse, gender-questioning, and queer students who want to connect with other like-minded students and explore gender identity, sexuality, and university life. Join us to build community, connect over shared experiences, and discuss difficult topics in a safe and accepting environment. Each session will focus on a different topic,…

The Black X-Scape (Drop-In)

Wednesday (Weekly), 10:30am - 12:15pm

Location: In Person: BSSC (PGCLL M07)

The Black X-Scape is a student- led mental health peer support group that provides a space for Black students to participate in safe and liberating discussions about mental health and healing. Black students can express themselves freely and engage in conversations about the nuances of mental health, wellness, stigma, and more. The program focuses on…

WOW, SAME.

Read the submissions of your peers to our sexual health initiative, "Wow, same". This is a set of booklets aiming to normalize funny sexual experiences, body insecurities, and the changes that COVID-19 have brought to our sex lives. Booklet 1: Wow, same. Funny Stories Booklet 2: Wow, Same. Insecurities Booklet 3: Wow, Same. COVID Changes.

Mactivate Your Mind, Body, & Spirit

Location: The Pulse

Mactivate Your Mind, Body, & Spirit is an Exercise and Wellness Referral Program Mactivate is a program that features a proactive approach to mental health. It is a partnership between Athletics & Recreation, Student Wellness, and other student service areas, to support McMaster students by providing them with opportunities and access to consistent and regular…

Home Cooked at Mac

The McMaster Student Wellness Centre is extremely excited to have introduced Home-cooked at Mac in the Fall 2022 and Winter 2023 terms. Thank you to the McMaster Okanagan Committee for funding this program, supporting its development, and maintaining their endearing commitment to our community’s health and well-being. What is Home-cooked at Mac? There are…

ADHD Support Group (Registration Required)

Wednesdays 11:00 - 12:30pm

Location: In Person: PGCLL 207 (inside Wellness Lounge)

This group is designed for students who relate to or identify with ADHD traits - no formal diagnosis is needed. It offers a safe and supportive space for students to listen, share experiences, and connect with one another while navigating university life and the unique challenges and strengths associated with ADHD. We will dive into…

Therapy Dog Visit: Bellyrubs with Biscuit

Tuesdays 1:00-2:15pm (various dates), Thursdays, 11:00 - 12:30pm (various dates)

Location: PGCLL 201 - Wellness Lounge

Do you miss your dog back home? Are you grieving your dog? Did you always want a dog but never got one? Are you feeling stressed, sad, or just in need of some extra comfort? Biscuit and Cubby are here to brighten your day! Drop by the Wellness Lounge in PGCLL 201 for a wagging…

I'm Ready: HIV Self-Testing Program

Mondays & Wednesdays, 9am-4pm

Location: PGCLL 203 (Inside PGCLL 201)

I’m Ready to Know is about ending HIV in Canada with low-barrier access to self-testing and connections to care. I’m Ready to Know is a national program that is implementing, scaling-up and evaluating low-barrier options for access to HIV self-testing. The goal is to reach the undiagnosed and give people choices about how to connect…

Overcoming OCD (Registration Required)

Location: In Person: PGCLL 207 (inside Wellness Lounge)

This group provides interested participants with an in-depth understanding of Obsessive-compulsive Disorder (OCD), including its mechanisms and strategies for managing symptoms and triggers ‘at home’. Participants will engage in psychoeducation, skill-building activities, and practice learned skills between group sessions. A pre-group meeting (phone) is required. For more information or to register, contact Michael Morton at…

Neurodivergent Friendly DBT Group (Registration Required)

Tuesdays, 5:00-6:30pm

Location: In Person: PGCLL 207 (inside Wellness Lounge)

DBT techniques are skills for living a valued life. Meet others in a safe space to listen, share, and support one another and learn some skills. We will cover mindfulness skills, emotion regulation skills and distress tolerance. For more information or to register, please contact Debbie Nifakis at nifakis@mcmaster.ca

Food & Grocery Trips

4:00 to 6:30 PM

Location: In Person (By Registration Only)

Calling all McMaster students! Join the SWC & the International and Exchange Student Experience Office for monthly grocery trips in Hamilton! These trips offer an opportunity to connect with your own culture through familiar foods and ingredients while also exploring other culinary traditions. Enjoy free food tastings and gain valuable tips on grocery budgeting and…

BIPOC Stress it out for Anxiety’s Sake (Registration Required)

Location: In Person: PGCLL 206 (inside Wellness Lounge)

‘Stress it Out for Anxiety’s Sake, BIPOC Expressive Arts Therapy circle' provides a safe space where students can come together and unpack their emotions using a combination of psychoeducation and arts-based healing practices to alleviate their stress and anxiety. Students will have the chance to navigate through their stressors and use creative expressions to address the…

Women Healing in Colour (Registration Required)

TBD

Location: In Person: PGCLL 206 (inside Wellness Lounge)

This group is intended for BIPOC women and femme students seeking a culturally affirming place to share and discuss lived experiences, explore new tools, and support one another. It offers a welcoming and safe environment for culturally diverse nuances, creative self-expression, and meaningful conversations. For more information or to register, please contact Susanne Dorder at…

DBT Group (Registration Required)

Mondays 2:00-4:00pm

Location: In Person: PGCLL 207 (inside Wellness Lounge)

In a safe and supportive small group setting, participants will learn effective ways to cope with intense emotions. This group will focus on understanding the roots of painful emotional experiences and provide practical strategies to prevent, reduce, and manage these feelings. Sessions run from: September 23 to October 28 (5 weeks) & November 4 to…

Exploring the Unseen: Understanding Hidden Influences (Registration Required)

Wednesdays 1:30 to 3:30pm

Location: In Person: PGCLL 206 (inside Wellness Lounge)

In this group, we will engage in a creative process designed to reveal the unseen forces at play in our lives. Through guided discussions, artistic expression, and reflective exercises, you will: Uncover Hidden Patterns: Explore subconscious beliefs and tendencies that affect your daily life. Navigate Emotional Triggers: Understand how hidden influences affect your emotions and reactions.…