Programs - Student Wellness Centre

Words of Wellness - Letters to Incoming Students

COVID-19 brought with it a host of unique challenges for university students. Beyond the barriers to an engaging and holistic education that online schooling brought, there were also barriers to having a normal university experience. Grieving our lost chance(s) to have an in-person year of university, as well as all the exciting and fun experiences…

GradChats: Drop-in for Graduate Students

Tuesdays, April 20th - June 29th.

1.30pm - 2.20pm

Location: Online

This weekly drop-in is a space for graduate students to come together and talk about life, the university, and everything. There will be a general topic each week, though conversation can flow in any direction. The focus of this group is for graduate students to connect and share their experiences with one another. Come to…

International Students: Meet Your Neighbours

Wednesdays

12pm-1pm

Location: Online

Meeting new people can be difficult as an International student (even without a pandemic!).This weekly virtual drop-in group will help you connect with other International students at McMaster. Bring your lunch if you'd like, or just come and chat about what's on your mind! This group is facilitated by Zeinab Khawaja, a Health Promoter at…

ACT on Anxiety

January 21, 2021 - February 11, 2021

Thursdays 2:00 PM-3:30 PM EST

Location: Online

Participants will learn Acceptance & Commitment Therapy strategies to decrease the impact of anxious thoughts, feelings, sensations, and memories on living a valued life. For more information or to register, email Carla Glanville (MA) at glanvic@mcmaster.ca or Kerri-Ann Fitzgerald (MSW, RSW) at fitzka@mcmaster.ca.

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy

Winter Term

Tuesdays 5:00 PM-7:00 PM EST

Location: Online

In supportive small-group environment, participants will learn helpful ways to cope with periods of intense emotional distress. The group will focus on understanding painful emotional experiences and developing concrete strategies to prevent, decrease or manage painful life experiences. There are 3 modules that rotate through the year which include emotion regulation, distress tolerance and interperson…

Managing Your Worry and Anxiety

Various start dates each term

Fridays 10:30am - 12:30pm

Location: Online

Participants learn about the connection between worrying and generalized anxiety through an exploration of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) concepts/strategies. Weekly experiential exercises will be used to challenge thoughts, manage worries, and provide a greater sense of calm to mind and body. For more information or to register, email Sheila Ortlieb (MA, RP) at ortliebs@mcmaster.ca.

Managing Your Emotions

January 13-February 24, 2021 & March 3-April 7, 2021

Wednesdays 5:30 PM-7:30 PM EST

Location: Online

A basic introduction to Cognitive Therapy. Participants will practice specific ways to handle feelings more effectively. For more information or to register, email Nathan Cooper (Psy. D., C. Psych.) at ncooper@mcmaster.ca.

Mend Your Mood

January 22, 2021-April 9, 2021

Fridays 12:30 PM-2:30 PM EST

Location: Online

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

Emotion Regulation Skills

Winter Term

Wednesdays 1:30 PM-3:30 PM EST

Location: Online

Participate in this 12-week coping skills group, where you will learn mindfulness and how to manage emotion dysregulation, distress, and interpersonal difficulties For more information or to register, email Debra Earl (RN) at earld@mcmaster.ca.

ADHD - Drop-in

Winter term

Fridays 11:30am - 12:30pm

Location: Online

This group provides a space for students to develop new skills and approaches to help minimize the effects of ADHD on daily life. The group will offer opportunities to share with others. Come to one session or come to all. Offered through Webex. Students must be registered with the SWC and have completed a confidentiality…

The Food for Thought Scoop

Fall and Winter Term (Various dates)

Various Times

Location: Online

The Food For Thought Scoop Food and cooking inspiration, right to your email inbox! Join our mailing list for some recipes, cooking tips and tricks, and other food related info relevant to student life. In the weekly newsletter, the Food Literacy team will be including information related to budget-friendly meals, cooking skills, meal planning, nutrition,…

StressLess - Drop In

Winter Term

Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays 3:00 PM-4:00 PM EST

Location: Online - Zoom

The StressLess session is designed to explore the similarity and difference between stress, anxiety, and fear, identify stressors, explore stress physiology, discuss existing stress management strategies, and introduce progressive muscle relaxation Drop-in sessions will be available online. Email Nathan Cooper at ncooper@mcmaster.ca to receive the link for the online meeting.

Connections Curriculum

Winter term (Fridays)

10:30AM - 12:30PM

A 12 session psychoeducational curriculum that helps participants develop and or build on their shame-resilience. Connections will enable participants to be more self-compassionate, emotionally aware, and interpersonally effective. For more information or to register, email Aven Armstrong-Sutton (MSW, Ph.D.c, RSW) at armstrong-sutton.aven@mcmaster.ca.

Grief Support Circle - Drop-in (Via WebEx)

Winter Term (2nd Thursday of each month)

9:30 AM-11:00 AM EST

Location: Online - WebEx

This drop in style group is for students who have experienced grief and loss due to the death of a loved one. The group is facilitated by Marybeth from McMaster Open Circle and Simone (counsellor) from the Student Wellness Centre, and it is open to all students. This group will provide a safe and confidential…

Caring Communities Network

Winter term (Various dates)

Self-paced

Location: Online

Promote wellness within your community (MSU Club or other student group) through the designation of a Wellness Liaison. A Wellness Liaison is someone in your community that can share experiences, resources, and opportunities surrounding health promotion and how to care for your community. They’ll be connected with the Student Wellness Centre as we share learning…

OCD is Affecting Me!

January 22, 2021-March 26, 2021

Thursdays 2:30 PM-4:00 PM EST

Location: Online

A 10-week virtual therapy group for individuals having difficulties managing obsessive-compulsive disorder. The sessions will provide an overview of OCD, discuss symptoms and review helpful strategies to manage OCD. Please note that this is a therapy group and will require work to be done outside of group sessions. It is highly advisable to attend all…

BIPOC Resilience and Peer Support

Winter Term

Wednesdays 10:30 AM-11:30 AM EST

Location: Online

A virtual safe community where Black, Indigenous and People of Colour can share their voices and uplift one another. This group is intended to create opportunities to discuss personal, social, political and academic challenges and pressures faced uniquely by this population at McMaster University. Sessions will include discussions on mental health, self-care, wellbeing, self-empowerment, self-esteem,…

Did You Know? HPV

Ongoing

Location: Online

The Did You Know? HPV webinar is designed to give students knowledge about what HPV is and how the vaccine can prevent at least six types of cancers from forming. While HPV and other sexually transmitted infections can be tough to comprehend, this webinar makes HPV easy to understand, provide key Canadian statistics, and a…

Perfectionism Power Hour

Thursdays, January 21, 2021- March 25, 2021

1:30 PM-2:30 PM EST

Location: Online

Are you having difficulties with procrastination? Are you constantly striving to meet excessively high academic standards? Are you constantly dissatisfied with grades, even when others commented how well you did? If so, this is the group for you. A 10-week virtual therapy group for individuals having difficulties with perfectionism. Please note that this is a…

LivingWorks Start

Fall Term (Various dates)

LivingWorks Start teaches valuable skills to everyone 13 and older and requires no formal training or prior experience in suicide prevention. When you sign up for LivingWorks Start training, you'll learn a powerful four-step model to keep someone safe from suicide, and you'll have a chance to practice it with impactful simulations. Safety resources and…

McMaster Pen Pals

Fall and Winter Term (Various dates)

Location: Online

The McMaster Pen Pals program is a new initiative to help connect McMaster students who would like to meet new friends while we're away from campus. After filling out this 9-question-form, the Health Promotion team will match you with someone else who also filled this form and introduce you to one another via your McMaster…

Fostering Self-Compassion and Mindfulness

May 5, 2021 - June 2, 2021

Wednesdays 10:00 AM-11:30 AM EST

Location: Online

A 5-week online psycho-educational group which explores self-compassion, self-love, and mindfulness. The sessions will focus on defining self-compassion, techniques to challenge the 'inner critic', and strategies to foster self-compassion and mindfulness. To register, contact Simone Gomes (gomessf@mcmaster.ca).

"Is That a Thought or a Feeling?!" - Communication Skills Building Group

January 28, 2021 - March 11, 2021

Thursdays 1:30-3:00 PM EST

Location: Online

This is a 7-week Communication Skill Building Group to develop effective techniques and avoid common traps when having difficult conversations. This group is based on principles and strategies of Dr. Marshall Rosenberg’s International work on Nonviolent Communication. Students will explore patterns of alienating communication in their personal lives and practice skills that promote accurate verbal…

Wellness Worms Book Club

Various

Welcome to Wellness Worms! Welcome to Student Wellness Centre's very own book club! The goal of this program is to inspire reflection within a community setting. With this in mind, the book selections will be wellness-themed. Through reading and guided discussion we hope that you and your peers will be able help each other in…

Exploring the Procrastinating Mind

Tuesdays, June 15 to July 13 2021

10:30AM - 12:00PM

Location: Virtual

Did you know that procrastination has neurobiological roots? This 5-week group is structured to review skills and strategies to increase efficiency and focus when completing tasks. Additionally, this group will explore how to create and maintain new habits. This group will run on Tuesdays from 10:30AM - 12:00PM during the weeks of June 22 2021…

Love Better - A Healthy Relationships Group

Wednesdays, May 5 to June 2

10:00AM to 12:00PM

Location: Virtual

In this 5-week group participants will learn to identify the differences between healthy and unhealthy romantic relationships. Group topics will cover the following: the qualities of healthy vs. unhealthy relationships, red flags to watch for in dating relationships, attributes to look for when choosing a partner, how to make relationships last, and the importance of…

1887 Challenge - Wellness Edition

March 1 to March 14

Location: Virtual

Struggling to stay active while stuck at home? The Student Wellness Centre and McMaster Alumni Association challenge you to the 1887 Challenge - Wellness Edition! The 1887 Challenge - Wellness Edition is an active living challenge where you'll be tasked with completing one of two 7-minute workouts informed by McMaster researchers! Complete one of these…

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Words of Wellness - Letters to Incoming Students

GradChats: Drop-in for Graduate Students

Tuesdays, April 20th - June 29th.

1.30pm - 2.20pm

International Students: Meet Your Neighbours

Wednesdays

12pm-1pm

ACT on Anxiety

January 21, 2021 - February 11, 2021

Thursdays 2:00 PM-3:30 PM EST

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy

Winter Term

Tuesdays 5:00 PM-7:00 PM EST

Managing Your Worry and Anxiety

Various start dates each term

Fridays 10:30am - 12:30pm

Managing Your Emotions

January 13-February 24, 2021 & March 3-April 7, 2021

Wednesdays 5:30 PM-7:30 PM EST

Mend Your Mood

January 22, 2021-April 9, 2021

Fridays 12:30 PM-2:30 PM EST

Emotion Regulation Skills

Winter Term

Wednesdays 1:30 PM-3:30 PM EST

ADHD - Drop-in

Winter term

Fridays 11:30am - 12:30pm

The Food for Thought Scoop

Fall and Winter Term (Various dates)

Various Times

StressLess - Drop In

Winter Term

Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays 3:00 PM-4:00 PM EST

Connections Curriculum

Winter term (Fridays)

10:30AM - 12:30PM

Grief Support Circle - Drop-in (Via WebEx)

Winter Term (2nd Thursday of each month)

9:30 AM-11:00 AM EST

Caring Communities Network

Winter term (Various dates)

Self-paced

OCD is Affecting Me!

January 22, 2021-March 26, 2021

Thursdays 2:30 PM-4:00 PM EST

BIPOC Resilience and Peer Support

Winter Term

Wednesdays 10:30 AM-11:30 AM EST

Did You Know? HPV

Ongoing

Perfectionism Power Hour

Thursdays, January 21, 2021- March 25, 2021

1:30 PM-2:30 PM EST

LivingWorks Start

Fall Term (Various dates)

McMaster Pen Pals

Fall and Winter Term (Various dates)

Fostering Self-Compassion and Mindfulness

May 5, 2021 - June 2, 2021

Wednesdays 10:00 AM-11:30 AM EST

"Is That a Thought or a Feeling?!" - Communication Skills Building Group

January 28, 2021 - March 11, 2021

Thursdays 1:30-3:00 PM EST

Wellness Worms Book Club

Various

Exploring the Procrastinating Mind

Tuesdays, June 15 to July 13 2021

10:30AM - 12:00PM

Love Better - A Healthy Relationships Group

Wednesdays, May 5 to June 2

10:00AM to 12:00PM

1887 Challenge - Wellness Edition

March 1 to March 14