Learn about Health Promotion
Information Box Group
Wellness Lounge (PGCLL 201)
The lounge space is open for all students and is a place to relax, enjoy tea, read, pick up wellness resources, study, and chat with friends. Come by to ask staff and volunteers about our wellness resources, programs, and services.
In this space, you’ll find free tea, a Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) lightbox, an origami station, a colouring corner, and lots of campus and community informational pamphlets.
Workshops
Popular offerings on campus include;
- Mental health 101
- safeTALK (suicide alertness)
- Self-care and community care
- Healthy relationships
- Responsible drinking and cannabis use
- Other related wellness topics
If you are interested in setting up a workshop for your club, event, or group, please contact us at wellness@mcmaster.ca.
Sign Up for Programs Sign Up for Updates
Thanks for your interest in programming and events at the SWC. We send out monthly newsletters with general updates from the Student Wellness Centre. Some programs also send information about when registration is opening or reminders for various programs that only have occasional dates.
Peer Educator Volunteer Program
With support from the Health Promoters at the SWC, volunteer as a Peer Educator to engage students with their wellness and contribute to a healthier campus community.
The Peer Educator program is a health promotion initiative for undergraduate and graduate students overseen by the Student Wellness Centre’s Health Promotion team. Each year, Peer Educators develop and implement wellness programs to enhance campus well-being focusing on topics such as active living, harm reduction, sexual health, mental health, and food literacy.
Job Description
Peer Educators are responsible for delivering workshops, providing evidence-based health information, and promoting wellness-related resources available on and off campus. Accordingly, students on our Wellness Outreach Team are ambitious, proactive, and driven toward making a difference on campus.
Learn More: Peer Educator job description
Learn More About Our Initiatives
Active Living projects promote movement and activity in an accessible manner amongst all McMaster students, given the incredible scientific support a more active lifestyle has on one’s mental health.
Topics and activities include:
- Physical literacy
- Incorporating activity into student life
- Creating fun and social activities for students to get active
- Exam ‘brain breaks’ with #MacMoves
- Walks through Cootes Paradise through our Walk in Nature Days program
Food Literacy projects aim to increase students’ knowledge of food and nutrition and equip them with the skills needed to prepare food while considering taste, health, culture, and affordability.
Topics and activities include:
- Food skills
- Food security
- Farmer’s Market tours
- Gardening activities
- Cooking sessions through our Food for Thought program
Mental Health projects work to increase students’ knowledge of the many factors that contribute to their own state of mental wellness.
Topics and activities include:
- Resilience
- Self-care
- Building caring and supportive communities
- Stigma reduction
Sexual Health projects focus on educating the McMaster community about the different aspects of sexual health, and what it means to promote a sex-positive environment.
Topics and activities include:
- Healthy relationships
- HIV and STI prevention and testing
- Consent
- Sexual orientation and gender identity
- Gender and sexuality
- Reproductive rights
Substance Use projects use a harm reduction lens to reduce the social, psychological, and biological harms associated with substances like alcohol, cannabis, and tobacco.
Topics and activities include:
- Alcohol, cannabis, and vaping education
- Party kit-making
- Smoke-free campus cigarette butt litter audits
- Normalizing the choice to not use substances
Graduate Wellness
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Graduate Wellness NewsletterEvery academic term, the Graduate Wellness Team shares the Graduate Wellness Newsletter—your go-to guide for staying informed, supported, and connected. Each issue is filled with updates on upcoming programs and special events, important information about campus and community resources, and highlights from our Instagram knowledge translation series! Graduate Wellness InstagramTo stay up to date on grad wellness programs, events, and knowledge translation posts, check out the Graduate Wellness Instagram here!
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Grad Wellness Programs & Events
GradChats Sign up here!
Monthly | Online
GradChats is a monthly, virtual space designed to bring graduate students together through shared experiences and open conversations. Each session will focus on a general wellness theme – such as managing stress and burnout, navigating relationships, and increasing financial literacy! Facilitated by a graduate student from the SWC’s Graduate Wellness Team, GradChats offers a peer-led space where attendees can reflect, exchange perspectives, and learn from one another. Participants are encouraged to engage at their own comfort level and expect to leave with new insights, strategies, and deeper understanding of health and wellness in graduate school.
Sessions have concluded for the academic year- but be sure to sign up to receive information about upcoming sessions and other exciting Graduate opportunities!
Meet the Health Promotion Team
Information Box Group
Cynthia Gibney
Director, Student Wellness Centre, David Braley Sport and Medical Rehabilitation Centre
Cathy Jager
Manager, Nursing and Education
Taryn Aarssen (She/Her)
Health Promotion Coordinator
To me, wellness, is a state of practicing the things that will contribute to a personal state of health and inner peace. It is dependent on other aspects of our life such as access to resources, relationships, identity and the environment we live in.
Interests: I enjoy biking around Hamilton to explore the many trails and parks.
Sierra Gaspari (She/Her)
Health Promoter
Wellness, to me, is the holistic connection between our physical, mental, and emotional well-being. It’s about continuously working toward the balance that helps us feel like our healthiest and most supported selves.
Interests: I love being outdoors (golfing, biking, walking), traveling to new places, and any DIY project!
Chloe Rossi (She/Her)
Health Promoter
To me, wellness is all-encompassing. A dynamic and deeply personal journey towards understanding and discovering your mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. True wellness is not a destination, but a continuous process to find peace, meaningful connection, and community. As life evolves, so do our wellness needs. Wellness blossoms when we honour its ever-changing nature and make space for rest, renewal, and realignment.
Interests: Yoga, spending time outdoors, reading, cooking with loved ones, and travelling.
Madeline Parr (She/Her)
Communications Coordinator
For me, wellness is a daily commitment to nurturing physical, mental, and emotional well-being through simple yet impactful practices. It’s about embracing self-awareness and self-love, recognizing our needs and treating ourselves with kindness and compassion.
Interests: Cycling, skiing, reading, watching sports, and doing my nails.
Student Staff
Amelie Hamlyn-Lovis Herrera (She/Her)
Program Support Assistant
Psychology, Neuroscience, Behaviour
To me, wellness is holistic—a seamless connection between the body, mind, spirit, and emotions. It’s more than the absence of illness; it’s the ongoing pursuit of growth, self-care, and fulfillment. Your approach to wellness is not universal; it is deeply personal, evolving with your unique needs, experiences, and aspirations. There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach; we are active agents in life with individual differences.
Interests: Going to the gym, artwork (digital and visual), going on outdoor adventures, spending time with friends
Jayneigh Hesler (She/Her)
Program Support Assistant (Community Garden)
Health Sciences
To me, wellness is all about tuning into yourself. How can you interpret what your body is telling you and translate it into lifestyle changes that bring you more balance?
Interests: Rock climbing, gardening, snowboarding, salamander hunting and making coffee!!
Sambiro Kitawi (She/Her)
Program Support Assistant
Honours Life Science
Wellness, to me, means finding balance in all areas of my life—mind, body, and spirit. It’s about doing things that bring me peace, like journaling once a week to reflect, or working out to boost my mood and confidence. I’ve also been reconnecting with my faith, which gives me a deeper sense of purpose. Spending time with friends, family, and building community especially around my Kenyan heritage is important too. Most of all, I’m learning to give myself grace as I grow.
Interests: Working out, Cooking, baking, and going to jazz clubs.
Michael Sampaio (He/Him)
Communications Assistant
Honours Kinesiology
To me, wellness means integrating habits into my daily routine that support both my physical and mental health. It also means allowing time for enjoyable but less healthy activities like watching TV or playing video games, and understanding that being too hard on yourself for missing these habits is counterproductive.
Interests: I enjoy walking my dog, reading, biking, and thrifting. My top hobby is exercising, which has taught me discipline and commitment.
Take Care Mac
Take Care Mac is a campus-wide initiative designed to inspire students to reflect on their well-being and explore ways to nurture themselves and their community. Through meaningful dialogue and shared experiences, the campaign aims to foster a community of care at McMaster University, where self-care and collective support are recognized as vital to the student experience.
Check out the toolkit for ideas on how you can access care and support while at Mac or resources that are available along the way!
Information Box Group
Take Care Mac Digital Booklet Learn More
Learn more about the campaign and explore on-campus resources that support your mental health and well-being!
Take Care Mac Colouring Page! Print a colouring sheet
Take a mindful break and show off your creativity with our Take Care Mac colouring sheet. Pick one up from the Wellness Lounge (PGCLL Level 2) or download it here.
Submit your completed colouring page by Friday, September 5th, 2025 at 4:30pm to be entered into a draw to receive 1 of 2 self-care gift baskets!
Wellness Checklist Learn More
Explore this wellness checklist for ideas to help you prioritize your well-being, identify your needs, and find self-care strategies that work for you.
Wellness Text Reminders
The wellness text reminders are now closed!
In Winter 2025, the SWC Health Promotion team conducted the Canadian Campus Wellbeing Survey to better understand the health and wellbeing of McMaster students. The results highlighted some important challenges:
- About 50% of respondents reported feeling lonely.
- 24% of respondents said they weren’t confident in where to access campus-based mental health supports and 40% weren’t confident in where to access community-based mental health supports available to students.
- 43% of respondents rated their overall mental health as “poor” or “fair.”
These findings show the importance of building connection and support across campus.
That’s where Take Care Mac comes in—a campaign about showing up for each other, building connection, and creating a community of care. We invite you to explore the resources, reflect on what care means to you, and help make McMaster a more supportive place for everyone.
Take care, Mac!
Responsible Substance Use 2025-2026
Welcome Week is all about celebrating, connecting, and creating unforgettable memories. Whether you are going all out or keeping it low-key, our Responsible Substance Use campaign provides tips, resources, and support to help you stay safe, informed, and in control.
Let’s make this week—and the year ahead—enjoyable for everyone, safely and responsibly.
The 2025 Canadian Campus Wellbeing Survey showed that:
- Almost 40% of students who responded do not drink alcohol, and an additional 24.8% of students who responded had not binge drank in the last 30 days. That is a combined total of around 65% of students who had not binge drank during the past 30 days.
- Almost 70% of students who responded do not use cannabis, and an additional 10% of students who responded had not used cannabis in the last 30 days. That is approximately 80% of students who had not used cannabis in the last 30 days.
These results indicate that cannabis use and binge drinking are not the norm at McMaster.
However, we understand that Welcome Week is a time of celebration for many students, and that may involve the use of substances. We encourage you to read through this page and learn how to keep yourself and your friends safe during Welcome Week and beyond.
Information Box Group
Safer Substance Use Posters
Download and print these harm reduction posters for use in residence spaces or at campus events!
The more we talk about harm reduction and safer substance use, the more we shift the conversation around dangerous partying and binge culture!
Download portrait posters here
Download landscape posters here!
Substance Use Related Resources Find resources here!
Looking for support with substance use? Explore these on-campus and off-campus resources!
Trivia for Events Test your knowledge!
Hosting an event this Welcome Week or want to test your knowledge? Check out our Substance Use Trivia to see how much you know about substances and staying safe!
Substance-Free Support Learn More
Whether you choose to abstain from substances or use them in moderation, your choice is valid. Drinking alcohol or using cannabis are not pre-requisites to enjoying yourself and having a good time.
Explore our tips for celebrating Welcome Week sober, along with some fun mocktail recipes to elevate your gatherings!
Expandable List
Harm Reduction Supplies and Disposal
The Ontario Harm Reduction Distribution Program co-ordinates the distribution of harm reduction supplies to core Harm Reduction Programs through a licensed medical distributor.
Find harm reduction supplies and disposal bins here.
Free Naloxone Kits
The Ontario Ministry of Health website maintains a map of naloxone distribution sites across the province.
Find where you can access free naloxone kits here.
Drug Testing Kits
Take-home fentanyl and xylazine test strips are distributed in Hamilton by: the Van Needle Syringe Program, Public Health Services Street Health Clinics, Public Health Services Sexual Health Clinics and Alcohol, Drugs and Gambling Services.