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Student Wellness Centre

Accessing Counselling

The SWC is here to support your mental health. Through the Pathways to Care model, experienced counsellors and mental health nurses will help you address your needs. 

 

Are you new to the SWC’s Counselling services? Here is what you need to know:  

To begin your mental health journey at the SWC, you will need to start with a Mental Health Intake appointment with one of our Mental Health Nurses. Using our Pathways to Care Model, we will explore the best way to approach your needs. 

You can book your initial intake appointment by phone (905 525 9140 x 27700) or in person at reception (PGCLL 210). Please note, all new patients seeking mental health services must attend their intake appointment in person.

Before your first scheduled appointment, you must complete intake forms. These forms must be completed online, 24 hours prior to appointment time OR in-person at reception 15 minutes before your appointment. Follow-up appointment times may vary during the semester. 

One to One Counselling Options: 

Short-Term Counselling (Indigo Path)
  • Let’s focus on you! We at the SWC have revamped our model to improve access. We are implementing an evidence-based brief model to support your needs. 
  • Appointments will focus on supporting your most immediate needs. 
  • Wait times between counselling sessions may fluctuate depending on demand. 
Same-Day Single Session Appointments (Orange Path)

We understand quick access to counselling can be a challenge. To help with this, we have implemented a number of same-day single session appointments. These appointments are available for students with urgent needs and/or for students who are not currently connected with our mental health team. 

  • Same-Day Single Session Appointments are available daily on a ‘first come first serve’ basis.

Pathways to Care

Pathways to Care was developed to maximize support and effectiveness of decisions used to direct students to various therapy and counselling resources, since not every student entering an intake appointment may need to see a counsellor or to enter into long-term counselling.

There are a lot of resources available to students including online, or on or off-campus resources. Pathways to Care is here to help find the best fit for you.

Counsellors will sensitively listen and then, lay out a series of options that include online information; interactive online modules such as TAO; referrals to the Student Assistance Program; daily mindfulness sessions; psychoeducational groups; therapy groups; all the way to individual counselling sessions and medical appointments, as well as referrals to community and other resources.

Which of these options you end up pursuing is decided by you and a professional during the intake appointment.

Information Box Group

Red Path

Wellness Education Resources

  • Self-directed / self-help
  • Wellness activities
  • TAO Wellness App
  • Phone apps
  • Online / websites

Orange Path

Same-Day Single Session Appointment

  • Initial contact (one-on-one)
  • First-come, first-served basis.
  • Pre-booked consultation appointment.
  • Quick and immediate counselling support.
  • Focus on accessing your immediate needs.

Yellow Path

Other Campus Resources

Lime Path

TAO and Centre for Clinical Interventions (CCI)

Green Path

Drop-In Groups

Blue Path

Psychoeducational Groups & Psychotherapy Groups

Indigo Path

Short Term Counselling

  • Individual therapy
  • Referral to community or other resources as needed
  • Stabilization and support
  • Skill Development

Purple Path

Medical Treatment

  • Referral to physician (when needed)
  • Mental Health Nurse
  • Assess for Medication

Pink Path

Community Resources